Round Oak Steel Terminal
Encyclopedia
Round Oak Steel Terminal is a railway freight terminal dealing in steel
from the Round Oak Steel Works until 1982 and from other sources thereafter, in Brierley Hill
, West Midlands, England
managed by Corus Group
.
. The line north of Stourbridge and south of Blowers Green railway station
was closed pre-Beeching in 1962 except for freight traffic, and trains run to Round Oak Steel Terminal
and the nearby Moor Lane Goods Yard.
The terminal consists of sidings adjacent to factories. Just after the terminal, the railway line ceases to be in use at the Highgate Road overbridge, Harts Hill. The line beyond here was closed in 1993 and most of the track between there and the Blower's Green overbridge (approximately one mile away) has been removed, though the line is set to re-open during the 2010s
as a shared line between freight trains and Midland Metro
trams (the latter running as far as Wednesbury
).
. They are generally hauled by Class 60s
, although the general replacement of this locomotive with Class 66 locomotives
has meant the latter now appears just as often.
There are seven services operating from the Terminal on all weekdays except Friday, where just four operate.
There are no booked trains on a Saturday, but three trains operate on a Sunday.
Additionally, a trial scrap train ran from the Terminal to Cardiff Tidal on the 14 and 15 February 2007. This now runs when required, on Fridays from Moor Street Goods Yard.
, Dudley Port railway station
, Dudley railway station
and the Merry Hill Shopping Centre
for trams on one track and for freight on the other. The freighters would continue on past Brettell Lane railway station
and on to the main line at Stourbridge Junction
. The closed section of railway through Dudley
is expected to re-open during the 2010s, as a combined Midland Metro
tramway and a heavy rail line for goods trains.
Train 1
6M11 0020 Margam Steel - Round Oak
6V05 0923 Round Oak - Margam Steel
Train 2
6M81 0227 Margam Steel - Round Oak
6V07 1704 Round Oak - Margam Steel
Train 3
6M41 1151 Margam Steel - Round Oak
6V61 2145 Round Oak - Margam Steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
from the Round Oak Steel Works until 1982 and from other sources thereafter, in Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
, West Midlands, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
managed by Corus Group
Corus Group
Tata Steel Europe is a multinational steel-making company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the second-largest steel-maker in Europe and is a subsidiary of Tata Steel of India, one of the ten largest steel producers in the world.Corus Group was formed through the merger of Koninklijke...
.
History
The terminal was opened on 21 August 1986 and is situated on the former Oxford-Worcester-Wolverhampton Line north of Stourbridge JunctionStourbridge Junction railway station
Stourbridge Junction railway station is a railway station on the Birmingham, Worcester and Kidderminster Line in West Midlands, England. Stourbridge Town Branch Line runs from the station to Stourbridge town centre...
. The line north of Stourbridge and south of Blowers Green railway station
Blowers Green railway station
-History:It was opened in 1862 by the Great Western Railway intending to serve the communities of Woodside and Netherton. It was then upgraded and renamed Dudley Southside & Netherton in 1878....
was closed pre-Beeching in 1962 except for freight traffic, and trains run to Round Oak Steel Terminal
Round Oak Steel Terminal
Round Oak Steel Terminal is a railway freight terminal dealing in steel from the Round Oak Steel Works until 1982 and from other sources thereafter, in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, England managed by Corus Group.-History:...
and the nearby Moor Lane Goods Yard.
The terminal consists of sidings adjacent to factories. Just after the terminal, the railway line ceases to be in use at the Highgate Road overbridge, Harts Hill. The line beyond here was closed in 1993 and most of the track between there and the Blower's Green overbridge (approximately one mile away) has been removed, though the line is set to re-open during the 2010s
2010s
The 2010s, pronounced "twenty-tens" or "two thousand tens", is the current decade which began on January 1, 2010 and will end on December 31, 2019...
as a shared line between freight trains and Midland Metro
Midland Metro
The Midland Metro is a light-rail or tram line in the West Midlands of England between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury. It is owned and promoted by Centro, and operated by West Midlands Travel Limited, a subsidiary of the National Express Group , under...
trams (the latter running as far as Wednesbury
Wednesbury
Wednesbury is a market town in England's Black Country, part of the Sandwell metropolitan borough in West Midlands, near the source of the River Tame. Similarly to the word Wednesday, it is pronounced .-Pre-Medieval and Medieval times:...
).
Today's usage
Trains arrive at the terminal from Llanwern Steel Works and MargamMargam
Margam is a suburb of Port Talbot in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, close to junction 39 of the M4 motorway.- History :...
. They are generally hauled by Class 60s
British Rail Class 60
The British Rail Class 60 is a class of Co-Co heavy freight diesel-electric locomotives built by Brush Traction. They are nicknamed Tugs by Rail Enthusiasts.-History:...
, although the general replacement of this locomotive with Class 66 locomotives
British Rail Class 66
The Class 66 is a six axle diesel electric freight locomotive developed in part from the British Rail Class 59, for use on the railways of the UK. Since its introduction the class has been successful and has been sold to British and other European railway companies...
has meant the latter now appears just as often.
There are seven services operating from the Terminal on all weekdays except Friday, where just four operate.
There are no booked trains on a Saturday, but three trains operate on a Sunday.
Additionally, a trial scrap train ran from the Terminal to Cardiff Tidal on the 14 and 15 February 2007. This now runs when required, on Fridays from Moor Street Goods Yard.
Midland Metro
A £1,100,000/15 year long regeneration project will see the station become part of the local tram network with the line reopening between WalsallWalsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
, Dudley Port railway station
Dudley Port railway station
-History:There was a Low Level Station on the former South Staffordshire line that had opened in 1850. The line had reasonable passenger usage until about the early 1880s, when it began to slump at several stations, leading to the line becoming a largely freight only operation in 1887...
, Dudley railway station
Dudley railway station
Dudley Railway Station was a passenger railway station located at Dudley, England, built where the Oxford-Worcester-Wolverhampton Line and the South Staffordshire Line diverged to Wolverhampton and Walsall and Lichfield respectively.-History:...
and the Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Westfield Merry Hill is a shopping centre in Brierley Hill near Dudley, West Midlands, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several expansion and renovation projects taking place since. The original developers and owners were Richardson Developments but the Centre has had a number...
for trams on one track and for freight on the other. The freighters would continue on past Brettell Lane railway station
Brettell Lane railway station
-Brettell Lane railway station:Brettell Lane railway station was a station on the Oxford-Worcester-Wolverhampton Line built to serve the communities between Brierley Hill and Stourbridge in England.-History:...
and on to the main line at Stourbridge Junction
Stourbridge Junction railway station
Stourbridge Junction railway station is a railway station on the Birmingham, Worcester and Kidderminster Line in West Midlands, England. Stourbridge Town Branch Line runs from the station to Stourbridge town centre...
. The closed section of railway through Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
is expected to re-open during the 2010s, as a combined Midland Metro
Midland Metro
The Midland Metro is a light-rail or tram line in the West Midlands of England between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury. It is owned and promoted by Centro, and operated by West Midlands Travel Limited, a subsidiary of the National Express Group , under...
tramway and a heavy rail line for goods trains.
Train Services today
Today, the following services operate Monday - Thursday:Train 1
6M11 0020 Margam Steel - Round Oak
6V05 0923 Round Oak - Margam Steel
Train 2
6M81 0227 Margam Steel - Round Oak
6V07 1704 Round Oak - Margam Steel
Train 3
6M41 1151 Margam Steel - Round Oak
6V61 2145 Round Oak - Margam Steel
See also
- Brierley HillBrierley HillBrierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
- Stourbridge Junction railway stationStourbridge Junction railway stationStourbridge Junction railway station is a railway station on the Birmingham, Worcester and Kidderminster Line in West Midlands, England. Stourbridge Town Branch Line runs from the station to Stourbridge town centre...
- South Staffordshire LineSouth Staffordshire LineThe South Staffordshire Line was a railway line that connected Lichfield in Staffordshire, England with Dudley, formerly in Worcestershire. However, it joined the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway's line just north of Dudley Station, where it, in essence, continued to Stourbridge, in...
- Dudley Freightliner TerminalDudley Freightliner TerminalDudley Freightliner Terminal was opened on the site of Dudley railway station in October 1967, as one of Freightliner's first rail terminals. It was an instant financial success and by 1981 was one of the most profitable Freightliner terminals in Britain, but Freightliner UK announced plans to...
- Round Oak railway stationRound Oak railway station-History:It was opened in 1852 to serve the town of Brierley Hill. Two railways/routes served the station - originally the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway and the South Staffordshire Railway, which later became the Great Western Railway and London, Midland and Scottish Railway ...
- Great Bridge North railway stationGreat Bridge North railway stationGreat Bridge North railway station was a station on the South Staffordshire Line.-History:The station was built in 1850 and served by the South Staffordshire Railway, which later became London, Midland and Scottish Railway...
External links
- http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/harts_hill.php Showing the "end of the line"
- http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/round_oak.php Showing the terminal