Chillington Wharf railway interchange basin Interactive Panorama

[HaraldJoergens]

It has taken a long time to find out who's in charge, and to get access, but now the work is online:

 

Chillington Wharf (Monmore Green) railway interchange basin, on the BCN New Main Line just south of Horseleyfield Junction, can now be seen in a high resolution interactive panorama created for the BCNS.

 

It's probably the last surviving railway interchange basin, and should, in my view, not be left to rot away. It is a Grade II listed structure, but without active support it's not getting better.

 

[Rob-M]

I get a 504 timeout error when attempting to follow your link.

 

edit: Working now

Edited August 1, 2016 by Rob-M

[RLWP]

Wonderful Harald - thank you

 

Richard

[KJT]

That's very interesting Harald. Thanks for taking the effort and putting it online.

 

Ken

[Ray T]

Wonderful Harald - thank you

 

Richard

 

Ditto

[NickAndAnne]

Many thanks, Harald. Very interesting!

[Laurence Hogg]

Very good Harald.

I was responsible for the upgrading of the listing on this site, the basin is situated on the BCN main line btw not the New main line. All the track, crane and other structures are now within the listings scope, previously it was just the canopy. Sadly despite the uniqueness of the site being complete and in water, no one has taken any notice of it or done any maintenance in the last 10 years. It was in July 2007 the listing was upgraded so you can clearly see how nothing has happened. EWS were the custodians back then now it is DB Schenker, Wolverhampton City has never took any real interest and despite being asked never has tried to enforce listing building regulations.

We have so little heritage left now on the BCN main line you would think someone would take an interest, surely CRT ought to show some teeth and get into this one (In my dreams,,,,,,)

[junior]

I get Error 504.

[Tim Lewis]

I get Error 504.

 

So do I

 

Tim

[RLWP]

I think the server is taking a hammering

 

Richard

[junior]

It's a shame DBS couldn't be persuaded to load a few pairs in there now and again, even if only for the publicity or ticking the 'environmentally friendly' box.

[HaraldJoergens]

It's a shame DBS couldn't be persuaded to load a few pairs in there now and again, even if only for the publicity or ticking the 'environmentally friendly' box.

 

Even if they wanted to, there are a few problems: The railway lines to the basin have been removed, the basin, especially the entrance to it, would need dredging, and, having seen the massive steel coils they are dealing with, I'm not sure there is a narrowboat that could carry them!

I get Error 504.

 

Please try again, the 504 happens temporarily, and we are trying to fix the issue...

[Tiggs]

Could it be made into a marina? That would mean money could be made to preserve it.

[RLWP]

Could it be made into a marina? That would mean money could be made to preserve it.

 

It has access problems. There is no proper road access

 

Richard

[HaraldJoergens]

Very good Harald.

I was responsible for the upgrading of the listing on this site, the basin is situated on the BCN main line btw not the New main line. All the track, crane and other structures are now within the listings scope, previously it was just the canopy. Sadly despite the uniqueness of the site being complete and in water, no one has taken any notice of it or done any maintenance in the last 10 years. It was in July 2007 the listing was upgraded so you can clearly see how nothing has happened. EWS were the custodians back then now it is DB Schenker, Wolverhampton City has never took any real interest and despite being asked never has tried to enforce listing building regulations.

We have so little heritage left now on the BCN main line you would think someone would take an interest, surely CRT ought to show some teeth and get into this one (In my dreams,,,,,,)

 

Laurence,

It is a unique site, it's a listed site, and from what I understand it's a site of no use to DB Schenker. In the last few years the railway lines to the basin have been removed, the overhead crane isn't working and in no safe condition - the site seems to be of no use to anybody right now.

The close proximity to BOC's technical gas tanks is surely an obstacle for use as a marina or museum, but the site might be used by a boatyard or some other canal related business. The reason for the interactive panorama was to raise awareness, an this discussion might be a start. I will contact CRT...

[HaraldJoergens]

 

It has access problems. There is no proper road access

 

Richard

 

Richard,

 

Wouldn't access from Chillington Street be an option (there is even a gate)? Wolverhampton Steel Terminal could be separated from the basin site by a fence/wall under the bridge.

 

Harald

[Derek R.]

Works for me (using Firefox). However, just returned to the website and got 504. Then refreshed, and was in again.

 

I don't know the area, but as it states "road/rail interchange", shouldn't that imply road access?

Edited August 1, 2016 by Derek R.

[RLWP]

 

Richard,

 

Wouldn't access from Chillington Street be an option (there is even a gate)? Wolverhampton Steel Terminal could be separated from the basin site by a fence/wall under the bridge.

 

Harald

 

From memory, the issue is to do with who owns which bit of land to get access. Laurence will be the best one to explain this

 

Richard

[Laurence Hogg]

Road access is not a problem, there are two entrances off Chillington St. There is no problem with any land ownership issues as far as I know. The tracks are in situ (they are part of the listing) but a buffer stop now prevents access from the steel yard.

Worst news, it is within the designated "Blast zone" of the BOC plant and therefore cannot be used for any residential use and this also implies restrictions on other uses.

 

I wouldn't waste your time with CRT, they know the issues and are not interested in the site having being approached many times. They are currently looking to move their base from Broad St in Wolverhampton to a nearby location and have ruled out Chillington in favour of the old end slip SU/LMS dock at Horseley fields on the start of the Wyrley, however this has access problems but they have just purchased the Crane foundry site opposite.

[Heartland]

Chillington Basin is listed and it is my understanding that the BCNS secured that listing although others did make representations to English Heritage, as it was. English Heritage required a competent historical appraisal and historian such as Tom Foxon were able to assist the BCNS in this regard. The BCNS had extensive correspondence with EWS for using this basin for boating use.. The main problem was the asbestos in the structure, which prevented any cost effective restoration program. I am sure Hecla can add to this discussion, for as the then BCNS chairman he was involved.

 

There are other railway interchange basins and wharves dotted around the country, although Chillington still retains the shed canopy. Those many boaters who moor at Hockley Port do so at a railway interchange basin. The same can be said for Withymoor on the Dudley. Others are buried, but intact and this includes Mill Street at Wolverhampton.

 

The last time I looked Calverley on the Shropshire Union retained its interchange wharf buildings. Perhaps somebody can confirm.

 

Before any statement is made that Chillington is the last basin, perhaps Harald needs to consider other locations.

 

Ray Shill

[RLWP]

There's a mooring at Brownhills which was a railway interchange

 

Richard

[PaulG]

Is it worth contacting the BBC?

 

John Sergeant is involved in this series, and he has more than a passing interest in canals...

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03ntz9m/episodes/guide

Edited August 2, 2016 by PaulG

[Laurence Hogg]

Chillington Basin is listed and it is my understanding that the BCNS secured that listing although others did make representations to English Heritage, as it was. English Heritage required a competent historical appraisal and historian such as Tom Foxon were able to assist the BCNS in this regard. The BCNS had extensive correspondence with EWS for using this basin for boating use.. The main problem was the asbestos in the structure, which prevented any cost effective restoration program. I am sure Hecla can add to this discussion, for as the then BCNS chairman he was involved.

 

There are other railway interchange basins and wharves dotted around the country, although Chillington still retains the shed canopy. Those many boaters who moor at Hockley Port do so at a railway interchange basin. The same can be said for Withymoor on the Dudley. Others are buried, but intact and this includes Mill Street at Wolverhampton.

 

The last time I looked Calverley on the Shropshire Union retained its interchange wharf buildings. Perhaps somebody can confirm.

 

Before any statement is made that Chillington is the last basin, perhaps Harald needs to consider other locations.

 

Ray Shill

 

I think this is being a little harsh on Harald, it is the last complete location, none of the others have any track in situ and short of Calverley the buildings are messed with. I didn't list the site I got it upgraded as the original listing did not include track, the crane and the yard surfaces etc.

[Heartland]

When you pass Chillington by train it looks like the tracks at the basin from the Stour Valley overbridge have been removed from much of the site by DB Schenker.

 

Odd bits of track remain at other interchange facilities, more by luck and most if not all are buried under tarmac or concrete. Albion Basin had track and possibly still does.

 

Ray Shill

[Heartland]

I understand Harald has been working with the BCNS for some 3 years now and it is a credit to him for producing this photographic survey of the basin.

 

It is important to state however that change was a feature of said basin. It started with the Chillington Iron Co which arranged for the basin to be made. They after the demise of the Chillington Ironworks the basin was adapted by the London & North Western Railway as an interchange basin. Then their successors the LMS appear to have altered the arrangement at Chillington and building an electric crane. BTC discontinued boatage services in 1954.

 

Laurence, I know, arranged for the listing of the later LMS alterations as well as the track.Although it remains to be determined how much is left. The sidings that remained were associated with the steel terminal, which was created by BR out of the former GWR goods depot and the former LNWR link railway to Chillington Basin. That they remained was not because of the former Interchange but simply for wagon storage. DB Schenker appear not to require this space, perhaps in view of the troubled steel industry.

 

The listing has preserved this space from not appearing on a Network Rail lease notice, but it remains a time challenged situation. The fate of Chillington Basin is critical. If the building becomes unsafe, even listing will not protect the site and it will disappear under some faceless shapeless business units.

 

 

Ray Shill