The Doubling of the Stratford-on-Avon Branch

by G.H. Mackillop

The article by Mr Harold Smith in the January Magazine on the Birmingham and North Warwickshire Railway described the northern portion of the scheme for connecting South Wales and the West of England with Birmingham and the North. The southern portion includes the Cheltenham and Honeybourne Railway, and between these two new railways a part of the Stratford branch for a length of about 14 miles has been utilised as a connecting link. This was formally a single line branch, but has now been doubled and the sharp gradients and curves considerably improved.

The Cheltenham and Honeybourne line meets the Stratford branch at Honeybourne East Junction, about 1 mile from Honeybourne station. It is connected to Worcester by a loop which leaves the former immediately after it passes under the West Midland line and joins a spur from the Stratford branch about half a mile from Honeybourne station. There is still another loop, known as the Honeybourne East Loop, connecting the West Midland line from London with the Stratford branch. The construction of the Honeybourne East Loop was opened in May 1907. By means of this loop the company have now a double line through from Paddington to Stratford-on-Avon, and this has been found of great assistance in dealing with the well-known half-day trips to the latter place. These alterations entailed the enlargement of Honeybourne station. exchange sidings have been laid out and four platforms, 500 feet in length, with the usual waiting room and other accommodation, are about to be built. A new engine shed is also to be erected here.

Travelling along the branch in the direction of Stratford, after leaving the Cheltenham and Honeybourne line, the line falls for about three quarters of a mile at 1 in 150, the latter before the doubling being 1 in 130. Thence it is practically level to Long Marston station, which was formally a passing place. All that was necessary, therefore, was to lengthen the platforms, which are now 400 feet long between ramps. A cattle pen and loading bank was also built. The fruit and vegetable traffic of the neighbourhood is rapidly increasing, and last year over 200 tons of tomatoes were sent away from the station.

Close to Long Marston station is the house to which Charles II, fled disguised as a servant after the Battle of Worcester, and one can still see the old roasting jack which the housewife told him to watch at the kitchen fire. Beyond the station is a public crossing known as Wire Lane, where the crossing keeper’s and ganger’s cottages were so close to the old single line that they had to be pulled down and others erected. The line is now practically straight with a slight falling gradient until Milcote is reached. This was a small single platform station, but two new platforms 400 feet long have now been built. The station is close by the River Avon, where good boating may be obtained, and it is a favourite resort for summer visitors. The line now falls gradually into Stratford and crosses the River Avon by a viaduct of nine arches and one steel span. From the junction with the East and West Junction Railway Company to a point close to the entrance to Stratford Goods Yard and the branch was already double.

Stratford station is to be improved, the ‘up’ platform being made into an island platform 600 feet long, and the ‘down’ platform lengthened to 550 feet. The curves, also, at each end of the station will be improved from a radius of 18 chains to 25 chains. The building on the ‘down’ side, which is the main entrance to the station, will have a new booking-office and the whole building will be structurally altered, thus materially improving the accommodation. A tea-room and a bicycle house are also to be added. On the ‘up’ platform there will be spacious waiting and refreshment rooms. Stratford station will no doubt become important for through express traffic, as passengers will change here for Leamington and the south, and for all the various residential districts south of Birmingham.

To enable the curve at the north end of the station to be improved it was necessary to deviate the line over the canal. This enables the old lines to be used as loops and will facilitate the working of traffic very materially. The heaviest gradient of the whole scheme lies between Stratford and Wilmcote. The old line had a gradient of 1 in 75 of one and a quarter miles, but, by means of a slight deviation and raising of banks, this has been reduced to less than one mile, which is a very considerable improvement. Wilmcote station had formerly a single line platform, but has now two new platforms, 400 feet long, with the usual waiting rooms and booking office accommodation. The later have been built with a ramped approach from the road, which goes over the railway at this station.

A mile beyond Wilmcote, Bearley West Junction, where the new Birmingham and North Warwickshire line goes off to the left, is reached. A good easy running junction has been put in there. The doubling of the branch continues beyond this to Bearley station, so that of the whole Stratford branch there now remains only the portion between Bearley and Hatton Junction as a single line. None of the work between Honeybourne and Bearley was of a very heavy character, and it has all been completed within eighteen months, a fairly creditable result in view of the fact that the traffic was running all the time. The work between Honeybourne and Stratford was carried out by Messrs. Walter Scott and Middleton, and that between Stratford and Bearley by Messrs. C.T. Wills & Sons.