LMS Route: Evesham to Birmingham

Redditch Station

Worcestershire

Redditch station was some fifteen and half miles from New Street station and nearly five miles from Barnt Green where the branch connected with the Birmingham to Bristol mainline. The first passenger station was a terminus and opened on 19th September 1859 and was located at Clive Road. It was made redundant when the line was extended south to Evesham on 4th May 1868 and a new station was built a little to the south of the original. This station lasted until 7th February 1972 when it too was replaced, Redditch having become a terminus once again although its traffic was only for passenger services. In Bob Essery's book 'An Illustrated History of the Ashchurch to Barnt Green Line - The Evesham Route' he maintains that his research shows the line from Alvechurch to Redditch was originally a single line with just a junction for the new gas works.

The station, when opened as a terminus of the branch from Barnt Green, catered initially for passenger traffic but very soon for goods traffic too. The opening of the line to Evesham saw an expansion in the goods facilities complete with goods shed at a location known as Pound Meadow. Bob Essery notes that the yard handled a variety of traffic not just domestic and industrial coal which was the greatest tonnage handled. Inward traffic included Peruvian guano (bird droppings) and animal feed plus flour, coffee beans, cheese and salted butter. Trains bringing in raw materials required for Redditch's industry was matched by trains taking the finished goods to market. The depot was remodelled by the LMS including sidings for mineral traffic at Clive Road before the Second World War to cater for the increase in traffic.

The original signalbox which had opened prior to 1875 was closed in 1885 whilst the engine shed was opened shortly after the Evesham extension was opened, circa 1872. The gas works became rail connected at sometime before 1877 with the Redditch Gas Works Siding signalbox also coming in to service. A new signalbox was opened on 8th November 1925 when the old box closed. The replacement signalbox was built 120 yards further south and was renamed Redditch North on 17th January 1926 and then named Redditch when the Evesham route was closed on 29th January 1967.

 
On this page:

• The first Redditch station
• The second Redditch station
• Redditch Goods Yard
• Views of the closed tunnel
• Locomotives and trains at or near to Redditch station
• Maps and Schematics of Redditch station
• Miscellaneous
• Redditch Shed and Coaling Stage

The first Redditch station

Ref: mrred409 P Jarvis Front elevation of Redditch's original station building, now closed, which was situated in Clive Road

Ref: mrred602 P Jarvis The first Redditch station seen some thirty to forty years after its closure on 4th May 1868

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The second Redditch station

Ref: mrred1302 RS Carpenter External view of Redditch station and the bridge carrying Bromsgrove Road over the railway

Ref: mrred412 HC Casserley The access road leading to the front of Redditch station from Bromsgrove Road on 19th September 1958

Ref: mrred407 Postcard Looking towards Birmingham with a goods locomotive standing in the distance in the goods yard

Ref: mrred406 Postcard Looking north towards Barnt Green as two goods trains pass each beneath Bromsgrove Road bridge

Ref: mrred1381 RS Carpenter Looking beneath Bromsgrove Road bridge towards Barnt Green with the goods shed seen on the right circa 1962

Ref: mrred1381a RS Carpenter Close up showing the steps of the passenger footbridge sited at the northern end of Redditch station

Ref: mrred1381b RS Carpenter Close up of the Barnt Green end of the down platform and the signal for trains reversing into the goods yard

Ref: mrred1382 Lens of Sutton Looking north along the down platform towards Bromsgrove Road bridge with the main station building on the right

Ref: mrred1382a RS Carpenter Close up showing the bracket signal with two arms at the Barnt Green end of the up platform

Ref: mrred413 J Moss Looking south towards the tunnel with Redditch South Signal Box on the left at the end of the up platform

Ref: mrred372 Postcard View of the station looking south as a train with a rake of close coupled stock, leaves the station for Evesham

Ref: mrred607 C Griffin View from the road bridge looking south towards Alcester with the single bore tunnel in the distance

Ref: mrred1380 RS Carpenter Looking south along the down platform towards Evesham with Redditch Tunnel's north portal in the distance

Ref: mrred1380a RS Carpenter Close up showing a variety of parcel carts and trucks used to move parcels and other loads at the station

Ref: mrred1395 J Maries The northern end of the up platform showing the barrow crossing and excavated spoil on the path to the footbridge

Ref: mrred375 I Day An aerial view of Redditch goods yard showing the footbridge which exited on the right at Windsor Street

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Redditch Goods Yard and Signal Boxes

Ref: mrred414 P Jarvis Scene showing the loading of horse drawn vehicles at the MR built goods shed located in Redditch's first goods yard

Ref: mrred415 RJ Essery View of Redditch goods yard's weighbridge and office which was located at the entrance off Unicorn Hill

Ref: mrred416 RJ Essery Looking north to Barnt Green with the new goods shed built on Pound meadow see on the left beyond the footbridge

Ref: mrred408 M Mensing View of the replacement LMS built Redditch North Signal Box which was opened on 8th November 1926

Ref: mrred1385 RJ Essery Redditch South Signal Box, located on the up line and south of the station, is seen just prior to its closure

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Views of Redditch tunnel

Ref: mrred1377 RJ Essery An undated view of the north portal of Redditch tunnel with the tunnel's nameboard on the right

Ref: mrred1378 RJ Essery An undated view of the southern portal to Redditch tunnel which was very similar to the north portal

Ref: mrred1309 DJ Norton View of the portal of Redditch tunnel and the Y point which connected both lines passing through the station

Ref: mrred606 C Griffin Looking north from the single bore tunnel mouth towards Redditch with the station in the distance

Ref: mrred604 C Griffin View of the disused single bore tunnel which ran beneath Mount Pleasant south of Redditch

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Locomotives and trains at or near to Redditch station

Ref: mrred417 Philip Jarvis View of the gas works signal box as the signalman and fireman ready to exchange the train train staff

Ref: mrred411 J Braithwaite A Johnson goods engine on an Evesham to New Street service approaches Johnson 0-4-4T No 1259

Ref: mrred1300 G Skelsey Ex-LMS 2-6-4T 4P No 42421 is seen taking water at the north end of Redditch station on 27th September 1962

Ref: mrred601 M Mensing An unidentified Ivatt 2-6-0 2MT locomotive at the head of a local passenger service to Ashchurch via Evesham

Ref: mrred420 J Fozard Ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 43714 displaying a head and tail lamp which suggests it is the Redditch pilot

Ref: mrred374 M Mensing Ex-LMS Fowler 2-6-4T No 42383 on a local passenger train on a local passenger service to Ashchurch

Ref: mrred1303 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 4-6-0 5MT No 44859 is seen passing Redditch South Signal Box with a Class H freight service

Ref: mrred1307 M Mensing Ex-LMS 0-6-0 4F No 43975 enters Redditch station on a partly fitted freight service from Evesham in June 1960

Ref: mrred1306 M Mensing Ex-LMS 0-6-0T 3F No 47276 near Redditch on the 1:15pm local Ashchurch service on 29th September 1962

Ref: mrred1301 G Skelsey Metro-Cammell two-car DMU has just arrived on 10:30am service from New Street on 27th September 1962

Ref: mrred1393 M Gregory Ex-LMS 4P 2-6-4T No 42419 is seen running through the station bunker first on a down freight

Ref: mrred1386 RJ Essery An unidentified ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 locomotive is seen shunting coaching stock adjacent to Redditch cattle pens C1955

Ref: mrred1390 I Hayes British Railways built 4MT 2-6-0 No 43041 approaches Redditch with an ordinary passenger service circa 1961

Ref: mrred1394 W Garbett Ex-LMS 4P 2-6-4T No 42337 stands at the up platform with a three coach local passenger service to New Street

Ref: mrred1389 G Latter Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 44168 is seen being prepared for its next trip with the driver oiling the inside motion

Ref: mrred1387 M Gregory Ex-LMS 6P 4-6-0 Royal Scot Class No 46137 'The Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire) at Redditch shed

Ref: mrred1308 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 2-6-4T No 42327 is seen stabled inside of Redditch shed on 22nd April 1951

Ref: mrred376 Anon Ex-LMS 2-6-4T No 42334 & an ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 goods engine stand outside the single road engine shed

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Maps and Schematics of Redditch station

Ref: mrred609 C Maggs Schematic showing Redditch station's location in relationship to both its and other private sidings

Ref: mrred1400 RS Essery A 1932 schematic showing the position of water columns, signals boxes, ground frames and capacity of the sidings

Ref: mrred1304a AE Overton Schematic diagram showing the layout of Redditch locomotive shed and sidings and the northern approaches

Ref: mrred1304b AE Overton Schematic diagram showing the layout of Redditch station and goods yard and its southern approaches

Ref: mrred1399 AE Overton Schematic of Redditch South Signal Box's Signal Diagram and the lever number for each signal or point

Ref: mrred1401 AE Overton A schematic of Redditch Gas Works Siding Signal Diagram dated 1885 showing the lever for each signal or point

Ref: mrred1383 AE Overton An 1873 schematic of the signal diagram of Baroness Windsor's Model Farm Siding showing its basic layout

Ref: mrred1384 AE Overton A schematic of an undated plan of Redditch Gas Works and its sidings with key locations marked

Ref: mrred1391 Ordnance Survey An undated Ordnance Survey map showing how the line curved away south from Redditch towards Alcester

Ref: mrred373 Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey map showing the station's layout, goods yard and tunnel in 1930s

Ref: mrred384 Ordnance Survey OS map showing the position of the station and the Evesham - Barnt Green line in relation to Redditch town

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Miscellaneous

Ref: mrred1392 HMRS 2233 An official photograph of Fred A Hill No 4 wagon which was based at Ferney Hill Brickyard Redditch

Ref: mrred1396 P Jarvis A train of army personnel wait to depart from Redditch station in 1914 as their family and friends look on

Ref: mrred1397 P Coventry An Edwardian photograph of Redditch station's staff with the Station Master seated in the centre

Ref: mrred603 P Francis Copy of British Railway's timetable for Birmingham to Redditch and Ashchurch and return journeys

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Redditch Shed and Coaling Stage

Ref: mrred1305 DJ Norton View of Redditch's single road shed, the ash pit in front and the adjacent water crane on Sunday 22nd April 1951

Ref: mrred1388 JM Tolson Looking north towards Barnt Green with the shed on the left and Redditch North Signal Box on the right

Ref: mrred419 RJ Essery A 1952 view of Redditch engine shed, its enginemen's hut, the inspection pit and the water crane

Ref: mrred418 RJ Essery The coaling stage at Redditch which was a very rudimentary structure being built from railway sleepers

Ref: mrred1379 Hawketts & Sharpe Undated view of Redditch's coaling stage and the approach to the locomotive shed and water column

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