Bradford
Bradford is located in northeast Jefferson County, Alabama. The Birmingham District indicates that Bradford was active as a coal mining location from the 1880's forward, along with the adjacent community of Dixiana.
Birmingham Rails was able to review 1941 aerial photos, and to view these with a stereoscope, a simple optical device that enables 3D viewing of two adjacent and overlapping 2D photo images. The information in the aerials indicates that in 1941, Bradford was an active coal mining site
There are hotspot links in the image below to several photos from our field trip in December, 2004
Bradford area in USGS maps from about 1960.
Birmingham Rails visited Bradford in December, 2004 with a local resident familiar with the area. We found the mine portal (sealed) as well as coke ovens and tailings piles. The former L&N rail spur serving the site is gone, although rails are still in the Dixiana road at the crossing site.
The tramway roadbed is clearly visible as well as the underpass that carried the tramway over the Dixiana Road, which has been relocated adjacent to the underpass.
One bit of information that Birmingham Rails would like to know more about is a report of a deadly tornado striking this community, probably in the late 1940's.
Birmingham Rails would welcome information from readers on this site and it's history.