GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Official Publications: gwrbsh63

Excursions were initially aimed at using the railway's stock and infrastructure that would otherwise be sitting idle, but between 1902 and 1911 excursion traffic on the Great Western Railway grew by a staggering 83.2% and was making a significant contribution to the company's profits. In addition to selling off-peak seats, the traffic department had started targeting specific events and public holidays. Football matches and horse racing events were becoming particularly popular and on Saturday 19th April 1913, twelve football special trains left Great Western Railway stations in the West Midlands for London carrying supporters to the Crystal Palace Stadium to watch Aston Villa beat Sunderland 1 – 0.

Reproduced here are three pages from a thirty two page excursion booklet published by the Great Western Railway in October 1913. As well as giving the prices and trains available for general day and half day excursions, the leaflet detailed the arrangements for local Market tickets, Weekend tickets and tickets for walkers and cyclists. These leisure tickets allowed travel to one location and return from another. Other pages gave details of weekend excursions to Irish destinations and various seaside resorts.

Robert Ferris

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