Jerry Birkbeck I model in EM Gauge and am slowly building a joint BR Western and Midland junction, based to the south of Birmingham around 1959/60. It's a might have been following a dispute between two landowners in North Worcestershire. One wanted to develop the area and have a railway link to Birmingham New Street, whilst the other wanted to create a new community for his workers in Birmingham with a link to Snow Hill and Paddington. However. the Government refused to authorise the arrangement. Eventually commonsense prevailed and in the 1870's a joint railway was constructed with links as mentioned. The success of the line was very limited and of course following BR rationalisation the writing was on the wall. The Beeching Report authorised closure. So as a result if you stand in the car park of the services at Hopwood on the M42 and let your mind wonder you may envisage how a railway might have sat in the landscape. If of course it ever did!

Posted by birkbeckjerry at 2021-05-22 15:50:32 UTC