Berkswell Railway Station

 Berkswell Railway Station is a 2 platform stop on the West Coast Mainline serving the villages of Berkswell and Balsall Common near Coventry, West Midlands.

The London and Birmingham Railway was completed in 1839 passing near to the village of Berkswell but not having a stop until the first one was opened as Dockers Lane in 1844. The name was changed to Berkswell in January 1853, again in February 1928 to Berkswell and Balsall Common, the station being sighted closer to Balsall Common than Berkswell. The name was again changed back to Berkswell around 1959 when works started along the line to electrify, these being completed in 1974. The station was also remodelled during this period.

The station used to be a junction with a line that ran in the direction of Kenilworth just to the south of the station with the siding track that the trains used to run still visible. This line was in operation from 2 March 1884 until 3 March 1969 and is now in the process of being converted into a greenway. The siding still visible sometimes houses the Royal Train and members of the "Firm" have been known to overnight on the train whilst parked in the siding. Sir Winston Churchill is also said to have stopped in the siding overnight.

The station used to feature a level crossing to the south of the platforms, this was removed in 2004 and replaced by a bridge so the station and line could feature more high speed trains. The station is manned during selected hours has minimal facilities, including waiting room and ticket machines, but no toilets. There is a car park and the station is served by 2 trains per hour in each direction. Theses services go north to Birmingham New Street and south to London Euston. The station saw 334,000 passengers use it during 2019/20 period, the last before the Covid pandemic, before dropping to just 52916 during the first year of the virus.

The siding that occasionally houses the Royal Train can be seen to the
right of the mainline. This used to be the junction of the
Kenilworth Line.

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Tile Hill Railway Station

 Tile Hill Railway Station is unusual for in that it only features 1 pictures which was snapped quickly when arriving at the station to catch my train to Berkeswell, my train was just arriving. I am unlikely to return living some 100 miles away so will probably never add to it.

Tile Hill serves the suburbs of Coventry, in the West Midlands and is on the main line railway between London Euston and Birmingham New Street Stations. The station opened as Allesley Lane in 1850, before changing names to Allesley Gate in 1857 and finally assuming the name Tile Hill on April 1 1864. Built with staggered platforms either side of the Cromwell Lane level crossing the station remained unchanged until the 1960's when the electrification of the main line resulted in the station being completely rebuilt in its current form. The level crossing was replaced by a bridge in 2004 and the platform connecting bridge was constructed at the same time. 

The station has a ticket office which is open at various times 7 days a week, there are 2 trains per hour in the directions of Birmingham and London. The station has always been a busy station averaging approx 700,000 passengers per year until a combination of developments of the car parking and the current Covid 19 virus situation saw number drop to just 107,000 during the most recent period 2020-21, an average reduction of approx 11,000 passengers per week.

The picture was taken using a Nikon d3300 SLR on January 18 2017.

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UK Rugby League Grounds from Above

 One of my hobbies is the sport of Rugby League, I am a supporter of Halifax RLFC, who recently changed there name to Halifax Panthers. The club has had it's success throughout it's history being league champions 4 times and challenge cup winners 5 times. Since relegation from Super League in 2003 the club has been a mainstay of the championship. It was from the recent decision by Super League to refuse re-entry to the competition to Toronto Wolfpack and open up a bidding process to clubs from the championship to enter super league and league ones clubs to enter the championship that I started to have a look at the grounds of the League 1 clubs.

From this interest the idea of creating a short video of each clubs ground from the air was born, originally I had planned to only show the league 1 clubs grounds, but found I had enjoyed the process as it differed from what I normally put together so I then completed videos of all the Championships clubs and Super  League clubs home stadia.

League 1.

League 1 currently features 10 clubs, with future admissions possible from a reborn Toronto Wolfpack, Ottawa Aces, New York City, Belgrade, Valencia, Bristol and Liverpool, Ottawa the only confirmed one for 2022. For the 2021 season the league will be made up of Barrow Raiders, Coventry Bears, Doncaster RLFC, Hunslet Hawks, Keighley Cougars, London Skolars, North Wales Crusaders, Rochdale Hornets, West Wales Raiders and Workington Town.

Championship.

Probably the most competitive league in the British rugby system where a good start to the season could see any one of the 14 clubs either promoted or relegated. The 2021 season will see Batley Bulldogs, Bradford Bulls, Dewsbury Rams, Featherstone Rovers, Halifax Panthers, London Broncos, Newcastle Thunder, Oldham RLFC, Sheffield Eagles, Swinton Lions, Toulouse Olympique,  Whitehaven RLFC, Widnes Vikings and York City Knights do battle.

Super League.

The Super League is the highest level of rugby league competition in the UK and the 2nd highest worldwide. After the ejection of Toronto Wolfpack, Leigh Centurions were promoted to level the competition to 12 clubs for the 2021 season and the rest are, Castleford Tigers, Catalans Dragons, Huddersfield Giants, Hull FC, Hull Kingston Rovers, Leeds Rhinos, Salford Red Devils, St Helens RFC, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Warrington Wolves, and Wigan Warriors.

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A Glimpse into the Past: A Postcard from Leamington

There's something truly special about old postcards, each one a tiny window into a moment in time. Among my collection, one particular card stands out, offering a charming glimpse into early 20th-century life and a minor historical puzzle.

Sent to "23 Bramble Street, Coventry," the postcard is dated either September 6, 1901, or 1907. The printed "1" in the year looks quite convincing for 1901, but a quick dive into the history of the featured landmark throws a delightful wrench into that assumption!

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The Mystery of the Mill Suspension Bridge

The star of this postcard is undoubtedly the Mill Suspension Bridge in Leamington Spa. This beautiful bridge, which still stands today, officially opened to the public in 1903. This immediately tells us that the postcard couldn't have been sent in 1901, making 1907 the more likely date!

The bridge is a Grade II listed structure, as is the weir beneath it. Its name comes from the site of the town's water mill, a vital source of water for Leamington, which was demolished in 1899. The bridge's design is even thought to be inspired by London's famous Albert Bridge across the River Thames.

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A Message from Emily

The postcard bears a warm message from a cousin named Emily to "Dearest Annie & Arthur." While I can't quite make out their surname, the sentiment is clear:

"Dearest Annie & Arthur, I thought perhaps you would like a postcard of Leamington, my dear sister & I were both there yesterday, it is a beautiful place but I (can't make the word out but thinks it's discovered) you have both been. I shall come over to Coventry sometime & see you because you were both so kind the last time, we are having some beautiful weather now, so we shall both be very pleased to have you both over at Melton when it is most convenient for you to come, so with love & best wishes to you both I will say, goodbye from your loving cousin Emily"

It's a lovely snapshot of family connection, discussing visits and good weather – simple pleasures that transcend time.

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Good Luck and Old Pennies

The Mill Suspension Bridge has a charming, if now forgotten, tradition. Until Britain adopted decimal coinage in 1971, it was popular for people to throw pennies and half-pennies from the bridge into the weir below. This act was once considered good luck and a way to honour the Gods. It's safe to assume this tradition continued and brought good fortune to those tossing coins long after the bridge's opening.

This little postcard, initially a small puzzle, has opened up a fascinating story of local history, family ties, and old superstitions. It's a wonderful reminder of how much history can be contained in such a small piece of paper!

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