Frankley's Railway

Manning Wardle 973 of 1886 (Standard gauge (0-6-0))

The corporation set about selecting a contractor to build the reservoir at Frankley and a package of works including the building of the standard gauge railway (and three crossing keeper's cottages) from Rubery Station to Frankley was let to Abram Kellett of Ealing at a total cost of £314,428 9s 2d and construction of the railway commenced in 1897.

The Water Committee advised the Council (Minute No.17517) on 1st February 1898 that 'the construction of the railway from Rubery Station to the works is now almost complete and the contractor has made some progress towards getting his plant on the ground and erecting huts for the workmen'.

The single track railway started at Rubery station, ran north over a level crossing at New Street (the crossing keepers' cottage still survives) past Frogmill farm (where there was a runaways siding and another level crossing and Egghill Lane (where there was a level crossing and cottage), between Northfield reservoir and the housing estate, to enter the Frankley reservoir site mid-way between the wood and Frankley Lodge Farm. More at