Budbrook and Warwick Cold Store

GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

North of Warwick Station was the Hatton Bank incline, which had a ruling gradient of 1 in 105 extending over about two and a half miles. Aware of the risks associated with trains ascending long gradients and the potential delays caused by slow (or stalled) Goods trains on an incline, a Down Refuge Siding was provided in May 1879. This was just over a third of the way up the incline with access controlled by a new Signal Box called Budbrooke Crossing Signal Box (the name was later changed to Budbrook Signal Box). In 1911, the refuge siding was converted into a Loop with a facing connection provided about 250 yards south of the signal box. Three years later this loop was extended in the other direction up the incline to provide a second Down line all the way up to Hatton Station. This was referred to as the Down Goods Running Line and meant that heavy freight trains could now continue to proceed up Hatton Bank without stopping, but leave the Main Down line clear for faster traffic.

During WW2, a Cold Store was constructed by the Ministry of Food on the up side of the Main Line about half way between Warwick and Budbrook. On completion, this Cold Store was provided with a rail connection to; two private sidings, and two reception loop sidings. A Signal Box, called Warwick North Signal Box and built to wartime specifications (GW type 13), was also constructed and opened in June 1942 to control these rail connections. After the war, traffic to the Cold Store declined and Warwick North Signal Box was no longer permanently staffed, only opened when required for specific traffic movements. This signal box was closed in September 1961.

After the trackwork at Budbrook was rationalised and the Down Goods Running Line taken out of use in 1969, Budbrook Signal Box was also closed.

Robert Ferris

Budbrook

Ref: gwrw2668 W Wright Budbrook Signal Box photographed on 17th August 1969 just a few weeks prior to closure

Ref: gwrw2670 RS Carpenter At the bottom of Hatton bank adjacent to the up main line was Budbrook Signal Box, seen here circa 1960

Ref: gwrw2190 GT Robinson BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 No 73066 passes Budbrook on a Class A down express passenger service

Ref: gwrw2168 C Capewell Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 45051 passes Budbrook signal box with an up fitted goods train in September 1966

Ref: gwrw2235 GT Robinson Ex-GWR 6959 Class 4-6-0 No 7929 'Wyke Hall' is seen just south of Hatton Bank, on a northbound freight

Ref: gwrw2186 GT Robinson Ex-GWR 68xx Class 4-6-0 No 6850 'Cleeve Grange' passes through Budbrook on a down Class A passenger service

Ref: gwrw2189 GT Robinson BR built 4073 Class 4-6-0 No 7011 'Banbury Castle' passes Budbrook with a Shrewsbury to Paddington parcels train

Ref: gwrhb1463 VR Webster GWR 4-6-0 Castle class No 5081 'Lockheed Hudson' is seen passing Budbrook on an express to Shrewsbury

Ref: gwrw2170 C Capewell A British Railways Sulzer Type 4 Bo-Bo diesel locomotive is seen on an up permanent way train in September 1966

Warwick Cold Store

Ref: gwrw2652 Anon Ex-GWR 4-6-0 49xx class No 5927 ‘Guild Hall’ shunting in the Cold Store sidings at Warwick on 14th October 1959

Ref: gwrw2184 R Blenkinsop Ex-GWR No 4900 ‘Saint Martin’ passes Warwick Cold Store on the down main line with a local passenger service

Ref: gwrw1339 British Railways View of GWR 2-8-2T No 7238 after running in to a Luftwaffe bomb crater at Budbrook near Hatton on 17th May 1941

Ref: gwrw2840 British Railways A sketch of a typical GWR ARP Signal Box as built at Warwick North to control the connection to the Cold Storage sidings

Maps and Diagrams

Ref: gwrw2669 SRS A low resolution version of the Signalling Diagram for Budbrook Signal Box showing the track layout in its heyday

Ref: gwrw2672 R Ferris Gradient Profile for the Birmingham Main Line showing Warwick Cold Store and Budbrook Signal Box

Ref: gwrw2673 SRS A low resolution version of the Signalling Diagram for Warwick North Signal Box showing the track layout