LMS Route: Birmingham West Suburban Railway

Bournville Station

Bournville Station was opened in 1876 on the Midland Railway's Birmingham and West Suburban Railway single track branch line as Stirchley Street and comprised a modest timber ticket office and platform. In 1880 the station name was changed to Stirchley Street and Bournville reflecting the Cadbury family's decision in 1879 to build their new chocolate factory and model village nearby under the direction of George Cadbury. The change of name occurred at a time when the Midland decided to use the the Birmingham and West Suburban Railway as an alternative means to gain access to New Street station from Gloucester and the station was upgraded to two platforms when the line was doubled in 1885.

This required the construction of a new southbound platform being erected in the very narrow space between the existing line and the Birmingham-Worcester canal hence the rather narrow platform! By 1888 in recognition of the importance of Bournville to the local economy the station name was changed again by placing the Bournville name first to read Bournville and Stirchley Street. By 1904 such was the fame of the Cadbury works and its complete domination of the local economy the Midland changed the station name again by removing the original name altogether with the station now simply Bournville. The station was never equipped with a goods yard or a set of sidings although the further development of industry in the area led to a number of private sidings being connected with the main line, the most famous being Cadbury's own extensive railway works.

Bournville Station

Ref: mrb1436 Postcard The only known photo of the Birmingham West Suburban Railway's Stirchley Street station, taken in 1879

Ref: mrb1485 Postcard Bournville station looking in the direction of New Street station with the main buildings on the up platform

Ref: mrb1482 Anon Looking north from Maryvale Road bridge with the footpath and steps leading to the station in the centre

Ref: mrb489 Postcard An Edwardian view of the station with the station buildings being located on the up, the original, platform

Ref: mrb489a Postcard Close up showing that Bournville's staff decorate the platform with flower beds, boxes and tubs

Ref: mrb489b Postcard Close up of up platform showing there were two buildings next to each other with each retaining a hip roof

Ref: mrb1488 Anon Another view of the new platform canopy in this view of the station, taken in the late fifties

Ref: mrb687 Anon A late 1950s view of Bournville station showing the new extension to the down platform's passenger shelter

Ref: mrb1483 Cadbury Brothers An elevated view showing the station's ground level booking office on the right and Station Lodge on the left

Ref: mrb1483a Cadbury Brothers Close up showing Bournville station's booking office and the steps and lift from ground level to the platform

Ref: mrb1484 Cadbury Brothers Bournville Station and Maryvale Road bridge with Cadbury's main works in background circa 1911

Ref: mrb1484a Cadbury Brothers An elevated close up view of Bournville station which remained more or less the same for one hundred years

Ref: mrb1484b Cadbury Brothers Close up showing the footpath from Maryvale Road which ran to the shed, the only pedestrian access to the shed

Ref: mrb474 DJ Norton Bournville station, seen through the arch of the bridge carrying Maryvale Road, on Sunday 12th September 1954

Ref: mrb474a DJ Norton Close up of Bournville station, seen through the arch of Maryvale Road bridge looking towards New Street station

Ref: mrb477 DJ Norton Bournville station viewed from the southern end of the down platform on Sunday 11th March 1956

Ref: mrb478 DJ Norton Looking south from Bournville station with Maryvale Road bridge in the foreground on Monday 10th June 1963

Ref: mrb478a DJ Norton Close up showing the passenger steps which led up from Bournville station's platform to Maryvale Road

Bournville Road bridge

Ref: mrb1481 Cadbury Brothers A Cadbury Brothers Scammell 'mechanical horse' passes beneath heavily graffitied Bournville Lane bridge

Ref: mrb488 Postcard An Edwardian view showing another view of the same side of the rail underbridge on Bournville Lane

Ref: mrb1479 Anon A 1950s view of the low bridge which was strengthened to carry the railway and canal over Bournville Lane

Ref: mrb476 DJ Norton The railway bridge over Bournville Lane and main station entrance, on Monday 10th June 1963

Miscellaneous

Ref: mrb666 DJ Norton An ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 is shunting wagons at the closed Bournville engine shed site on Wednesday 5th July 1961

Ref: mrb676 DJ Norton Bournville Signal Box in colour seen from the access path to the engine shed on Wednesday 6th June 1956

Ref: mrb1490 DJ Norton A wintry view looking south towards Bournville signal box, taken on Monday 12th January 1959

Ref: mrb1487 Cadbury Brothers A view of a Cadburys seaside excursion train, standing at Bournville station's up platform in 1912

Ref: mrb1480 Cadbury Brothers The third excursion train to the White City, headed by a Johnson 0-6-0, stands at the up platform

Ref: mrb1563 Anon An LMS Cadbury's excursion to Bournville has arrived at the down platform, headed by an ex-MR 3P 4-4-0

Maps and Diagrams

Ref: mr_generic1430b Midland Railway Part of MR Distance Diagram dated 1913 showing the two routes south from New Street to Kings Norton

Ref: mrb1510 National Library of Scotland An 1882 Ordnance Survey Map showing the location of Bournville station prior to the erection of the shed

Ref: mrb1548 National Library of Scotland Ordnance Survey Map of Bournville Station and Cadbury's works dated 1902 and published in 1905

Ref: mrb1547 National Library of Scotland Ordnance Survey Map of Bournville Station and Cadbury's works dated 1913 and published in 1921

Ref: bournville_map A Doherty Location Map of Bournville station showing its relationship to Cadbury works and Bournville Lane