Evesham

London North Western Railway:

Midland Railway:

Stratford Midland Junction Railway

The Shakespeare Route

Brief overview of Evesham Midland Station

The Midland Railway's station at Evesham was the sited at the end of the single line route from Redditch, the line being built with double tracks for the portion of the route running from Evesham to Ashchurch. The Great Western Railway also ran into Evesham and together the two railways helped to increase the prosperity of the area by being able to transport produce to markets otherwise too distant. In particular the competition between the two was such that producers noted that where their goods had to pass over other companies rails the cost of transportation was significantly higher. As the Midland line from Redditch approached Evesham it crossed the GWR line from Worcester to Oxford and then became two tracks as it ran into the station, which was adjacent to the GWR station. The line then continued as double track to Ashchurch curving away from the GWR route and then crossed the River Avon. Whilst the GWR facilities were adjacent to its station the Midland's were primarily to the south following further expansion.

The goods yard could hold 110 vehicles whilst the marshalling yards could hold a further 97 vehicles. The facilities at the goods yard were sufficient to handle significant amounts of agricultural produce in addition to furniture vans, carriages, portable engines, machines on wheels, livestock, horseboxes aided where required by a five ton crane. Inward traffic also included coal for both industrial and domestic use as well as fertilisers, large tree trunks for the Saw Mill. Evesham had a two road engine shed opened circa 1870 with entry via a single track that crossed the 42ft diameter turntable. There was fifty yards of track outside for storing locomotives together with room for two inside the shed. Initially the terminus for the line to Ashchurch the station saw the route extended within two years to Redditch. The first signal box was opened before 1st November 1875 and closed on 23rd September 1890 with the opening of two new signal boxes, Evesham South replacing the original box and Evesham North which was a new signal box.