Brunswick Wharf

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Brunswick Wharf was a railway goods yard in Buglawton, Congleton, in Cheshire, England. [1] [2] It was used to transport sand and coal between Congleton and the Staffordshire Potteries, along the Biddulph Valley Line. [1] [3]

Contents

History

Brunswick Wharf was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 29 August 1860; it was the northern terminus of the Biddulph Valley line. [4]

While using the line for most of the journey, goods trains heading to Brunswick Wharf would leave the Biddulph Valley Line at Congleton Lower Junction. [5] Goods trains would then follow a line underneath the North Staffordshire main line, which was used to reach Brunswick Wharf and a goods and mineral yard at Congleton railway station. [5]

Ever Saturday morning, there was a sand train service from Brunswick Wharf to Warrington and St Helens; [6] the sand was used in the Lancashire glass industry. [6]

During the line's heyday, the Robbert Heath-owned collieries operated private mineral trains between their various sites to and from Brunswick Wharf. [7]

When trams were being built for Manchester and other local cities, metal was brought to Brunswick Wharf to be moulded down into brake blocks for trams. [8]

The decision to close Brunswick Wharf "baffled" the staff due to how busy and well used it was. [9] The last train left Brunswick Wharf on 1 April 1968, after which it was closed. [1] [3] After its closure, sand had to be brought to Congleton station and coal to Kidsgrove station. [9]

Plans were drawn up by the North Staffordshire Railway Society in the 1970s to reopen Brunswick Wharf, as part of a planned heritage railway to Biddulph station; [10] this was created in order to preserve some of the Biddulph Valley Line. [10] Due to lack of interest from Cheshire County Council and the general public, this plan was abandoned. [10]

Operation

Brunswick Wharf consisted of three sidings called Wharfs, operated by three different companies; these were: [11]

Staff

Below is a list of staff who worked at Brunswick Wharf, with their job titles and/or employer if known:

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Activities and Information About the Biddulph Valley Way". www.cheshireeast.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  2. ↑ Alcock, Joan P. (30 June 2003). History & Guide Congleton. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 67. ISBN   0752429469.
  3. 1 2 Biddulph Valley Way Explorer including Dane-in-Shaw Pasture & Timbersbrook Picnic Area (PDF). Cheshire East Council. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  4. ↑ Jeuda, Basil (1 May 1996). THE KNOTTY An Illustrated Survey Of The North Staffordshire Railway. Lightmoor Press. p. 43. ISBN   1899889019.
  5. 1 2 Allan. C Baker. An Illustrated History of Stoke and North Staffordshire's Railways. Irwell Press. p. 53. ISBN   1-903266-11-4.
  6. 1 2 Allan. C Baker. An Illustrated History of Stoke and North Staffordshire's Railways. Irwell Press. p. 57. ISBN   1-903266-11-4.
  7. ↑ Allan. C Baker. An Illustrated History of Stoke and North Staffordshire's Railways. Irwell Press. p. 54. ISBN   1-903266-11-4.
  8. 1 2 "THE LAST PAGE OF A CHAPTER And the man who has watched history made". Congleton Chronicle . 15 March 1968. p. 1.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Wharf Closes". Congleton Chronicle . 15 March 1968. p. 10.
  10. 1 2 3 "Our History". www.nsrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jeuda, Basil (20 April 2014). The North Staffordshire Railway In LMS Days Volume 3. Lydney: Lightmoor Press. p. 65. ISBN   978-1899889839.
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