Princes End branch (Black Country)

[gg1]

Does anyone have any information, memories or photos of this branch, and the freight services which used it, in it's final years from the mid 70s until closure in 1981?

There's some interesting info on the Bescotplus site but I'm curious what else is out there, especially interested to hear from anyone who may have worked the line at the time.

The branch is the subject of quite possibly the earliest railway memory I have (I was 5 years old when it closed), seeing a freight train pass along the line from the car park of Tipton Asda. The line ran immediately alongside the back edge of the car park, main thing I remember is enjoying the noise

 

[John Webb]

(click on photos to go to the larger originals on the Geograph website)
From 1978:
Single track railway at Princes End

© Copyright Trevor Littlewood and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

From 1977:
Princes End signal box

© Copyright Trevor Littlewood and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

There are a number of more recent photos showing the footpath now following the railway alignment.

 

[gg1]

(click on photos to go to the larger originals on the Geograph website)
From 1978:
Single track railway at Princes End

© Copyright Trevor Littlewood and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

From 1977:
Princes End signal box

© Copyright Trevor Littlewood and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

There are a number of more recent photos showing the footpath now following the railway alignment.

Thanks.

The first picture is particularly interesting, with the signal positioned in the middle of the lifted trackbed and supported by mutiple guy cables.

 

[Gloster]

There was an article (possibly in two parts) in one of the magazines, possibly Traction, a couple of years ago. It may have been by David Hayes, unless I have confused him with someone else.