Hi guys.
Ive just come back from our local history center and I have to admit I found more than I bargained for.
My original reason for going there was to find some old photos of our local station. Bt while browsing the catalogue of the holdings I came across an entry which I thought might contain a map of the railway layout. It didnt of course but what it did contain was a whole wealth of info regarding the beginnings of the railway in our town. Starting with the original application by the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton railway company to parliament to run the line through the town to the purchase of the land etc.
It was most fascinating reading the hand written letters of correspondence between the the town council and the railway company - in this case the GWR. One series of letter was about the fact that the town council had built or were about to build a footpath which, in the terms of the letter, 'trespassed' on land owned by the GWR. Further documents showed the meeting held between them and the final deeds allowing the footpath to be build.
Ive finally seen plans containing the original station and the also letters to GWR headquarters to get them to update the facilities at the station (station mk2 - lol).
I have already asked the history center if it will be possible to obtain copies of these documents. They just need to check the copyright on them but they saw no problems with it. I believe there is more than enough there for an author to write a book on the early history of the railway in the town. Mm there's a thought. now how does one start writing such a book? lol
Anyway it was an unexpected find which I will have to go back to properly as I only really browsed about half of the contents of the box. Having seen this one I wonder what else lurks hidden in the archives. I see a series of visits coming up.
Antony
Ive just come back from our local history center and I have to admit I found more than I bargained for.
My original reason for going there was to find some old photos of our local station. Bt while browsing the catalogue of the holdings I came across an entry which I thought might contain a map of the railway layout. It didnt of course but what it did contain was a whole wealth of info regarding the beginnings of the railway in our town. Starting with the original application by the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton railway company to parliament to run the line through the town to the purchase of the land etc.
It was most fascinating reading the hand written letters of correspondence between the the town council and the railway company - in this case the GWR. One series of letter was about the fact that the town council had built or were about to build a footpath which, in the terms of the letter, 'trespassed' on land owned by the GWR. Further documents showed the meeting held between them and the final deeds allowing the footpath to be build.
Ive finally seen plans containing the original station and the also letters to GWR headquarters to get them to update the facilities at the station (station mk2 - lol).
I have already asked the history center if it will be possible to obtain copies of these documents. They just need to check the copyright on them but they saw no problems with it. I believe there is more than enough there for an author to write a book on the early history of the railway in the town. Mm there's a thought. now how does one start writing such a book? lol
Anyway it was an unexpected find which I will have to go back to properly as I only really browsed about half of the contents of the box. Having seen this one I wonder what else lurks hidden in the archives. I see a series of visits coming up.
Antony
