LMS Route: Birmingham West Suburban Railway

Bournville Station: mrb1480

The third excursion train of Cadbury employees to the White City, headed by a Johnson 0-6-0, stands at the up platform in Bournville station in October 1908. White City was a popular name for a trade fair in London, given to it because its buildings and pavilions were all painted white, and for the 68,000 seat Olympic stadium, built on the same site. The name has stuck and is still used for that area of London today. The trade fair was more formally known as the Franco-British Exhibition, and lasted for six months, attracting 8 million visitors during that period. The stadium had hosted the summer Olympics earlier in the year, but there were still football, rugby and figure skating competitions in October. White City Excursions nos. 1 & 2 were probably organized earlier in 1908, and must have generated the demand for a 3rd. There may not have been a 4th, as both major events came to an end on October 31st.

John Dews

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