LMS Route: Evesham to Birmingham

Harvington Station

Worcestershire

Use the links below to access the images and text on this page:

• Brief overview of Harvington Station's history
• Views of Harvington station
• Harvington station's goods siding and passing loop
• Schematic Diagrams and Ordnance Survey Map of Harvington

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Brief overview of Harvington Station's history

Harvington station was the next stop on the line from Evesham and some two miles south of Salford Priors. Harvington station had the same configuration as others on the line that is it had a single-faced platform and a single siding goods yard. The station was however a block post with its siding incorporating a passing loop controlled by the signal box. The station opened on 16th June 1866 for passengers and 17th September 1866 for goods traffic when the section of line between Evesham and Alcester opened. From the start the service was provided by the Midland Railway despite the section between Redditch and Evesham not being taken over by the Midland Railway until 1882. The Evesham to Redditch section of the line was closed to passengers on 1st October 1962, initially on a temporary basis because of the poor condition of the track with a substitute bus service being provided. The temporary bus service became permanent when the passenger service between Evesham and Redditch was withdrawn with effect from 17th June 1963, the line completely closing on 6th July 1964 with the track being lifted by January 1965. Harvington Signal Box was opened on 2nd June 1891 and remained open until 1st March 1964 despite the station having been closed to all traffic on 1st October 1962. This was because the signal box operated as a block post, meaning that it controlled two separate sections of line, one towards Evesham and the other towards Broom Junction. Whereas the line was very useful as an alternative route to Gloucester via Lickey, local services on the line were rather limited and it is surprising that the station remained open for such a long time.

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Views of Harvington station

Ref: mrhv569 RJ Essery View of the approach from the village to Harvington station and its single siding with passing loop and goods yard

Ref: mrhv573 RJ Essery View of the station's booking office and passenger facilities on the right and the substantial private dwelling

Ref: mrhv576 RJ Essery An Edwardian elevated view of Harvington station showing the abundance of decorative flowerbeds and ivy

Ref: mrhv571 Anon Looking towards north towards Redditch with the main station building and the goods yard on the left

Ref: mrhv575 D Tee Looking along the platform towards Redditch with the station no longer looking pristine

Ref: mrhv576b RJ Essery Close up showing the station master's house and single-storey booking office and waiting rooms

Ref: mrhv570 Postcard MR 1P 2-4-0 No 165 is seen entering the station with a reasonably heavy train with passengers ready to embark

Ref: mrhv1422 M Clements A 1960s view of the station which, with its LMS station name board, could have been taken 25 years earlier

Ref: mrhv1423 M Clements Passengers wait on the platform as a train from Redditch is given the all clear to proceed to Evesham

Ref: mrhv1424 M Clements View showing the abandoned station building sometime after closure of the line with some demolition evident

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Harvington station's goods siding and passing loop

Ref: mrhv569a RJ Essery Close up showing Harvington goods siding with the weighbridge office and weighbridge on the left

Ref: mrhv572 RJ Essery Looking southwards to Evesham and Harvington station from along side the passing loop

Ref: mrhv572a RJ Essery Close up showing the Redditch side of the station and goods yard in greater detail

Ref: mrhv574 RJ Essery Looking towards Redditch with the passing loop on the left and the MR signal box on the right

Ref: mrhv574a RJ Essery Close up of the entrance to the passing loop, short shunting spur and loading gauge in greater detail

Ref: mrhv574b RJ Essery Close up showing Harvington Signal Box and the lamp and staging to aid the transfer of the tablet

Ref: mrhv571a Anon Close up showing Harvington station's goods yard with a variety of vehicles stabled on the siding

Ref: mrhv576a RJ Essery Close up showing greater detail of the platform and the various vehicles stabled in the goods siding

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Schematic Diagrams and Ordnance Survey Map of Harvington

Ref: mrhv1334 Ordnance Survey An undated Ordnance Survey map showing the closeness of the station and goods sidings to Harvington village

Ref: mrhv1333 AE Overton Schematic Signalling Diagram showing Harvington station's layout and the lever number associated with each signal