52°36′00″N2°07′52″W / 52.600°N 2.131°W /52.600; -2.131Wolverhampton railway works was in the city ofWolverhampton in the county ofStaffordshire, England. It was almost due north of the city centre, and is commemorated with a small display of level crossing gates and a plaque. Known as the Stafford Road Works, it was opened by theShrewsbury and Birmingham Railway in 1849[1] to maintain bought-in locomotives.
Wolverhampton works, located atGorsebrook, north of Wolverhampton centre, became the workshop of the Northern Division of theGreat Western Railway in 1854 underJoseph Armstrong who had been in charge of maintenance for theShrewsbury and Chester Railway atSaltney. The first7 ft (2,134 mm)Brunel gauge line arrived at Wolverhampton and the running shed was rebuilt. Locomotive repairs were concentrated in Wolverhampton, while carriage and wagon work was transferred to Saltney.
Wolverhampton was expanded in 1858 and began building new standard gauge locomotives in 1859 whilst Joseph Armstrong was in charge.Daniel Gooch, the GWR's Locomotive Superintendent atSwindon, resigned at the end of September 1864 and Joseph Armstrong was promoted to replace Gooch, whereupon J. Armstrong's brotherGeorge succeeded him at Wolverhampton. Whilst J. Armstrong was at Wolverhampton, twenty locomotives were built to his designs; after he was transferred to Swindon, 22 more to his designs were built under the superintendency of G. Armstrong.
In comparison with Swindon, Wolverhampton was frustrated by having to maintain a great variety of different locomotives from the various lines that had been taken over. Much of its work, therefore, was in rebuilding and standardisation. However, once new construction started in 1859 (withtwo 2-2-2s designed by Joseph Armstrong) its independence showed. This was even true of the livery; that of Swindon engines was leaf green with oak brown frames, while Wolverhampton's were dark blue-green with red-brown frames.
Construction during George Armstrong's tenure consisted mainly of 0-4-2 tanks of the familiar517 Class, and several classes of 0-6-0 saddle tanks, nearly all of which later becamepannier tanks, and many of which would survive in that form intoBritish Railways days.
As the broad gauge declined and was finally abolished in 1892, Swindon naturally took over as the GWR's main "narrow" (=standard) gauge locomotive builder. When George Armstrong retired, aged 75, in 1897, Swindon influence grew stronger at Wolverhampton. After producing some 800 locomotives, all new building ceased in 1908. The Works continued to repair and overhaul all classes of locomotive, from the humble tank engine to theKing Class andBR Standard locomotives, until it closed in 1964.
| Lots[a] | Quantity | Wheel arrangement | Class | Years | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 2 | 2-2-2 | 7 | 1859 | [2] |
| — | 1 | 2-2-2 | 30 | 1860 | [2] |
| — | 1 | 2-2-2 | 110 | 1862 | [2] |
| —, A | 18 | 2-4-0 | 111 | 1863–64 | [3] |
| — | 12 | 2-4-0BT | 17 | 1864–66 | [4] |
| — | 8 | 0-6-0ST | 302 | 1864–65 | [5] |
| — | 2 | 0-6-0 | 34 | 1866 | [6] |
| — | 2 | 2-4-0 | 108 | 1866–67 | [7] |
| B, C, J, K, L | 60 | 0-6-0ST | 1016 | 1867–71 | [8] |
| D, E, F, G, H, R, S, W, Z, I, C2, M2, P2 | 144 | 0-4-2ST, 0-4-2T | 517 | 1868–85 | [9] |
| M | 12 | 0-6-0T | 633 | 1871–72 | [10] |
| O, P, Q | 36[b] | 0-6-0ST | 645 | 1872–73 | [11] |
| — | 2 | 2-2-2 | 69 | 1872 | [12] |
| T, V, X, Y, J2, L2, O2, Q2, R2, T2, V2, X2, Y2, Z2 | 168 | 0-6-0ST | 850 | 1874–95 | [13] |
| A2, B2, D2, E2, F2, G2 | 72 | 0-6-0ST | 1501 | 1878–81 | [11] |
| H2 | 1 | 0-4-0ST | 45 | 1880 | [14] |
| S2 | 6 | 2-4-0 | 3226 | 1889 | [15] |
| W2 | 3 | 0-6-0 | 57 | 1890–91 | [16] |
| A3, B3 | 52 | 0-6-0ST | 655 | 1892–97 | [17] |
| C3 | 10 | 0-4-2T | 3571 | 1895–97 | [18] |
| D3, F3, G3, H3, J3, K3, L3, M3 | 140 | 0-6-0ST | 2021 | 1897–1905 | [19] |
| —[c] | 10 | 2-6-2T | 4400 | 1905–06 | [20] |
| N3 | 20 | 2-6-2T | 4500 | 1906–08 | [21] |
On reaching Wolverhampton in 1854, the GWR built their own7 ft (2,134 mm)Brunel gauge shed on the opposite side of the Stafford Road to the existing S&B works, between the road and the LMS line to Crewe. Located opposite and accessible fromDunstall Park railway station, the shed backed onto the Stafford Road, with it throat facingWolverhampton Low Level railway station.[22]
In 1860, the GWR added a4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gaugeOld Oak Common pattern 55 feet (16.8 m)turntable shed, with 28 access tracks all with their owninspection pits. Sheds nos. 2 and 3 were added in the same pattern by 1875, with all turntables across all three sheds increased to 65 feet (19.8 m). But due to site access restrictions, sheds nos. 2 and 3 were not directly accessible from Wolverhampton Low Level.[22]
As the major depot of the region, it was constructed as a heavy maintenance repair shop, to replace the functionality of the old S&B works. Hence under the Loans and Guarantees Act (1929): the old broad gauge sheds were demolished and replaced with new steel-framed sheds nos. 4 and 5; a new lifting and erection shop on the site of the old S&B depot; the salted roofs and timber trusses roofs of sheds nos. 1, 2 and 3 replaced by steel supports and corrugated iron; and a new two-ramp coaling stage plus additional 65 feet (19.8 m) erected on the opposite side of the LMS line, closer to Wolverhampton Low Level. By this time the depot function of the old S&B shed had been replaced by the new standard-pattern two-turntableWolverhampton Oxley depot, which was on the opposite side of the line, next to the freight yards and closer to Wolverhampton Low Level.[22]
After reallocation of the depot toLondon Midland Region in January 1963, the decision was taken to close the now run down and highly dilapidated site, concentrating all remaining locomotives and work to Oxley. By this time sheds nos. 2 and 3 were effectively abandoned. The shed closed to all activity in September 1963, and was redeveloped as anindustrial estate.[22]
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