Tysely or Small Heath

[mawallace]

I am trying to spot 150's before they go!

I am trying to decide between Tysley or Small Heath station.

i. Which platforms would be best at the respective stations?

ii. Which platforms would be best for photographs?

Do all stock that runs through to Tysely pass through SMall Heath?

Are there any diagrams I would miss (except the Bedford ones!)


Any other suggestions? or hints?

 

[bjm2000uk]

Both are island platforms, if anything look towards the northern end of snow hill lines towards Cradley Heath / Stourbridge as all services pass through there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjm2000uk/6014874436/in/photostream at Stourbridge
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjm2000uk/5537927558/in/photostream at Cradley Heath

 

[Cherry_Picker]

i. Which platforms would be best at the respective stations?

ii. Which platforms would be best for photographs?

iii Do all stock that runs through to Tysely pass through SMall Heath?

iv. Are there any diagrams I would miss (except the Bedford ones!)

v. Any other suggestions? or hints?

i] All 150s will come through the slow lines at Small Heath station, but at Tyseley they will split, services to Whitlocks End/Shirley/Stratford go via the slow platforms and services to Solihull & Dorridge go through the fast platforms. You can stay put at Small Heath, you might need to move from time to time at Tyseley.

ii] For 150s I would say the slow platforms at Tyseley. See above for more info though.

iii] There are ECS movements between Birmingham and Tyseley depot which will pass through the platforms at Small Heath but not Tyseley. To counter that, the platforms at Tyseley offer an excellent view of Tyseley depot carriage sidings.

iv] Possibly some stuff between Worcester and Snow Hill I guess, but I think everything will pass through Small Heath/Tyseley sooner or later.

v] The view of the carriage sidings from Tyseley platforms is a big deal I guess. There is a decent cafe and a couple of shops to grab a bite to eat and a drink within five minutes walk of Tyseley station. You will get lots of good shots of trains coming around from the Shirley branch into Tyseley as they come around the curve into the station rather slowly, everything at Small Heath will whizz through at 60mph unless it is stopping. Trains which dont stop to pick up passengers will be held at Tyseley to let Chiltern services overtake too. There will probably be other spotters at Tyseley too, it is rare for to go through the station without seeing somebody on the platforms. Probably good if you want a bit of company. If I were going, I'd go to Tyseley in a heartbeat. It's a lovely station and it has fantastic GWR style canopy roofs which will do a much better job of protecting you from the elements than the bus shelter at Small Heath if it rains.

 

[sprinterguy]

I agree with Cherry Picker that the slow line platforms at Tyseley, at the "down" or Birmingham end, are the best option. The GWR style canopies and the curvature of the station are both conducive to getting some decent pictures, especially of Birmingham bound trains coming from the Solihull lines. There's plenty of other interesting vistas that can be explored if you move around a bit, such as the approach to the station from the Stratford lines if you stand at the "up" end of the fast line platforms (IMG 6108 below). From the slow line platforms, you'll have the best angle of lighting in the afternoon.

Here's a few of my shots from the station to give you an idea; the first four are taken from the slow line platforms and the last two from the fast:

 

[mawallace]

So I would be best going on the slow platforms for my pictures of 150's? Any platform number?

 

[james66414]

Tyseley is a good place to go you get class 150s class 165 class 168s cross country voyagers and freight

 

[RPM]

Also at Tysely you can get some nice shots of trains negotiating the junction if you go out of the station and onto the road bridge.

 

[exile]

Trying to spot 150s? There are plenty round Liverpool - and I won't miss them when they're gone..... too small, too uncomfortable, freezing cold in winter and ovens in the summer....

 

[sprinterguy]

Trying to spot 150s? There are plenty round Liverpool - and I won't miss them when they're gone..... too small, too uncomfortable, freezing cold in winter and ovens in the summer....

Probably much to your dismay then, unlike LMs' units, Liverpools' 150s won't be going anywhere anytime soon! In fact, you'll be gaining more of them in the form of some of the LM units that some folk are currently so desperate to record!

 

[Bevan Price]

If you want a bit of variety in your photos, I would suggest you get a WM Daytripper or a West Midlands Day Ranger, which will allow you to visit several stations in one day. There may be one or two 150's on Birmingham - Walsall - Rugeley services on some days, but otherwise any station between Tyseley & Stourbridge Junction should produce all the 150's in use that day on the services through Snow Hill.

LM dmu's also operate Birmingham New St - Worcester / Hereford, and Birmingham New St - Shrewsbury. These are mostly 170's, but use of a 150 cannot be ruled out completely.

Bevan