Shustoke Station

Shustoke station was one of three stations provided when the line from Nuneaton to Whitacre Junction was opened on 1st November 1864 as part of the Midland Railway's Nuneaton to Birmingham route. The other two stations were Arley & Fillongley and Stockingford, all three having the same standard designed station building and with two facing platforms with the running lines in between. The main station building at Shustoke was located on the up (Nuneaton) platform and comprised of a two storey structure at one end of the building (the Nuneaton end) and a large single storey structure at the other end (the Whitacre end). The single storey portion of the structure was divided architecturally into two; a rear section, being a substantial brick built structure, and a front section facing on to the platform constructed using timber. The two storey structure accommodated the station master and possible some staff and was built of brick. Both parts of the building were topped by sloping slate covered roof. The single storey section provided the station master's booking office, at least two waiting rooms, one being dedicated for ladies, and a storage room. In addition, accessed off the platform was a gentlemen's urinal which had a flat roof. The ladies convenience was provided off the ladies only waiting room. There was a small brick built waiting room on the down platform which was open on the side facing the platform. The passenger station was closed on 4th March 1968.

The station was equipped with a small goods yard complete with two loop sidings and a head shunt also doubling up as a landing dock for either livestock or road vehicles. The goods yard was situated off the up (Leicester) line and provided with a weighbridge sited towards the entrance off Coleshill Road. This weighbridge was available for use by the general public and not confined to paying customers of the railway. The station's signal box was centred on and opposite the goods yard, being located on the down line on the Whitacre side of the station. The Railway Clearing House's 1929 Handbook of Railway Stations states Shustoke station provided the general public and businesses with the following services: Goods traffic; Passenger and Parcels traffic; Furniture Vans; Live Stock; Horse Boxes and Prize Cattle Vans; and Carriages (Horse-drawn - Ed) by Passenger Trains (GPFLHC). There were no cranage facilities provided in the goods yard so merchants would either have to man handle the loading/unloading of goods themselves or, if necessary, bring in a mobile crane. The 1894 edition of The Railway Clearing House Handbook of Railway Stations did not provide information to the same detail e.g. the number of categories listed, and only recorded (GPFL), however its reasonable to assume that the same facilities recorded in 1929 were offered from the outset.