GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Hatton Station: gwrhj1938

Hatton Station from the road bridge in June 1960. On the island platform is the second Hatton South Signal Box, which replaced the original South and Middle Signal Boxes in 1936. Notice the aperture in the platform wall for the point rodding, which runs parallel to the branch bay platform on either side of the track. By the time this photograph was taken some rationalisation of the trackwork had already taken place, including the recent removal of the turntable siding (as evidenced by the vacant ballasted area on the right). From 1943, this siding had serviced a Royal Engineers store which had been built adjacent to the station.

Beyond the now roofless footbridge, under the wide valanced canopy are the main passenger facilities. These were built when this quiet wayside station became a junction on 10th October 1860, following the construction of the nine and a quarter mile mixed gauge single track branch to Stratford-on-Avon. The new facilities for the branch line passengers included a refreshment room with kitchen, two waiting rooms (one for ladies) and toilets. Surprisingly the refreshment room was still open a hundred years later, it was licensed for alcohol and served as the ‘local’ public house, in addition to serving afternoon tea and cakes to the passengers changing for the branch line.

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