GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Lapworth Station: gwrl2501

Lapworth Station forecourt from Station Road at the turn of the twentieth century. Although a station opened here in 1875, it was rebuilt in 1888 when the goods yard and Refuge sidings were added. The layout was altered again in 1894 when the station became the junction for the Henley-in-Arden branch line and bay platforms with trailing connections were added on both sides and the main platforms also extended. It is thought that the buildings in this photograph date from the 1888 rebuild. This Up side building, which contained the booking office, general waiting room, ladies waiting room and toilet and gentlemen's toilet, remained unaltered during the subsequent quadrupling work (Compare with photographs 'gwrl1825' and 'gwrl1826').

Lapworth station had parcel facilities and official documents from 1907 indicate that a free cartage service was provided within a radius of one mile from the station by a Great Western Railway Agent. The single horse brake carriage seen here is typical of the type of vehicles used by the parcels cartage service. A GWR Cartage Instruction Book requires – 'When horses are attached to a vehicle and left unattended, the wheel of the vehicle must be chained, and the brake (where provided) left firmly on to prevent horses running away'.

Passenger traffic at Lapworth Station was boosted by it being the start of many railway sponsored rambles and the proximity of Baddesley Clinton House, identified as one of the most beautiful houses in Warwickshire. The house interiors by Rebecca Dulcibella Orpen featuring in the first issue of Country Life magazine in 1897. In 1928 a single fare between Birmingham and Lapworth was 2s/9d (1st class) or 1s/8d (3rd class). The fare from Leamington was 2s/3d (1st class) or 1s/4d (3rd class). In 1933, Lapworth Station had exceptional rates for Ale & Porter in casks (9s/4d) and Grain in two ton quantities (8s/1d), possibly indicating a local brewery. The Station also had some milk traffic as evidenced by the milk churn near the stairs of the covered footbridge.

Warwickshire County Records Office (PH352/108/25)

Robert Ferris

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