DMU Operations: London Midland Region
Redditch - Four Oaks
From 1978 most Birmingham Cross-City services ran from Longbridge to Four Oaks, a few covered the slightly longer journey from Redditch.
Sample Timetables
14 May until 29 September 1979
3" x 4" when folded.
This contains the times for the southern end of the service.
Images
19th August 1978
Hybrid 116/101 set TS549 (51136 + 59528 + 51149) at Four Oaks on 19 August 1978 with the 6.41pm ex-Redditch. Michael Mensing.
1979
Refurbished Class 116 set TS551 (50871 + 50852, closest, presumably with 59328) in Redditch station in the Spring of 1979. Michael Mensing.
13th July 1979
Redditch station in the early evening of 13 July 1979. A Tyseley-based Class 116 DMU (presumably 50105 closest) form the 18.41 departure for Four Oaks. Lewis Bevan.
13th July 1979
Redditch station on 13 July 1979. Two young women examine the timetable and wonder if they need to catch the 18.41 to Four Oaks. This sits in the platform formed of Tyseley-based Class 116 unit TS515 and the vehicle visible is presumably 50050. Lewis Bevan.
5th September 1981
In refurbished white with blue stripe livery, a Derby built Class 116 three-car DMU with Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) M50851 leading (TS508 presumably also contains 59376 + 50904), was passing over Barnt Green Junction as it diverged from the former Midland Railway Birmingham to Bristol main line with a Four Oaks to Redditch service on September 5th 1981. The short Redditch branch is 4.73 Miles in length from its junction at Barnt Green. Martyn Hilbert.
7th August 1982
Class 116 DMBS M50055 formed with refurbished TS, possibly 59019, and DMS M50116 of Tyseley set 523 at Redditch, Saturday 7th August 1982. Visible in the background is 56 003 waiting to continue the 'Grid Iron Grice' railtour back to London Bridge Iain Reid.
7th August 1982
The Grid Iron Grice railtour of August 1982 offered the novelty of class 56 haulage from the Southern Region for a tour of the West Midlands on 7 August 1982. 56 003 has backed onto the rear of the train at Redditch, as one of Tyseley’s mixed up class 116 sets (TS523, M50055 and possibly M59019 + M50116) arrives and has to use the adjacent platform. Murray Liston.
9th August 1983
M53058 leads set TY506 (with set TY505 on the rear) at Five Ways on the 14:50 Four Oaks to Redditch, Tuesday 9 August 1983. PJ Evans.
30th August 1983
A suburban DMU in Redditchstation, thought to be taken on (or around) 30 August 1983. Closest is Class 116 DMBS 53073 displaying set number TS559 and a smiley face drawn on the top marker lamp. The centre car is thought to be Class 115 59757. Stuart Mackay Collection.
14th June 1986
I spent a couple of minutes lining up this shot at Longbridge on 14 June 1986 and whilst waiting for the Four Oaks bound on the far platform train to move, heard the unmistakeable racket of a pair of 37s thundering south. I was, of course, completely bowled by this train, which must have been an additional working as everything else due had turned up as expected. Still, if the loco-hauled train hadn't been occupying the down main, then the unit closer to me would have been on its way to Redditch thus, lessening the attraction of the shot, by this time. The background in both the station and beyond has changed beyond recognition with overhead catenary in place to the west as far as Bromsgrove and the huge BL complex having been demolished to be replaced with the inevitable out-of-town shopping complex. Peter Tandy.
28th June 1986
In Longbridge station on 28 June 1986 is Class 108/101 set TS201 (presumably 51910 + 54361) with 55002 attached in the down platform with a service from Four Oaks to Redditch. A 6 coach class 116 led by T624 heads towards Birmingham New Street at high(ish!) speed on the up through road. I don't know the working but assume that it was one of the infrequent Cheltenham to Birmingham trains or possibly a service from Hereford to Birmingham New Street via Bromsgrove. Peter Tandy.
28th June 1986
Given the number of trains on the Birmingham Cross City Line and the reliability problems being suffered by Tyseley depot it is hardly surprising that quite a few mixed-up sets were around. In 28 June 1986 T201 formed of classes 101 and 108 (presumably 54361 + 51910) along with class 121 55002 was about to stop at Longbridge with a service from Four Oaks to Redditch. Peter Tandy.
16th August 1986
Barnt Green is the junction for the Redditch branch, the line for which curves sharply away from the Birmingham to Bristol line. Line occupation, especially in the summer, meant that trains from Redditch often had quite a wait in the platform until Saltley Power Box found them a path, especially if they were a minute or two late arriving. The usual class 116 (TS512, presumably 53063 + 59717 + 53119) is shown here on 16 August 1986 waiting at the signal before heading off to Lichfield City via Birmingham New Street. Peter Tandy.
20th December 1986
A portrait view of Tyseley set TS528 (53117 + 59715 + 53062) about to leave the Birmingham to Gloucester main line at Barnt Green with a Birmingham Cross City service to Redditch. This picture was taken from the site of the cattle dock in the long-gone goods yard on 20 December 1986. Peter Tandy.
circa 1987
A suburban DMU at Alvechurch on the Redditch branch, south or Birmingham, circa 1986 / 1987. Carrying set number TS502 in the cab window the Class 116 DMBS is presumably 53861. Ian Docwra.
4th April 1987
Tyseley set TS535 at Redditch on 4 April 1987. The closest vehicles, DMBS 53846, had recently arrived from Scotland hence the painted over set number and shed sticker under the driver's cab window. Jonathan Hazan.
mid-1987
I am not able to date this photograph other than it was taken sometime in mid-1987 because the negative was in the folder for that year but without a corresponding entry in any notebook. The location is clearly Sutton Coldfield station and the class 116 set TS520 (presumably 53905 + 59329 + 53826) was leaving to cross through the heart of Birmingham on its way to Redditch in Worcestershire. The driver's side of the cab has received a bit of a clout, probably in the crowded Tyseley depot. Peter Tandy.
20th August 1988
Tyseley set T401, led by class 115 51662, accelerates away from Four Oaks with a Cross-City service to Redditch on 20 August 1988. Mike Dean.
Unknown date
T414 is seen at Redditch. Thanks to Mac Winfield for the following information: between 1988 and at least 1991 T414 was formed Class 115 DMBS M51869 (nearest the camera) / 115 TS M59661 / 127 TS(L) M59613 / 116 DMS M51144. Tom Clift.
26th August 1991
Barnt Green station is at the junction where the Redditch branch leaves the Birmingham to Gloucester main line. On 26 August 1991 Tyseley set T416 was formed of 53891 + 59609 + 59648 + 51876 from classes 116, 127 and 115 as it joined the branch with a Cross City service from Four Oaks. This formation was the usual for Tyseley's four-car sets at the time but class 150s were not far off mass introduction so scenes like this were well worth recording and in 2021 OHLE masts have changed everything with electric units working both the branch and Bromsgrove terminating trains. Peter Tandy.
May 1992
Tyseley four-car suburban set T403 (presumably 51852 closest) has one NSE liveried vehicle in the rake when seen at Redditch while waiting to return to Four Oaks in May 1992. Stephen Burdett.