Images of industrial buildings, 1970s

My first collection of 10 miscellaneous industrial buildings and associated infrastructure, relating to Coventry, may seem out of place; especially if many of the factories and other features are still in use today. Most, if not all pictures were taken in 1976. I have numbered the images in the bottom left corner (1 to 10). If my slides have location information, this is given in the following list. I also state if I don't know where the picture is, although I could make an educated guess, but would prefer your input. I haven't worked in Coventry since moving to York in 1979, although I have made numerous visits to see my relations. Image 1) Webster's brickworks - c.1976 - I notice there is Forum discussion on Websters. I should add, - just found 'History in Brick' - by W. Hopley. Typewritten account. A study of the brick making industry in Coventry. (Coventry & District Archaeological Society - Industrial Section.) 1976 Image 2) I call this picture 'Chimneys' but I think it is part of Courtaulds factory - 1976 Image 3) A shot of part of the Courtaulds factory, notice the 0-4-0 tank engine. Anyone with information on this location within the works? Image 4) The slide is marked, 'Dunlop Building - Alma St. - 1976 Image 5) I've called this 'Factory Offices', but I don't have a location or other details. - 1976 Image 6) I've marked this slide 'Foleshill Railway, Ordnance Road' - 1976 Image 7) This slide is simply marked, 'Foleshill Railway, approach' - 1970's Image 8) This one is marked 'Industrial Railway, where?' - 1976 Image 9) This is labelled 'Industrial Railway', - 1976 Image 10) Pump House, Hawkesbury - 1976

Hi & thank you, Covjb35

Image no 6 looks like the Smith Street entrance to the Ordnance Works. I remember the shell casings on top of the gate pillars

This shows the remains of the Foleshill Railway where it crossed Kingfield Road, close to Courtaulds main works site - the chimneys are both part of Courtaulds, the one on the right of the photo was the tallest in England when built in 1923, the one on the left remains in situ, although only the bottom part of it (a stump!) - see below

The Smith Street entrance is now number 8. Image 3 is the train 'Henry'? Also number 9 looks like the top of Red Lane, with Roaches yard just out of shot on the right

No 8 - correct, Norm (courtesy Google Maps) Correct image inserted 22 Oct

Over 35 years later

Great photos Covjb35, thanks for posting

Apologies I posted an incorrect image in post #6 - this morning I have replaced it with the correct one The line ran along Wharf Road, and crossed Stoney Stanton Road, linking up with other lines at Webster's Brickworks

This is the line of the railway from Smith Street/Wharf Street as it approached Stoney Stanton Road (behind the photographer), at what is now Aintree Close (Courtesy: Google Maps)

Very different now! (apart from the pub!) (Courtesy: Google Maps)

Covjb35, This picture was almost certainly taken from the Matlock Road side of the canal. There was a small "wharf" on the other side where the barges used to load. I worked at Courtaulds in the sixties. My last job was in the Matlock Road building and I saw the view many times when I used to walk around the site at lunchtime. I have marked the map with an arrow from where I think the picture was taken. This online map, OSM Mapnik , shows part of the old railway line on the Courtaulds site, but I think it used to run further towards the Foleshill Road Bridge. The picture brings back memories!

'Henry' was sitting there when I worked for Courtaulds back in 1975-78. I used to park at the top of the site and walk past him each day. The photo looks like it was taken from the canal towpath.

This group of photographs follows on from my previous 10 images. Again I will number the entries which should correspond with the photograph numbers; I will comment on the photographs as I go along. 11) This is the footbridge at Hawkesbury, shot taken around 1976. 12) The old rail bridge at Hawkesbury, again taken around 1976. 13) Jacksons, metal merchants (1) - 1976 14) Jacksons metal merchants (2) - May 1976. 15) Remains of rail track (sleepers only), at Burnaby Rd. I think the track would originally have linked into the main line rail network, possibly south of the Coventry Colliery line, but I'm not sure. The only factory of any size in this area is the Dunlop works. Possibly someone could check the large scale 1930's plans for the area, at Coventry library? 16) A similar shot to 15 with the same comments. Date 1976. 17) Rotherham's factory, Spon Street (1) - 1970's. 18) Rotherham's watch making factory (2) - Spon Street. 1970's. 19) Rudge works, seen from the new footbridge at the back of Spon Street. 1970's. 20) Rudge Whitworth building seen from the inner ring road. 1976. 21) Railway buildings during demolition - c.1970's. 22) Ring road view. 1970's. 23) Coventry goods yard buildings during demolition. c.1976. 24) Coventry goods yard and view north. 1976. 25) Coventry goods yard from Warwick Road bridge, 1976. 26) Coventry goods yard offices, Warwick Road. 1976. 27) J & J Cash buildings along canal. 1976. 28) J & J Cash factory. Coventry. 1976. 29) A row of terraced workshop buildings (I am not sure where this location is). 1976. 30) Rear view of railway offices, Coventry. 1970's. 31) I believe these buildings to be 'industrial buildings', on Whitefriars Lane, Whitefriars Street, Coventry. date 1968. 32) Canal wharf warehouse, 1976. I seem to remember there was a plumber's merchants at this location, we went there often.

Some fascinating pictures. I was looking at some old maps recently, and there were some railway lines connected to the network in various places around the city, including Hawkesbury and also near the canal basin area. Also some tramways around Wyken as well, and an extra canal loop (I think) that must have been filled in years ago. In his book on Warwickshire Pevsner describes the Wyken area as being cluttered with old industrial remains and unused railway tracks. Thanks for the pictures. The Rudge works looks immense. In cities like Manchester and London buildings like these have been converted into apartment blocks/shops/etc. Lots of windows. In an alternate universe there's probably an alternative version of Coventry in which I spend my 20s living in a penthouse apartment up there overlooking the city centre.