The Harborne Railway Company was
formed in 1866 to construct a single line railway, two and a
half miles long between Harborne and the junction with the
London and North Western Railway near Monument Lane. The rolling
stock & locomotives were provided by the London North Western
Railway (LMS from 1922 after the grouping) who took 50% of the
gross receipts from passenger and freight operations.The
original plans had been for a much longer ambitious railway extended
to Lapal to connect
with the Halesowen and Bromsgrove Branch Railway but due to
strong local opposition from landowners this was not
possible.
The line was to be completed within five years but in fact it was
not until August 10th 1874 that passenger services commenced, with a
goods service starting two months later. (The major part of the
delay was most likely due to the arguments and protests from local
landowners)
The bridge over Augustus Road in 2007
Stations were built at;
Icknield Port Road,
Rotten Park Road with siding. This station was the lines only
passing place and from 1907 had a freight spur to M&B's brewery at
Cape Hill Smethwick and was operated by the brewery's own
locomotives.
Hagley Road with siding,
Harborne, which had a single platform, sidings and a goods shed.
Just before the main line junction the line had to cross The
Birmingham Canal which ran in a deep cutting, the bridge pillars
still remain.
The only other works of note on the line was the Chad Valley embankment
across the River Cole.
Six passenger trains ran in each direction on weekdays, and three
on Sundays. Sunday services however were soon stopped owing to
complaints from residents of being disturbed on the sabbath!
Journey time was around 16 minutes
Trains were usually hauled by Webb 2-4-2 or 0-6-2 tank
engines
The line bordered an affluent area and proved very popular.
At the peak there were 30 departures daily from Harborne but by
1922 Bradshaw's Railway Directory shews only 20 departures daily from Harborne, 5 being between 7.26
and 8.49, with a corresponding number from New Street.
There was freight traffic on the branch too with Mitchells and
Butlers brewery (from 1907) and Chad Valley Toys responsible for the main traffic.
After a period of enormous success making the line one of the
most profitable within Birmingham, in fact the LNWR offered to buy
the company on three occasions, decline came after the first world
war with growing competition from trams and
the motor bus. Another unfair contributory factor was the long delays
before Monument Lane Junction, which became legendary. (one wonders
if there was any LNWR skulduggery going on here!) Trains on the
main line for New Street were always given priority and as main line
traffic built up so did the delays, which at times could amount to
as much as 30 minutes. Some passengers would regularly get off at
Icknield Port Road station and continues their journey by bus or
tram. The net result was the branch
became unprofitable, services were reduced and eventually the
passenger service was withdrawn on November
26th 1934 with the last train being the 11.08 pm from Birmingham New
Street hauled by ex-LNWR 2F 0-6-2T 'Coal Tank' No 7742.
It was not the complete end though and the branch continued as
a freight only line into the 1960s with the last train being a special
commemorative passenger train run by the Stephenson Locomotive
Society on Saturday November 2nd 1963 from Birmingham New Street.
The train, which must have been the largest the branch had ever
seen, contained around 300 enthusiasts and was hauled by Ivatt Class
2 2-6-0 46522
The line was completely closed on the following Monday and the
removal of the track began.
Ticket from Last passenger service,
1934