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The steepness of the incline is exaggerated in this telephoto image, still pretty steep at 1 in 37 for two and a half miles.
©Richard Dunn
Dist:0.2km<br/>
©Roy Hughes
Dist:0.5km<br/>
©Roy Hughes
Dist:0.5km<br/>Post sited on the Down side. This is where all Up goods trains with loose-coupled wagons had to stop to have brakes applied (by hand) before train could begin the hazardous descent to Bromsgrove: 1-in-37.7 continuously for two miles. Almost all Up trains had to be assisted by banking engines, breaching the summit here in spectacular fashion.
©Ben Brooksbank
Dist:0.5km<br/>View NE just below the summit at Blackwell; ex-Midland Birmingham - Bristol main line. Up the famous Lickey Incline, two miles at 1-in-37 up from Bromsgrove, all except very light trains had to take on a banker at Bromsgrove. Normally either several 0-6-0T's or the special 0-10-0 'Big Bertha' was used, later a BR Standard 2-10-0 took over 'Big Bertha's role. However, in March 1949 with the electrification in the offing of the Worsborough Incline in South Yorkshire, Britain's largest locomotive, the unique 2-8-0 0-8-2 Garratt No. 2395 (BR No. 69999), was transferred to Bromsgrove and put to work on the Lickey for 18 months. For various reasons it was not a success - even after conversion to oil-burning. Here it is behind an Up freight in April 1949; the Sanatorium at Blackwell is seen in the distance. (See also [[2130536]], [[2212790]], [[[1822806]]] and several other Lickey Bank scenes).
©Ben Brooksbank
Dist:0.5km<br/>The main Bristol to Birmingham line crosses the road here. Blackwell station used to be just South of this bridge.
©Roy Hughes
Dist:0.5km<br/>View SW, towards Bromsgrove, Worcester, Gloucester and Bristol. A Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 thunders past the cottages as it breasts the summit of the Lickey Bank (two miles at 1-in-37.7 from Bromsgrove), with a Paignton - Birmingham relief express. On the Down side is the Box for the shunters who had to pin down wagon brakes of descending goods trains; note the relevant notice-board. Blackwell station (closed 18/4/66) is just behind the camera. See also [[1822768]].
©Ben Brooksbank
Dist:0.5km<br/>At top of Lickey Incline, a passenger station once stood. Relics from the past included lamp-posts, signals, fences and buildings, though platforms had gone.
©Michael Westley
Dist:0.5km<br/>View SW - Blackwell Station being behind the camera, towards Bromsgrove, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Bristol; ex-Midland Birmingham - Bristol main line. The steepness of the Lickey (two miles at 1-in-37.7) is very apparent. The Class H train is headed by LMS 4F 0-6-0 No. 44569. See also [[1822806]].
©Ben Brooksbank
Dist:0.5km<br/>View SW, towards Worcester, Gloucester and Bristol: ex-Midland Birmingham - Bristol main line. Note the commencement of the two miles of 1-in-37 incline. They are all Fowler 3F 0-6-0Ts:- Nos. 47425, 47303, 47313, 47301 and 47305: between them they had banked three trains up the Inline, not coupled to the train being assisted so dropping off as it passed through Blackwell station. (See also [[[1822768]]], [[[1822806]]], [[[2060108]]] and others for details).
©Ben Brooksbank
Dist:0.5km<br/>View northward, towards Blackwell and Birmingham; ex-Midland Birmingham - Bristol main line. The Lickey Banker in 1957 was BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 No. 92079, successor to 'Big Bertha'. Here it is near the top of the two-mile 1-in-37 bank from Bromsgrove, with Blackwell in sight.
©Ben Brooksbank
Dist:0.6km<br/>View southward, towards Bromsgrove; ex-Midland Birmingham - Bristol main line. No. 69999 is returning to take up its next banking job. (See [[[2382133]]] for details).
©Ben Brooksbank
Dist:0.7km<br/>Blackwell Road passes underneath the main Birmingham to Bristol railway line on the Lickey incline.
©Roy Hughes
Dist:0.7km<br/>View southward from about a half-mile below the summit at Blackwell, Burcot Hill is on the right. An Up express from Bristol seems to be reduced to about 10 mph as it blasts up the two miles of the 1-in-37 Lickey Bank, banked by the devoted 0-10-0 'Big Bertha'. It was a marvellous sight and sound - and the firemen are obviously working very hard.
©Ben Brooksbank
Dist:0.8km<br/>View SE, down the Lickey Bank (two miles at 1-in-37) towards Bromsgrove; ex-Midland Birmingham - Bristol main line. This was one of the heaviest trains worked up this formidable incline, a loaded oil train from Fawley (Hants.) to Bromford Bridge (Birmingham). Headed by BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 No. 92136, pounding up at 10-15 mph with no less than four GW 94XX 0-6-0Ts at the rear, it made a thrilling sight - and sound.
©Ben Brooksbank

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