Coventry, Tile Hill Kid - Tile Hill Station

Tile Hill Kid - Tile Hill Station

There has been a Railway through Tile Hill since 1838. The original Tile Hill Station was named 'Allesley Lane Station' opened in 1850. In those days one of the people living in the immediate area was Ann WAKEFIELD [see "Wakefield Cottages/Wakefield Crossing"]. In 1857 the station was renamed 'Allesley Gate'. - the gate was made to protect the Allesley to Kenilworth Lane [now Station Avenue/Cromwell Lane] On the right in the photo is a fenced cattle transport/goods area, together with a siding [Coventry-Birmingham up line]. On the left, the tall building is the Crossing Keepers cottage. The smaller building in front is the booking/ticket office [Birmingham-Coventry down line].

Finally in 1864, it was renamed "Tile Hill Station". This is a view down Cromwell Lane towards Tile Hill Village, with the Crossing Keepers cottage on the right. The early railway staff were William MOSS and William SAWKINS and the fare from Coventry to Tile Hill was 3.5d [=1.5p] Trains running at that time were five 'up' and seven 'down', daily.
This view is up-line from the goods yard. It shows the down-line buildings and platform. Near the goods yard, George SPARROW was manager of Lord LEIGH's 'Westwood Brick Works' [the Brick Works produced bricks, tiles and drain pipes]. The LEIGHs were once one of the largest landowners in Warwickshire and owned Stoneleigh Abbey and the surrounding countryside - lands covering over 2,200 acres were purchased in 1926 by Coventry, including much of Tile Hill. One of Lord LEIGH's family was a regular visitor to the [now disused] "Smithy" in Duggins Lane [shown on the maps below].

Tile Hill level crossing was located where Station Avenue and Cromwell Lane met at the West Coast Main Line at Tile Hill Station.

The original tall signal box had a commanding view of the station and beyond.

In the 1960's the original station was completely demolished due to electrification of the line. A new, smaller signal box was built diagonally opposite, on the site of the goods yard. This photo was taken just before the old signal box was demolished, the new box in the background.

the new signal box, weathered after a few years.

watch the Tile Hill Station video

More recently, Cromwell Lane and Station Road formed an important link between the areas of Tile Hill and Westwood Heath. Narrower and less strategic local roads cross the railway on bridges to both the east and west of the Tile Hill Station. However, the roads at Tile Hill level crossing were heavily used by local vehicular traffic. Rail traffic includes stopping trains serving Tile Hill Station and long distance inter-city trains. These trains necessitated closure of the crossing 175 times each day. This equated to 39 minutes in the lunch time peak hour between 1 pm and 2 pm, which caused both traffic and pedestrian queues whilst people waited to cross. Railtrack upgraded the West Coast Main Line with the introduction of newer and faster trains, and more frequent services from London to the Midlands, North West of England and Scotland. The improved frequency of trains increased the barrier down times to the extent that the operation of the level crossing at Tile Hill was no longer viable.

construction of the new road bridge under way; the old level crossing days are numbered.

[photos: Amanda Slater flickr]

Into the 21stC and the level crossing was finally closed forever. A new road bridge provided to the east of the existing road, allowing safe and clear passage over the railway.

[photo: Snowmanradio]

The road bridge is constructed from pre-stressed concrete beams and earth ramps with vertical retaining walls, and footways to both sides. New access roads are provided to serve the small number of nearby premises, including the Sports Centre for the Disabled. There is also be a new direct footpath link under the new bridge between Tile Hill Station and the existing car park. A new pedestrian footbridge is provided at Tile Hill Station for railway passengers. This provides more convenient access to the station and avoid the need to use the road bridge.

the station today [2008] showing footbridge.

[photos:Tile Hill Station Gallery flickr]

Tile Hill Station © Copyright Bill Henderson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Aerial view showing new road over railway line.

Tile Hill Kid's Photo Gallery "Tile Hill Station" flickr

View Larger Map

map of Tile Hill Station [Station Avenue/Cromwell Lane] c1889

A WALK THROUGH 19thC TILE HILL ... Arriving by train at Tile Hill Station from Coventry, firstly we cross the line to our right, then follow Station Avenue downhill into Tile Hill Village, passing Duggins Lane to the left. We pass "Westwood Vicarage" to our right and the "Bell Inn" on our left, then cross over Tile Hill Lane junction into Banner Lane. A gradual rise takes us to a farmhouse at the top of the hill to the left, then falls and crosses a little stream. Up another gentle incline for about a hundred and twenty paces, we arrive at a gate leading into "Tile Hill Wood" on the right. A footpath leads through the wood - taking this, we begin a cross-country tramp. Of course, we are warned by a prominent notice affixed to the first high tree that we come to that "all persons found trespassing in this wood will be prosecuted - BY ORDER !" but we must interpret this in a liberal spirit and not go after game. Presently another footpath branches off from ours to the left, but we keep straight on. For different persons a wood has different attractions, but chief among these is the calm restfulness that pervades the whole surroundings, and we cannot help lingering to enjoy this feeling, especially when we come to a small pond which has sloping mossy banks. We startle a squirrel, which darts across our path and up a tree. The footpath is not of the best, but it is cool, being flanked on one side by a rippling streamlet. The wood has been newly planted in places with young trees, while the decayed stumps of the old ones attest the fact the wood itself is not new. From the wood we enter a green lane which skirts the wood at right angles to the path we have been traversing, and we turn to our left, eventually reaching Broad Lane, the main road leading from Coventry to Berkswell, at a point beside the "Hawthorn Tree". We turn to our right, but instead of walking straight back to Coventry along Broad Lane, we climb over a stile on the opposite side of the lane a few paces further on and make for "Eastern Green".

1881 Census

Dwelling: Tile Hill Station
Census Place: Stoneleigh, Warwick, England
Source: FHL Film 1341738 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3096 Folio 52 Page 11
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Thomas COTTON M 36 M Kenilworth, Warwick, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Railway Signalman
Esther COTTON M 33 F Kenilworth, Warwick, England
Rel: Wife
Walter COTTON 8 M Birmingham, Warwick, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Fanny L. COTTON 5 F Stoneleigh, Warwick, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Alfred COTTON 4 M Stoneleigh, Warwick, England
Rel: Son

Dwelling: Tile Hill Station
Census Place: Stoneleigh, Warwick, England
Source: FHL Film 1341738 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3096 Folio 52 Page 11
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
William SAWKINS M 44 M Pelham, Hertford, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Railway Station Master
Jane SAWKINS M 42 F Kenilworth, Warwick, England
Rel: Wife
Mark H. KING 6 M Berkswell, Warwick, England
Rel: Stepson
Occ: Scholar
Elizabeth A. SAWKINS 11 m F Stoneleigh, Warwick, England
Rel: Daur
Arthur DOLMAN U 15 M Hilton, Stafford, England
Rel: Boader
Occ: Railway Porter

Dwelling: Tile Hill
Census Place: Stoneleigh, Warwick, England
Source: FHL Film 1341738 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3096 Folio 52 Page 12
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Alfred COLLEDGE M 40 M Kenilworth, Warwick, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Ag Lab
Esther COLLEDGE M 40 F Caldicott, Warwick, England
Rel: Wife
Occ: Laundress
William H. COLLEDGE 13 M Berkswell, Warwick, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Farmers Boy
Mary J. COLLEDGE 9 F Berkswell, Warwick, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Walter COLLEDGE 5 M Berkswell, Warwick, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar

1851 Censas

Head: GLEAVE, Thomas
Name Relationship Mar Age Sex Occupation Birthplace
Thomas GLEAVE Head M 34 M Railway Policeman Jabley-Chs
Mary GLEAVE Wife M 29 F --- Baldock-Hrt
Arthur GLEAVE Son - 1 M --- Stoneleigh-War
Address: Railway Cottage, St John Westwood
Census Place: Stoneleigh Warwick, Warwickshire
PRO Reference: HO/107/2073 Folio: 33 Page: 20 FHL Film: 0087339

Head: COX, William
Name Relationship Mar Age Sex Occupation Birthplace
William COX Head M 60 M Railway Policeman Shurbridge-Wor
Elizabeth COX Wife M 53 F --- Stratford-War
Address: Railway Cottage, St John Westwood
Census Place: Stoneleigh Warwick, Warwickshire
PRO Reference: HO/107/2073 Folio: 33 Page: 20 FHL Film: 0087339

map of Tile Hill Station [close-up, Station Avenue/Cromwell Lane] c1889

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The Old Smithy, Duggins Lane
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