View source for Hams Hall

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
[[File:Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal - geograph.org.uk - 2337896.jpg|thumb|Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal - geograph.org.uk - 2337896]]
'''Hams Hall''' is a place near [[Lea Marston]] in [[North Warwickshire]], England, named after the former Hams Hall [[manor house]]. A [[Hams Hall Power Station|power station at Hams Hall]] was constructed and operated in the late 1920s; a further two power stations began generating electricity in the 1940s and 1950s. By 1993 all three power stations had been closed and demolished and an industrial park, Hams Hall Distribution Park, was built. An [[Intermodal railfreight in Great Britain|intermodal rail terminal]], Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal, also operates at the site.

==Hams Hall Estate==
The Hams Hall Estate and what is modern day [[Saltley]] was owned by the Adderley family for over 262 years. The name of the estate was derived from the fact that the land lay in a great hook (ham) of the [[River Tame, West Midlands|River Tame]].<ref name=BGFL>{{cite web|url=http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/teacher/history/jm_jones/aston_manors/saltley/page16.htm|title=Adderley Estate|publisher=bgfl.org|access-date=6 May 2010|archive-date=27 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927104648/http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/teacher/history/jm_jones/aston_manors/saltley/page16.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

As Birmingham and the [[Black Country]] developed, the estate faced two problems: loss of land to the west, and lack of water from the river due to industrial pollution. Thus, after [[Robert Rawlinson]]'s report on the condition of Birmingham in 1848 suggesting the need for a public park, [[Charles Adderley, 1st Baron Norton]] donated {{convert|8|acre|km2}} of land to create [[Adderley Park]],<ref name=BGFL/> which he managed privately from 1855 to 1864. He also donated land for the construction of [[St Saviour's Church, Saltley|St Saviour's Church]], [[St Peter's College, Saltley]] and the [[reformatory]] on the Fordrough, later called Norton Boys' Home. In 1879 Lord Norton sold Whitacre Lodge to the city for the construction of the {{convert|80|acre|km2}} [[Shustoke Reservoir]], the largest single source of water for Birmingham until the [[Elan Valley Reservoirs|Elan/Claerwen]] scheme was completed.<ref name=BGFL/>

Following the death of Charles Adderley in 1905, the residual estate was put up for sale in 1911 to pay [[death duties]]. Initially purchased by an [[United States|American]] shipping magnate, he dismantled the house in 1921. It was reassembled as Bledisloe Lodge, a hall of residence for students at the [[Royal Agricultural College]], [[Cirencester]] at [[Coates, Gloucestershire]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/supebr-cotswolds-house-sale-set-38-acres-parkland-185110 | title=A superb Georgian house for sale, set in 38 acres of Cotswolds parkland | date=27 September 2018 }}</ref> 

==Hams Hall Power Station==
{{main|Hams Hall power stations}}
[[File:Fields near Whitacre Junction - geograph.org.uk - 1017099.jpg|thumb|Hams Hall Power Station, 1984]]

The City of [[Birmingham]] bought land at Hams Hall, and built an electricity generating station (Hams Hall A), from 1928.<ref name=lea_marston>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.search.windowsonwarwickshire.org.uk/engine/resource/default.asp?theme=1023&originator=%2Fengine%2Ftheme%2Fdefault%2Easp&page=2&records=23&direction=1&pointer=11298&text=0&resource=4046
 |title        = Lea Marston. Hams Hall Power Station
 |access-date   = 11 February 2009
 |year         = 2006
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110613041132/http://www.search.windowsonwarwickshire.org.uk/engine/resource/default.asp?theme=1023&originator=%2Fengine%2Ftheme%2Fdefault.asp&page=2&records=23&direction=1&pointer=11298&text=0&resource=4046
 |archive-date = 13 June 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> Located north of [[Coleshill Parkway railway station]], the location allowed easy access for coal supply trains from the [[London, Midland & Scottish Railway]] mainline. Built under the direction of Richard Alexander Chattock (1865&ndash;1936), Birmingham City Electrical Engineer.<ref name="Lethbridge">''Electric Relief'', J.P. Lethbridge, in ''Stand to'' (Journal of the Western Front Association), April 2007</ref>

Two more stations (Hams Hall B and C) were later built on the site, reputedly the largest in [[Europe]] at the time of their construction. The city's electricity generating and supply functions were nationalised in the late 1940s.<ref name="Lethbridge"/>

The [[Central Electricity Generating Board]] took over responsibility for the site from Birmingham and founded an environmental studies centre, re-erecting Lea Ford Cottage (a local medieval timber-framed building) there to preserve it. Still owned by site owner [[E.ON]], it is now known as ''Hams Hall Environmental Studies Centre''.<ref name=eon>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.eon-uk.com/about/2756.aspx
| title       = Hams Hall
| access-date  = 6 March 2013
| publisher   = [[E.ON]]
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080725013849/http://www.eon-uk.com/about/2756.aspx
| archive-date = 25 July 2008
}}</ref> The area alongside the [[confluence]] of the [[River Blythe]] and [[River Tame (West Midlands)|River Tame]] became the [[West Midland Bird Club]]'s [[Ladywalk Reserve]].

All three stations were closed and demolished in the 1990s. The land was cleared, on which was built ''Hams Hall Distribution Park'', with only electrical sub-stations remaining.

==Hams Hall Distribution Park==
After the Hams Hall Power station site was cleared, [[Powergen]] accepted various European and Central Government grants{{citation needed|date=January 2012}} to allow a consortium of construction companies including [[Alfred McAlpine]] to construct a new [[industrial estate]] called Hams Hall Distribution Park,<ref name=mcalpine>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.mcdermott-construction.co.uk/hamshall.htm
 |title       = McDermott Construction
 |access-date  = 12 February 2009
 |date        = 9 June 2005
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20020204115140/http://www.mcdermott-construction.co.uk/hamshall.htm
 |archive-date = 4 February 2002
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>

The {{convert|430|acre|km2|abbr=on}} site includes road ([[M42 motorway|M42]]) and rail access (through the ''Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal'').<ref name="m42">{{cite web| url = http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/70FD910F146C09A4802572250059BC0D/$file/Invest+in+North+Warwickshire_ARTWORK_FINAL+2011%5breduced%5d.pdf| title = Invest in North Warwickshire| publisher = Warwickshire Investment Partnership| access-date = 11 January 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111013131539/https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/70FD910F146C09A4802572250059BC0D/$file/Invest+in+North+Warwickshire_ARTWORK_FINAL+2011%5Breduced%5D.pdf| archive-date = 13 October 2011| url-status = dead| df = dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2011 the site housed clients including [[E.ON]], [[Sainsbury's]],<ref name="m42"/> [[BMW]] (engine manufacturing plant),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/profile/4837/BMW%92s_Hams_Hall|title = BMW's Hams Hall, Living the values| publisher=  The Manufacturer| date = September 2004}}{{dead link|date=January 2013}}</ref> [[DHL Express|DHL]], [[ABB]], [[UTC Fire & Security|Chubb]], [[Beko]], [[Exel]] and [[Wincanton]].<ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.midlandsbusinessnews.co.uk/2011-08/abb-selects-hams-hall-national-distribution-park-as-midlands-distribution-hub.aspx| title = ABB selects Hams Hall National Distribution Park as Midlands distribution hub| date = 23 August 2011| work = Midland Business News| quote = ABB has selected IM Properties' Hams Hall National Distribution Park to create a new Midlands Distribution Hub .. Hams Hall National Distribution Park includes an intermodal rail freight terminal ... with national and international occupiers including BMW, Sainsbury's, EXEL, Wincanton, DHL, Chubb and BEKO|access-date=23 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525173013/http://midlandsbusinessnews.co.uk/2011-08/abb-selects-hams-hall-national-distribution-park-as-midlands-distribution-hub.aspx|archive-date=25 May 2012}}</ref>

===Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal===
{{anchor|Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal}}
The ''Hams Hall Channel Tunnel Freight Terminal'' was opened 11 July 1997 by the then deputy prime minister [[John Prescott]].<ref name="rfd">{{cite web|url = http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/deputy-prime-minister-john-prescott-opens-163380-million-hams-hall-channel-tunnel-freight-terminal-156618925.html| title = Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott Opens £380 Million Hams Hall Channel Tunnel Freight Terminal| date= 11 July 1997| publisher = [[PowerGen]] via [[PR Newswire]]| access-date=23 January 2013}}</ref><ref name=Rail310>{{cite journal|title = Hams Hall Freight Terminal opened by Deputy Prime Minister|journal= [[Rail (magazine)|Rail]]|issue=310|date=30 July 1997}}</ref> As of 2010 the site was one of the main international intermodal terminals in the UK.<ref>{{citation| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wm2IORz6HOkC| title = The handbook of logistics & distribution management |edition=4| author = Alan Rushton| author2=  Phil Croucher| author3= Peter Baker| publisher = Kogan Page Limited| year = 2010 |quote = The main international terminals in the UK are: *Mossend, Glasgow; *Trafford Park, Manchester; *Seaforth Docks, Gartree (Liverpool); * Hams Hall, West Midlands; *Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal, Daventry; *Doncaster International Railport, Doncaster; *Wakefield; *Willesden, London|pages=388–389| isbn = 9780749459352 }}</ref>

[[File:Rail freight park at Hams Hall - geograph.org.uk - 244788.jpg|thumb|right|View of the freight terminal at Hams Hall, 2008]]

The site was originally operated by Parsec Europe Ltd.; in 2002 [[Associated British Ports]] acquired the site lease.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldcargonews.com/htm/n20020401.995391.htm|title=Hams Hall goes to ABP Connect|publisher=World Cargo News (WCN Publishing)|date=April 2002|access-date=23 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108005914/http://www.worldcargonews.com/htm/n20020401.995391.htm|archive-date=8 January 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The {{convert|11|acre|km2|abbr=on}} terminal is sited on the southern edge of Hams Hall business park;<ref name="dft1"/> since 2004 it has had customs clearance to handle international traffic via the [[Channel Tunnel]];<ref>{{cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=IYhv-q0KE5QC| title = Ports in Wales: fifteenth report of session 2008-09, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence|  author = Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Welsh Affairs Committee | publisher =[[The Stationery Office]]| date= 1 November 2009 |chapter-url =https://books.google.com/books?id=IYhv-q0KE5QC| chapter = Port Value Added Services: ABP Connect (Ev 72)| isbn = 9780215541703}}</ref> the site has storage for 6,000 [[Twenty-foot equivalent unit|TEU]], and rail access is cleared to W10 vehicle gauge.<ref name="dft1">{{cite web| url = http://www.freightbestpractice.org.uk/download.aspx?pid=7323| title = FBP1128 - Freight Best Practice - Efficient Intermodal Terminals Deliver Supply Chain Benefits| publisher = [[Department of Transport]]| access-date = 23 January 2013| page = 5| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130609112925/http://www.freightbestpractice.org.uk/download.aspx?pid=7323| archive-date = 9 June 2013| df = dmy-all}}</ref> There are also regular daily flows from Felixstowe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Port of Felixstowe Rail Information |url=https://www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk/rail/rail-information/}}</ref> The area around Nuneaton and the Midlands has been referred to as the "[[Golden logistics triangle|Golden Triangle of Logistics]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=The rise of the UK warehouse and the "golden logistics triangle" |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/articles/theriseoftheukwarehouseandthegoldenlogisticstriangle/2022-04-11 |website=Office for National Statistics |access-date=19 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bell |first1=Torsten |title=New toaster late? It's all the fault of the Midlands' logistics golden triangle |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/apr/24/new-toaster-late-fault-midlends-logistics-golden-triangle |access-date=19 August 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=24 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Vahrenkamp |first1=Richard |title=The Logistic Revolution: The Rise of Logistics in the Mass Consumption Society |date=2012 |publisher=BoD – Books on Demand |isbn=978-3-8441-0118-8 |page=158 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=slzBArFATL4C |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wang |first1=Yingli |last2=Pettit |first2=Stephen |title=E-Logistics: Managing Your Digital Supply Chains for Competitive Advantage |date=3 March 2016 |publisher=Kogan Page Publishers |isbn=978-0-7494-7267-2 |page=216 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8OunCwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Department for Transport |title=High speed rail |date=11 March 2010 |publisher=The Stationery Office |isbn=978-0-10-178272-2 |page=32 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aRmY51SOeG8C |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cade |first=Michelle |date=2018-04-16 |title=The Golden Triangle of Logistics · RCS Logistics |url=https://www.rcslogistics.co.uk/blog-and-news/golden-triangle/2935 |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=RCS Logistics |language=en}}</ref> Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal is in this Golden Triangle and one of the busiest intermodal terminals.<ref name=Rail310/><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/deputy-prime-minister-john-prescott-opens-163380-million-hams-hall-channel-tunnel-freight-terminal-156618925.html| title = Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott Opens £380 Million Hams Hall Channel Tunnel Freight Terminal| date= 11 July 1997| publisher = [[PowerGen]] via [[PR Newswire]]| access-date=23 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wm2IORz6HOkC| title = The handbook of logistics & distribution management |edition=4| author = Alan Rushton| author2=  Phil Croucher| author3= Peter Baker| publisher = Kogan Page Limited| year = 2010 |quote = The main international terminals in the UK are: *Mossend, Glasgow; *Trafford Park, Manchester; *Seaforth Docks, Gartree (Liverpool); * Hams Hall, West Midlands; *Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal, Daventry; *Doncaster International Railport, Doncaster; *Wakefield; *Willesden, London|pages=388–389| isbn = 9780749459352 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Coleshill Parkway railway station]] opened 2007 close to the rail freight terminal, south of the main distribution park<ref>Coleshill Parkway opens ''[[Today's Railways UK]]'' issue 1278 October 2007 page 77</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine|title=A freight terminal for the future|first=Pip|last=Dunn|magazine=[[Rail (magazine)|Rail]]|issue=307|publisher=Emap Apex Publications|date=18 June – 1 July 1997|pages=30–32|issn=0953-4563|oclc=49953699}}
*{{cite magazine|title=Hams Hall site already half full after only nine months|magazine=[[Rail (magazine)|Rail]]|issue=327|publisher=Emap Apex Publications|date=25 March – 7 April 1998|page=17|issn=0953-4563|oclc=49953699}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Hams Hall}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.hamshallrailterminal.co.uk| title = Associated British Ports - Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal - Birmingham| access-date = 12 January 2012| publisher = [[Associated British Ports|ABP]]}}
*{{cite web|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103005706/http://eon-uk.com/about/hamshallenvcentre.aspx| archive-date  = 3 January 2010 | url = http://www.eon-uk.com/hamshallenvcentre |publisher=E.ON |title  =Hams Hall Environmental Studies Centre| access-date= 23 January 2013}}

{{Associated British Ports}}
{{Intermodal railfreight terminals in the Great Britain}}

{{coord|52.525|-1.708|type:city_region:GB-WAR|display=title}}

[[Category:Geography of Warwickshire]]
[[Category:Transport in Warwickshire]]