Brunswick Wharf

Former railway goods yard in Cheshire, England

Brunswick Wharf was a railway goods yard in Buglawton, Congleton, in Cheshire, England.[1][2] It was used to transport sand and coal between Congleton and the Staffordshire Potteries, along the Biddulph Valley Line.[1][3]

## History

[edit]

Brunswick Wharf was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 29 August 1860; it was the northern terminus of the Biddulph Valley line.[4]

While using the line for most of the journey, goods trains heading to Brunswick Wharf would leave the Biddulph Valley Line at Congleton Lower Junction.[5] Goods trains would then follow a line underneath the North Staffordshire main line, which was used to reach Brunswick Wharf and a goods and mineral yard at Congleton railway station.[5]

Ever Saturday morning, there was a sand train service from Brunswick Wharf to Warrington and St Helens;[6] the sand was used in the Lancashire glass industry.[6]

During the line's heyday, the Robbert Heath-owned collieries operated private mineral trains between their various sites to and from Brunswick Wharf.[7]

When trams were being built for Manchester and other local cities, metal was brought to Brunswick Wharf to be moulded down into brake blocks for trams.[8]

The decision to close Brunswick Wharf "baffled" the staff due to how busy and well used it was.[9] The last train left Brunswick Wharf on 1 April 1968, after which it was closed.[1][3] After its closure, sand had to be brought to Congleton station and coal to Kidsgrove station.[9]

Plans were drawn up by the North Staffordshire Railway Society in the 1970s to reopen Brunswick Wharf, as part of a planned heritage railway to Biddulph station;[10] this was created in order to preserve some of the Biddulph Valley Line.[10] Due to lack of interest from Cheshire County Council and the general public, this plan was abandoned.[10]

## Operation

[edit]

Brunswick Wharf consisted of three sidings called Wharfs, operated by three different companies; these were:[11]

* Robbert Heath and Low Moor
* The Congleton and Industrial & Equitable Co-operative society
* H. Hargreaves & Co. Ltd, coal, coke and lime merchants.

## Staff

[edit]

Below is a list of staff who worked at Brunswick Wharf, with their job titles and/or employer if known:

* Harry Walton.[11]
* Mr Minshull. (Yard Forman)[11]
* John Butler.[11]
* Charles Yates.[11]
* Jack Holland.[11]
* Charlie Butler.[8]
* Frank Emery. (British Rail checker)[9]
* Fred Jackson. (British Rail loader)[9]
* Stan Woodward. (Co-op Yard Forman)[9]
* Joel Boon. (Gillow heath)[9]
* Jack Greenford.[9]
* Billy Smith.[9]
* Ralf Goodwin.[9]
* Bill Willett.[9]
* Will Shaw.[9]

## References

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1. ^ a b c "Activities and Information About the Biddulph Valley Way". www.cheshireeast.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
2. ^ Alcock, Joan P. (30 June 2003). History & Guide Congleton. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 67\. ISBN 0752429469.
3. ^ a b Biddulph Valley Way Explorer including Dane-in-Shaw Pasture & Timbersbrook Picnic Area (PDF). Cheshire East Council. p. 7\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
4. ^ Jeuda, Basil (1 May 1996). THE KNOTTY An Illustrated Survey Of The North Staffordshire Railway. Lightmoor Press. p. 43\. ISBN 1899889019.
5. ^ a b Allan. C Baker. An Illustrated History of Stoke and North Staffordshire's Railways. Irwell Press. p. 53\. ISBN 1-903266-11-4.
6. ^ a b Allan. C Baker. An Illustrated History of Stoke and North Staffordshire's Railways. Irwell Press. p. 57\. ISBN 1-903266-11-4.
7. ^ Allan. C Baker. An Illustrated History of Stoke and North Staffordshire's Railways. Irwell Press. p. 54\. ISBN 1-903266-11-4.
8. ^ a b "THE LAST PAGE OF A CHAPTER And the man who has watched history made". Congleton Chronicle. 15 March 1968. p. 1.
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Wharf Closes". Congleton Chronicle. 15 March 1968. p. 10.
10. ^ a b c "Our History". www.nsrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
11. ^ a b c d e f Jeuda, Basil (20 April 2014). The North Staffordshire Railway In LMS Days Volume 3. Lydney: Lightmoor Press. p. 65\. ISBN 978-1899889839.