Kidderminster Shed

Kidderminster shed

Locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service on through services were mainly operated from the southern end of the line by locomotives based at Worcester, with its sub-shed Hartlebury, and from the northern end of the line by locomotives from Shrewsbury shed. Some local and through services on the Severn Valley and Tenbury branches were operated by engines stabled at Kidderminster shed. Locomotives could also be based at other sheds in the area including Stourbridge. In particular the daily Stourbridge – Tenbury Goods would regularly be a Stourbridge (84F) based loco. Kidderminster shed also housed locomotives serving the Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway.

Kidderminster Shed under GWR

Extract from 1951 Map showing Kidderminster shed

Kidderminster was GWR shed number 125, code KDR, and was part of the Worcester division. The shed was situated on the south side of the line between Hoo Road Bridge and Worcester Road Bridge (on the left when travelling from Kidderminster towards Bewdley). It was built between 1930 and 1932 under the Loans & Guarantees Act (1929) to replace the original smaller single-road GWR shed which was situated adjacent to Kidderminster mainline station.^[1] The extract from Ordnance Survey Map SO87, surveyed 1938 - 1949, published 1951, shows the later location.

It required some existing properties and land to be acquired in 1930 before work could begin.^[2] The structure which housed the locomotives was steel framed with corrugated sheeting, and was previously the 1921 engine shed from Basseleg, Newport on the Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway.^[1] Dimensions were 200' by 30', and it accommodated 10 locomotives over the two roads.^[3] Along the side of the shed (to the right of the shed in the picture) was a row of brick built offices with a sloping slate roof which served as the Foreman’s office, stores, fitters’ shop, enginemen’s cabin and shed men’s rest room. Two water columns and pits served the two roads into the shed. The picture also shows a small sand furnace building to the right of the water column. The coaling stage was further to the right, out of sight in the picture.^[4]

A snapshot in 1943 shows the following locomotives allocated to Kidderminster (GWR unless stated)^[5]:

Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway CMDP Class 0-6-0PT Nos 28, 29
Dean 2021 Class 0-6-0PT No 2153
Churchward 4575 Class 2-6-2T Nos 4586, 4596
Collett 5700 Class 0-6-0PT No 4625, 8718, 8727
Collett 5101 Class 2-6-2T Nos 5110, 5112
Churchward 4575 Class 2-6-2T Nos 5518, 5538, 5573
Collett 8100 Class 2-6-2T No 8101
LNER J25 Class 0-6-0 Nos 2134, 2142, 2051, 1994

'Asleft', a fireman at Kidderminster between 1945 and 1949, described Kidderminster as "...a small but complete engine shed. The men working there were an example in miniature of the range and types of men found at larger depots". In addition to the drivers and firemen based there, there was a small workshop with a small fitting staff responsible for simple repairs such as adjusting brakes and repairing blown joints, although larger repairs such as the removal of pistons and valves were carried out elsewhere. One man was normally responsible for boiler washouts and working on the coal stage^[6]. There were around 69 men based at the shed, comprising the Shed Foreman, approximately 25 sets of Footplate Men (drivers and firemen), 4 Fitters, 8 Cleaners, a Boiler Man, 4 Shed Men and a Clerk^[7].

Kidderminster Shed under BR

Post-War, Kidderminster had 3 different shed numbers under BR. Following nationalisation, Kidderminster initially became BR shed code 85D on 1 February 1950, as part of the group under 85 Worcester. On 10 September 1960 it became Shed 84G under 84 Wolverhampton. Finally, in 1963 responsibility for the area was transferred from the Western Region to the London Midland Region, and on 1 September 1963 it became shed 2P under 2 Rugby.

The total number of engines allocated to Kidderminster Shed post-War, albeit not all at one time, were^[8]:

Company	Designer	Locomotive class	Wheel arrangement	Number allocated
GWR	Churchward	4300 Class	2-6-0	22
GWR	Collett	5700 Class	0-6-0PT	18
GWR	Collett	5101 Class	2-6-2T	13
GWR	Collett	4575 Class	2-6-2T	5
GWR	Collett	5600 Class	0-6-2T	3
GWR	Dean	2021 Class	0-6-0PT	3
GWR	Collett	1400 Class	0-4-2T	2
GWR	Collett	2251 Class	0-6-0	2*
GWR	Collett	6100 Class	2-6-2T	2
GWR	Churchward	4500 Class	2-6-2T	1
GWR	Collett	'Grange' 6800 Class	4-6-0	1
GWR	Dean	'Bulldog' 3300 Class	4-4-0	1
GWR	Hawksworth	1600 Class	0-6-0PT	1
LMS	Stanier	3P	2-6-2T	1
BR	Riddles	Standard Class 3 Tank	2-6-2T	3
BR		Diesel Class 08	0-6-0	1

During the 1950s, with new DMUs introduced the shed lost top link passenger work to Tyseley and Stourbridge sheds, and all passenger work between Kidderminster and Birmingham Snow Hill.^[9] The area covered by Kidderminster based locomotives included passenger/goods services on the Severn Valley Branch between Shrewsbury and Hartlebury, in some cases continuing south to Worcester and thence to Ledbury. Services on the Tenbury Branch to Woofferton also continued south to Leominster. Services north from Kidderminster worked via Stourbridge as far as Wolverhampton and also via Stourbridge to Birmingham and thence to Leamington Spa.^[10]

Kidderminster shed closed on 10 August 1964, with the last 8 engines being transferred to nearby Stourbridge shed (84F) 2 days earlier. The last 8 engines at Kidderminster were:

Collett 5700 Class 0-6-0PT Nos 3601, 3607, 3619, 8718
Collett 5101 Class 2-6-2T Nos 4147, 4153, 4173, 4175

The area formerly occupied by Kidderminster Shed is now a housing estate.

Historic maps of Kidderminster Shed

Original GWR map showing the engine shed and associated sidings as a later amendment.
1927 OS map showing the fence line extended and a single siding in the area where the shed was to be built.
1938 OS map showing the engine shed and a further siding extending in to gravel pits to the south. H. Whitehouse's Sand Siding is north of the Severn Valley Branch.