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Wixford Station

LMS Route: Evesham to Birmingham

Wixford railway station was, unlike a number of stations, actually located near to the village it was named after. The station was accessed via steps down from a bridge carrying Icknield Street over the railway. Opening as a temporary station on 17th September 1866, the station was eventually made permanent. From the outset the station was deemed by the Midland Railway to warrant staffing albeit based in a very small timber building which also included the waiting room and toilet. As well as the small timber building, passengers were provided with lighting, lit by oil on ornamental lampposts, as well as a MR pattern cast-iron framed bench. The station was provided with a single siding which accommodated up to twenty wagons and which had very basic facilities having only a loading gauge and a portable livestock ramp. Limited as it was the revenue generated, together with passenger ticket sales, was probably the main reason why the station was made permanent. The station's facilities were slightly improved when the timber booking office and waiting room was replaced by the LMS with a slightly larger timber building and a separate brick built Gentlemen's latrine. The station remained open until it was closed to both passenger and freight services on 2nd January 1950, although the line through the Wixford was to remain operational for several more years before it too was closed with the track being lifted in 1965. In 1901 the nearby River Arrow flooded and damaged the line causing several bridges to be replaced.

Views of Wixford Station

An Edwardian view of Wixford station and platform which shows the station's earlier  simple passenger facilities circa 1905
Ref: mrwix727
Disused Stations
An Edwardian view of Wixford station and platform which shows the station's simple passenger facilities circa 1905
Looking north along Wixford station's single platform with access being available via the footbridge to the road on the left
Ref: mrwix378
Disused UK Stations
Looking north along Wixford station's single platform with access being via the foot bridge to the road on the left
Looking towards Broom and beyond the bridge towards Wixford station's goods yard on 13th June 1934
Ref: mrwix585
RJ Essery
Looking towards Broom and beyond the bridge towards Wixford station's goods yard on 13th June 1934
Looking along the full length of Wixford station's platform towards Broom with the passenger buildings at the Broom end of the station
Ref: mrwix589
C Gilbert
Looking along the full length of Wixford's platform with the passenger buildings at the Broom end of the station
View of Wixford station from the road bridge looking in the direction of Alcester showing the lane to Arrow on the left
Ref: mrwix588
J Moss
View of Wixford station from the road bridge looking in the direction of Alcester showing the lane to Arrow on the left

Close up of the replacement timber booking office and waiting room and brick built Gentlemen's latrine
Ref: mrwix588a
J Moss
Close up of the replacement timber booking office and waiting room and brick built Gentlemen's latrine
An elevated and oblique view of Wixford station showing the two basic structures on the platform
Ref: mrwix1364
J Moss
An elevated and oblique view of Wixford station showing the two basic structures on the platform
Close up showing the two basic buildings and in between them, a row of the mandatory fire buckets
Ref: mrwix1364a
J Moss
Close up showing the two basic buildings and in between them, a row of the mandatory fire buckets

Views of Wixford Goods Sidings

HE Bomford

Discovering a reproduction of this postcard image triggered off an allegiance to my role model as an author. LTC (Tom) Rolt, whose debut into the world of literature produced one of the most influential classics of English literature in his 'Narrow Boat', the catalyst for the resurgence of the canal system and its associated leisure cruising, and his remarkable "Red for Danger". Tom Rolt and I have one thing in common, we are both self-taught writers. Here the comparison ends, coming second is not in my nature, but this time simply some means of kindred spirit is a pleasure.

To this I must add his autobiography, one of a trilogy 'Landscape with Machines', which introduces to its reader the Bomford family of Warwickshire, grand masters in the art of professional farming. In 1926, Rolt at the age of 16, commenced a two-year apprenticeship at the family's Pitchill Farm in the Vale of Evesham. He eloquently sets out the workings of a large farm and the men that worked it, and was fortunate enough to work in the mechanical side of the farming operation, keeping a diary of its workings and those employed there. It was jointly run by Douglas (1894-1967) Leslie (1896-1981) and Ernest (1901-1962) Bomford, and largely devoted to fruit growing.

Here the family owned six pairs of steam ploughing engines which they also contracted out to other farmers in the vicinity, many of which were worked by relatives. There was also a grist mill for grinding feed a workshop and forge, all manned by a staff of delightfully rural characters whose collective skills could tackle and solve any mechanical or structural problem that arose. The three Bomfords which Rolt mentions as the partners in running this operation were the second, third and fourth sons of Raymond Bomford ((1854-1920) who in turn was a son of Benjamin Bomford (1828-1880), descendent of the founders of this great, innovative and efficient farming empire, which at one time covered over 4,000 acres of lush Vale of Evesham countryside, straddling the border between Warwickshire and Worcestershire. In the 1851 census alone there are entries for four different Benjamin Bomfords, collectively farming a thousand acres and employing 33 men and boys. The family dates back to the sixteenth century.

Keith Turton

Looking in the direction of Broom showing Wixford station's single siding goods yard and its simple loading ramp
Ref: mrwix587
J Moss
Looking in the direction of Broom showing the station's single siding goods yard and its simple loading ramp
Close up showing Wixford station's minimal goods facilities which comprised loading gauge, portable live stock ramp and small goods shed
Ref: mrwix587a
J Moss
Close up of the station's minimal goods facilities which comprised only of the loading gauge and portable ramp
View of six five-plank open wagons employed by HE Bomford, an Agricultural Merchant based in Wixford, being used to carry coal
Ref: mrwix582
Postcard
HE Bomford' five-plank open wagons owned by the Agricultural Merchant based at Wixford for carrying coal

Miscellany

Looking towards Alcester to the north of Wixford station after the River Arrow flooded its banks in 1901
Ref: mrwix584
Postcard
Looking towards Alcester to the north of Wixford station after the River Arrow flooded its banks in 1901
View of the single line track looking towards Alcester showing the new bridge, No 5, which replaced Bridge No 51, No 52 and No 53
Ref: mrwix583
VR Anderson
Looking towards Alcester showing the new bridge, No 5, which replaced Bridge No 51, No 52 and No 53
LMS railway photo
Ref: mrwix590
RJ Sellick
Ex-MR 0-6-0 4F No 44013, with Deeley tender, heading for Broom with just a brake van in tow on 11th May 1959

Ordnance Survey Maps and Schematics

An 1885 25 inch to the Mile Ordnance Survey map of Wixford showing the station layout including siding as first built
Ref: mrwix1365
National Library of Scotland
An 1885 25 inch to the Mile OS map of Wixford showing the station layout including siding as first built
A 1904 25 inch to the Mile Ordnance Survey map of Wixford showing the modified siding with shorter head shunts
Ref: mrwix2025
National Library of Scotland
A 1904 25 inch to the Mile OS map of Wixford showing the modified siding with shorter head shunts
A 1922 25 inch to the Mile Ordnance Survey map of Wixford showing the siding layout hasn't changed
Ref: mrwix2026
National Library of Scotland
A 1922 25 inch to the Mile Ordnance Survey map of Wixford showing the siding layout hasn't changed
A schematic drawing of an undated Ordnance Survey 25 inch map of Wixford station showing the track layout
Ref: mrwix1363
AE Overton
A schematic drawing of an undated Ordnance Survey 25 inch map of Wixford station showing the track layout
View of the track looking towards Alcester showing Bridge No 5 which replaced Bridges 51, 52 and 53
Ref: wixford_map
Disused UK Stations
Ordnance Survey map of Wixford station showing it's juxtaposition with Broom which was opened after Wixford