GWR Route: Stratford on Avon to Honeybourne

Evesham Road Crossing Halte

Evesham Road Halte (sic) was located on the section of line which joined together two branch lines which ran into Stratford Upon Avon. The branch from the south was built by the Oxford , Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway (OWWR) when it opened a branch from Honeybourne to Stratford-upon-Avon on 12th July 1859. The branch from the north was opened by the independent Stratford-Upon-Avon Railway Company on 9th October 1860. The GWR operated this latter branch line, which was mixed gauge until 1869, although most trains were 'narrow' (4 feet 8½ inches) gauge after 1863. The connection between the two branches came into use on 24th July 1861. The Stratford-Upon-Avon Railway became part of the GWR in 1883. The Oxford , Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway became the West Midland Railway in 1860 and part of the GWR in 1863. Evesham Road Crossing Halte had a very short life in common with Chambers Crossing Halte which was approximately two miles to the south of Stratford upon Avon. The Halte was open for traffic on the 17th October 1904 and closed on the 14th July 1916 as a wartime economy measure, a fate that befell a number of other stations, including others operated by other railway companies, in the county.

The use of the name 'Halte' by the GWR instead of Halt is thought to be because the GWR sought to use a description which would convey the perception that it was not manned. Brian Bailey writes, 'One man's interpretation of the situation is given in A Register of Halts and Platforms 1903 - 1979 by C.R. Clinker (Avon Anglian Production 1979), where Clinker writes 'The use of the French word [halte] seems to have been decided on because there was, in fact, no suitable meaning to the English word 'halt' at the time'. He goes on to say that the spelling was changed to 'halt' in April 1905. (It's not clear as to whether this was just in the GWR's timetables or also on station name boards), but he says 'It may well be that the change was made as part of a general dislike of things 'French' which manifested itself in the early years of the present century'. As to why the Halte's platforms were built 12 inches high, Peter Masson writes, '1904 was at the height of the 'railmotor and halts' era, when many railways opened halts and provided steam railmotor services to them. Some, to save money, built ground level platforms at the halts, and equipped the passenger compartments of the railmotors with steps for access’.

As it was classified as a Halte it is presumed that it was not staffed other than the signal box which operated the level crossing. Its close proximity to Stratford upon Avon GWR station begs the question as to why it was built although its rudimentary construction and position to the nearby racecourse suggests it might have been used primarily for racegoers, the racecourse platform not being built until 1933. After closure of the Halte the signal box remained open to operate the adjacent level crossing, the route having in the meantime been upgraded as part of the GWR's route to the South and West Country. Subsequently, in 1960, the original 1891 signal box was deemed too small to be able to accommodate the extra levers required when it took over both the duties of the signal box controlling the north junction with the SMJ, as well as those evolving from the building of the new south junction. A new signal box was therefore erected immediately adjacent to the 1891 signal box which had the necessary 50 levers, and, unusually for this date as the signalman would not have been able to see the trains on this new curve; with all movements being controlled by electrically operated points and signals, with track circuits giving the location of the trains.

Much of the information on this and other pages of Warwickshire Railways is derived from articles or books listed in our 'bibliography'.

Ref: gwr_everd928 J Alsop View of the crossing and the Halte looking north towards Stratford on Avon station shortly after it opened

Ref: gwr_everd928a J Alsop Close up showing Evesham Road Crossing's original 1891 box and three Great Western members of staff

Ref: gwr_everd617 BR The original 1891 signalbox stands sandwiched between the gates controlling Evesham Rd and its replacement

Ref: gwr_everd1675 TE Williams BR built 4-6-0 Modified Class No 7918 'Rhose Wood Hall' passes Evesham Road Crossing in May 1964

Ref: gwr_everd2474 RJ Buckley British Railways built 2-6-2T 41xx Class No 4165 heads an officer's inspection salon on 30th July 1964

Ref: gwr_everd2475 M Mensing A three car WR suburban DMU forms the 6:03pm Stratford to Honeybourne service on 23 May 1964

Ref: gwr_everd1674 Anon View of the cast-iron British Railways Western Region warning notice fixed to Evesham Road signal box

Ref: gwr_everd1676 Anon A ¾ view of the 1960 signal box erected to replace two signal boxes and work the new southbound connection

Ref: gwr_everd1677 Anon A full frontal view of Evesham Road Crossing signal box which shows the very large structure built

Ref: gwr_everd1678 Anon The signal box after closure of the line south of Stratford-on-Avon although before the signalling was dismantled

Ref: gwr_everd2476 P Trotter Evesham Road Crossing signal box, now closed, and the crossing it still replaced for the occasional PW train

Maps and Notices

Ref: gwr_everd3924 British Railways BR Signalling Notice No 4208 issued to identify the changes taking place south of Stratford on 24th-25th April 1960

Ref: gwr_everd3925 British Railways BR Signalling Notice No 4208 issued to identify the changes taking place south of Stratford on 24th-25th April 1960

Ref: gwrsanct2465 National Library of Scotland An 1885 OS map showing the layoput and juxtaposition of Evesham Road Crossing and Sanctus Street

Ref: gwrsanct1522 National Library of Scotland A 1913 OS map showing the layoput and juxtaposition of Evesham Road Crossing and Sanctus Street

Ref: gwrsanct2468 National Library of Scotland A 1939 OS map showing the layoput and juxtaposition of Evesham Road Crossing and Sanctus Street