Stratford on Avon (Old Town) Shed

LMS Route: 'The Shakespeare Route'

Stratford upon Avon was the headquarters of the East and West Junction Railway (E&WJR), and its successor the Stratford Midland Junction Railway (SMJR). It was here that the E&WJR built their first engine shed. Initially, when the line was extended from Kineton to Stratford upon Avon in 1873, because of poor finances the E&WJR made use of the GWR's Stratford upon Avon station. It was to be another three years before it was able to open its own permanent station in 1876. The opening of the shed is thought to almost certainly to date from the same year. The locomotive history of the E&WJR has been dealt with in some detail by Simon Dunkerly (see 'SMJ Locomotives') which should give an idea as to the population of the engine shed in E&WJR days.

Located on the down or south side of the E&WJR station, the shed as first built was a simple affair comprising two roads both leading directly off a 42 foot turntable. In addition, a single siding also led off the turntable, terminating alongside the southern aspect of the shed. For servicing the locomotives a simple coal stage, with ramps at either end and a water tank raised on six columns was provided adjacent to the single approach road. Chris Hawkins and George Reeve in their book 'LMS Engine Sheds' Volume Four: The Smaller English Constituents' considered this early shed to be 'a squat and ugly building of peculiar aspect'. The original structure was, again for economic reasons, built primarily using timber for all aspects of its construction. Hawkins & Reeves noted that 'it was not long before V-notches over the entrance were necessary in order to provide proper clearance for locomotive chimneys'. The shed was used for more than just stabling the locomotives as due to cost constraints the E&WJR tried to undertake as much repair and maintenance work in-house as possible. So from quite an early date locomotive maintenance and repairs, of an extensive nature, were carried out at Stratford upon Avon. The capability and skills of the shed staff with very limited facilities can be ascertained by the fact that as early as about 1880 one locomotive was 'rebuilt as a saddle tank'.

Since the 13th April 1891, the E&WJR, the Stratford-upon-Avon, Towcester and Midland Junction Railway (ST&MJR), and the Evesham, Redditch and Stratford-upon-Avon Junction Railway (ER&SJR) had combined their efforts to provide a joint service to compete with the Great Western Railway (GWR), Great Central Railway (GCR) and the Midland Railway (MR). Despite issues relating to the withdrawal of passenger services for a large part of the late 19th century, E&WJR finances had improved to such an extent that, as Hawkins & Reeves state, 'on 7th November 1907 E&WJR management decided to extend the engine shed by simply 'covering in a road alongside', at an estimated cost of £323. At the same time the company 'purposed to erect' an engine hoist, from Messrs. Cowans Sheldon, at a price of £230. Half an acre of land was required for the enlargements and on 20th January 1908 the price reported to the Board was '£200, plus costs.' By 19th March 'the amount insured upon the Locomotive Shed' was increased by £500 'to cover cost of the extension'. The work thus seems to have been completed by early 1908, more extensive than at first envisaged and effectively doubling the accommodation available. As early as 1901 a new water tank and pump house had been built, at the rear of the shed, along with an improved coal stage and extra stub sidings off the turntable. Major rearrangements occurred in the yard associated with 1908 alterations whilst the extension to the shed itself was in a style hardly less unattractive than the original building, alongside which it now stood. The resulting combination of undersize pitches and two coarse 'dutch barns' was aesthetically ill-considered but firmly in the Stratford tradition of improvisation. As such it contributed greatly to the charm and interest of the place'.

The Railway Magazine of 1910 described the improvements as follows: 'At Stratford-on-Avon the loco shops and repairing sheds have been enlarged, whilst alterations were made in the older portions.' The old turntable was also removed and opportunity was taken to install a larger, 52 foot example nearby. Its 42 foot predecessor was carefully dismantled and afterwards re-erected at Towcester. The new turntable was in place certainly before 1909 and after the erection of the 'Dutch barn' extension. JM Dunn in his book 'The Stratford upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway' considers it to have been specially installed in 1908 for the GCR 4-4-2 'Atlantics' which worked special excursions from London into Stratford upon Avon. The coaling facilities were considerably enhanced too with plans published in 1913 showing it had been moved away from the immediate shed area, thereby reducing congestion in the yard. Located on a lengthy track alongside the line to Broom Junction, it was provided with covered accommodation offering the locomotive crews some protection from any inclement weather. An edition of the Railway Magazine published early in 1914 stated, 'It is reported that a new coaling shelter has been erected at Stratford-on-Avon, and a coal crane provided at Towcester'.

An electric generator was installed to supply power to all of the station area including the marshalling yard. Steam power for this was raised with a locomotive type boiler that charged a generator and stored power in a large accumulator at the rear of the workshop. It also powered a new 25hp horizontal saw for timber work. In 1912 a fireman was paid, according to grade, about 28/6d (£1.42½ pence) per week, and after some twenty years or more with the shovel he might have the good fortune to become a driver at 50/- (£2.50) per week. Most repairs, including 'Generals' and 'Rebuilds' were, as stated above, undertaken in the running shed itself, the hoist being used for wheel removal, boiler lifting, etc. There were also the usual machine tools — lathes, drills, shapers, etc., almost all of which were removed very shortly after Grouping. Given the nature of the steam locomotive, small country 'works' like Stratford could accomplish much, but specialised jobs requiring expensive plant were probably sent away on a contract basis. Tyre reprofiling being a good example of such work. Repair activities finally ceased following a recommendation from by George Hughes, the first Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London & Midland Scottish Railway (LMSR) to the Locomotive & Electrical Committee on 29th September 1925 to close the repair shops. This would, it was felt, 'enable a more economical method of executing repairs to be effected, would give an improved output due to better supervision at no extra cost and by absorption of the staff at Saltley, would also enable available labour to be better adopted'. Repairs thereafter were carried out at Saltley shed or for more major work at Derby works.

Hawkins & Reeves state in their book 'The E&WJR's dozen motley 0-6-0s (mainly of Beyer Peacock origin) and the single 2-4-0 of 1903, which remained in service at the beginning of Grouping on 1st January 1923, were not to remain in service for too long; all had disappeared less than ten years after the LMS had taken control. These surviving 0-6-0s were variously classified by the LMS as '1F' or '2F' with the last E&WJR locomotive being taken out of service in August 1930. Saltley shed sent ex-MR '2F' 0-6-0s and '3F' 0-6-0s as replacements, fitted with vacuum brakes as well as carriage steam heating apparatus. In addition to goods work, the ex-MR 0—6—0s undertook all passenger work on the SMJ and the celebrated Avonmouth-London banana specials, which required steam heating for ripening the fruit in transit. Steam heating-fitted 0-6-0s thus remained a feature of the former SMJ through to its closure in the 1950s. From 1930 onwards LMS '4F' 0-6-0s and ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire (L&Y) '3F' 0-6-0s based at Saltley appeared on occasions until 1933. These included Nos 12105 and No 12107 which eventually found a home nearby at Bletchley. The ex-MR '2F' 0-6-0 locomotives, which had included No 3525, No 3536, No 3551, No 3695 and No 3696 had gone by 1935 and so until the closure of the shed it was to be ex-MR '3F' 0-6-0s and LMS '4F' 0-6-0s which held complete sway at Stratford upon Avon. By 1945 ten of the former and four of the latter engines formed the allocation, the total remaining constant until at least 1950. In November of that year Stratford upon Avon's complement was as follows: No 43277, No 43381, No 43520, No 43521, No 43523, No 43568, No 43693, No 43767, No 43822, No 43873, No 44186, No 44204, No 44587 and No 44606'.

The shed was almost immediately downgraded after Grouping becoming simply a sub-shed of Saltley in the Midland Division. In 1935 it was classified as a 'garage' and given the shed code '21D'. The old patched-up building was reconstructed in LMS days and with the addition of a new roof in corrugated material, which in this writer's opinion, gave it a more business like look. The existing layout was retained, along with the former brick wall dividing the original twin structure. By the 1950s the shed was little more than a country outpost, with traffic increasingly concentrated on the former GWR lines in the area. In February 1953 the shed became the responsibility of the Western Region of British Railways resulting in the remaining locomotives (two '3F' 0-6-0s and seven '4F' 0—6—0s) being 'moved back to Saltley. The stores and all maintenance facilities had long disappeared but the shed remained as the signing on point for the fourteen crews which remained to man locomotives working in from Bedford, Gloucester and Northampton. Hawkins & Reeves noted that 'about six locomotives continued to stable overnight, all used by Stratford upon Avon crews on their own workings'. Despite this section of the SMJ being the responsibility of the Western Region Hawkins & Reeves wrote 'in 1954 it was reported still a sub-shed of Saltley, with the shed office by now 'in the waiting room of the rapidly decaying Old Town Station'. The shed officially closed on 22nd July 195 7 and was soon demolished, leaving only the water tank located at the rear and the turntable, which would appear to have remained in place until at least 1965.

Much of the information provided on this and other linked pages has been derived from: 'LMS Engine Sheds' Volume Four: The Smaller English Constituents' written by Chris Hawkins and George Reeve and published by Wild Swan. Other information has been obtained from: The Stratford upon Avon and Midland Junction Railway written by Arthur Jordon and published by OPC; The Stratford upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway written by JM Dunn and published by The Oakwood Press; and finally, A History of the Stratford-Upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway written by RC Riley and Bill Simpson and published by Lamplight Publications. We would like to express our thanks to the members of the SMJ Society (www.smj.me) for use of their information and images, in particular the late John Jennings whose contribution can be seen on many of our SMJ pages.

The original East & West Railway Shed

Ref: smjsa295 Locomotive Publishing In the distance the original E&WJR station and in the foreground the new turntable of the locomotive shed

Ref: smjsa55 Anon View of Stratford on Avon shed with SMJ 0-6-0 No 15 and ex-E&WJR Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST No 1

Ref: smjsa55a Anon Close up showing SMJ 0-6-0 No 15 standing on No 1 road at Stratford on Avon locomotive shed

Ref: smjsa76 Anon Ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 3695 stands alongside fellow classmate inside the shed during reconstruction

Ref: smjsa76a Anon Close up showing ex-MR 0-6-0 No 3695 standing over one of the inspection pits inside the shed

Ref: smjsa59c LGRP Close up showing the original shed building but with the replacement turntable and shed office

Ref: smjsa162 Anon An interior view of the SMJ's Stratford on Avon shed with SMJ 0-6-0 No 10 seen on the left prior to grouping in 1923

Ref: smjsa179 Anon Photograph of the 1919 SMJ and GWR Joint NUR and ASLEF Strike Committee at Stratford upon Avon

Ref: smjsa165 Real Photographs A number of SMJ drivers and shed personnel pose for the camera outside Stratford on Avon shed

Ref: smjsa350 T Hine Driver T Hine poses for the camera as he looks out from the footplate of ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 43924

The LMS shed

Ref: smjsa115 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 0-6-0 4F No 44587 is standing inside the shed in company with other classmates on 21st May 1956

Ref: smjsa65b HC Casserley Close up showing the new Stratford on Avon shed and yard layout which replaced the ramshackled E&WJR structure

Ref: smjsa81 Anon View of the four road shed showing locomotives inside the shed and the siding alongside the outer wall

Ref: smjsa322 TE Williams Looking eastwards towards the station on the left and the shed on the right on 22nd March 1957

Ref: smjsa59b LGRP Close up showing locomotives on shed and the proximity of Stratfod on Avon shed to the down line platform

Ref: smjsa43b RM Casserley Close up of the new Stratford on Avon shed and approach roads and their proximity to the station's up platform

Ref: smjsa77 Anon Another view of the new Stratford on Avon shed with ex-MR locos outside including No 3529 and No 3077

Ref: smjsa77a Anon Close up showing two unknown locos on No 1 and No 2 roads inside Stratford on Avon's new shed

Ref: smjsa77b Anon Close up of the new shed's roads with ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 3077 facing towards the camera on the left

Ref: smjsa303 VR Webster Ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 3521 shunts a 'Loco' coal wagon at Stratford upon Avon shed on 15th May 1942

Locomotives seen stabled at the original E&WR shed

Ref: smjsa327 PW Robinson E&WJR 0-6-0ST No 1 is seen fresh out of the paint shop and looks resplendent in its 1907 lined chocolate livery

Ref: smjsa55b Anon Close up showing E&WJR No 1, a Manning Wardle 0-6-ST, previously owned by contractors Crompton & Sons

Ref: smjsa368 PW Robinson E&WJR 0-6-0 No 2 stands alongside a coal stack thought to be outside Stratford engine shed

Ref: smjsa239 Locomotive Publishing Ex-E&WJR 2-4-0T No 5, in its SMJ livery, standing on the road outside Stratford upon Avon shed

Ref: smjsa348 Locomotive Publishing E&WJR 2-4-0T No 6 stands outside Stratford upon Avon shed prior to being reboilered in 1907-8

Ref: smjsa51 RS Carpenter SMJ 0-6-0 No 7 complete with Beyer Peacock tender is seen stabled fully coaled and watered outside the shed

Ref: smjsa347 Locomotive Publishing E&WJR 0-6-0 No 7, a former LNWR 'DX Goods' locomotive, with a tool van in tow outside the shed

Ref: smjsa346 RC Riley E&WJR 0-6-0 No 8, a former LNWR 'DX Goods' locomotive, stands next to the coal stack at Stratford upon Avon shed

Ref: smjsa301 Real Photographs SMJ 0-6-0 No 7, formerly London Brighton & South Coast Railway C1 class locomotive No 428

Ref: smjsa31 Real Photos SMJ 0-6-0 No 7, an ex-LBSCR locomotive purchased by the SMJ in 1920, seen standing outside the shed

Ref: smjsa336 Locomotive Publishing Another view of SMJ 0-6-0 No 7, fully coaled and watered, standing outside the original E&WJR shed

Ref: smjsa371 S Dunkley Ex-LBSCR 0-6-0 C1 stands on one of the roads outside Stratford upon Avon's original shed circa 1921

Ref: smjsa68 Real Photos SMJ Beyer Peacock 0-6-0 No 11 is seen standing on the back road behind Stratford on Avon shed

Ref: smjsa345 PW Robinson E&WJR 0-6-0 No 11 looks resplendent when adjacent to coal stack at Stratford upon Avon shed

Ref: smjsa338 Locomotive Publishing E&WJR 0-6-0 No 12 with 'outside frames' is stabled fully serviced outside Stratford upon Avon shed

Ref: smjsa377 S Dunkley E&WJR 2-4-0 No 13 is seen standing on the original turntable outside Stratford upon Avon shed

Ref: smjsa377 S Dunkley E&WJR 2-4-0 No 13 is seen standing on the original turntable outside Stratford upon Avon shed

Ref: smjsa375 S Dunkley Ex-E&WJR 0-6-0 No 15, stands outside the shed carrying Class 2 headlamps in 1922

Ref: smjsa55 Anon View of Stratford on Avon shed with SMJ 0-6-0 No 15 and ex-E&WJR Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST No 1

Ref: smjsa74 WL Good View of the front of SMJ 0-6-0 No 15 as it stands on one of the roads outside the shed on 11th April 1924

Ref: smjsa343 RJ Essery Ex-E&WJR 0-6-0 No 15 is seen taking on water outside Stratford upon Avon's shed on a winters day

Ref: smjsa340 RJ Essery E&WJR 0-6-0 No 16, in E&WJR livery, stands resplendent on Stratford upon Avon shed's turntable prior to 1909

Ref: smjsa79 WL Good SMJ 0-6-0 No 2311, formerly SMJ No 16, seen stabled on the roads in front of Stratford on Avon shed

Ref: smjsa342 Real Photographs Ex-E&WJR 0-6-0 No 17 draws forward from the siding which ran alongside the shed on 16th September 1922

Ref: smjsa341 Real Photographs Ex-E&WJR 0-6-0 No 18 now carrying SMJ livery, stands opposite Stratford upon Avon's goods yard

Ref: smjsa69 WL Good Ex-SMJ 0-6-0 No 2311 formerly SMJ No 18 is seen standing on the repositioned turntable on 8th April 1924

Ref: smjsa70 WL Good Another view of ex-SMJ 0-6-0 No 2311 formerly SMJ No 18 on the turntable at the shed 8th April 1924

Ref: smjsa378 Real Photographs Ex-E&WJR 0-6-0 No 18, now in SMJ livery, is seen coming off shed ready for its next turn of duty

Ref: smjsa78 WL Good View of ex-SMJ 0-6-0 No 2311, formerly SMJ No 18, standing on No 4 road outside the shed on 8th April 1924

Ref: smjsa73 RS Carpenter Edge Hill Light Railway 0-6-0T Nos 1 and 2, former A1 'Terrier' LBSCR locomotives standing alongside the shed

Ref: smjsa331 WL Good Ex-MR 0-4-4T No 1427 stands coaled and fully serviced outside the shed ready for the following morning's turn

Ref: smjsa332 WL Good Ex-MR 0-4-4T No 1418 stands outside the shed after the discontinuation of the Ro Railer service

Ref: smjsa316 RC Riley Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 43822 fully serviced for its next trip stands at Stratford upon Avon shed on 6th April 1952

Ref: smjsa75 WL Good Ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 3667 stands on shed prepared for its next set of duties on 12th June 1924

Ref: smjsa317 RC Riley Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 44434 is proving to be very hard work for driver and fireman turning it by hand

Ref: smjsa321 TE Williams Two ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0s, No 44491 and No 43971, inside the shed as its being demolished on 2nd July 1957

Ref: smjsa416 TE Williams Ex-MR 4F 0-6-0 No 3895 stands fully coaled outside the shed alongside an LMS 4F 0-6-0 on 23rd March 1947

Ref: smjsa417 TE Williams Ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 43223 is on shed as ex-MR 4F 0-6-0 No 43875 passes with a down freight on 2nd May 1957

Ref: smjsa303 VR Webster Ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 3521 shunts a 'Loco' coal wagon at Stratford upon Avon shed on 15th May 1942

Ref: smjsa382 RC Riley Two ex-LNWR 0-6-0 'DX Goods' locomotives, E&WJR No 8 on the left and E&WJR No 9 on the right

Aerial views of Stratford locomotive shed

Ref: smjsa250 Britain from Above An aerial view of the westerly approach to Stratford Old Town station, goods yard and shed on 23rd June 1952

Ref: smjsa253 Britain from Above An aerial view showing the approach via New Street to Stratford Old Town station, goods yard and shed

Ref: smjsa258 Britain from Above Close up of the entrance to the station and a mix of wagons adjacent to the goods shed on 23rd June 1952

Ref: smjsa254 Britain from Above Close up of an ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 locomotive and an LMS 4F 0-6-0 locomotive outside the shed on 23rd June 1952

Ref: smjsa257 Britain from Above Close up of the outside of the passenger station and the coaling stage outside the shed on 23rd June 1952

Ref: smjsa252 Britain from Above Close up of the eastern end of the station and shed with the WD Store and water tank prominent

Ref: smjsa249 Britain from Above Another view of the station's goods shed and yard with the locomotive shed in the foreground

Ref: smjsa248 Britain from Above Close up of the water tank and the ramp which led up to the machine room beneath on 23rd June 1952

Ref: smjsa276 Britain from Above Stratford Old Town's shed showing the section of roof without its corrugated sheeting on 23rd June 1952

Ref: smjsa255 Britain from Above Another view of the sidings adjacent to the WD Store and west end of the shed on 23rd June 1952

Ordnance Survey Maps and Diagrams of the SMJ shed in LMS days

Ref: smjsa166 OPC A post 1942 schematic diagram of the SMJ station and shed and the various sidings and facilities

Ref: smjsa166a OPC Close up showing the water tank on the left, the turntable in the middle and the coal drop on the right

Ref: smjsa418 Wild Swan A 1949 schematic track plan of Stratford Old Town station and engine shed and their sidings and facilities

Ref: smjsa418a Wild Swan Close up of the 1949 Track Plan of the shed showing the layout of the shed and its yard and sidings

Ref: smjsa178 A Jordan A schematic map showing the SMJ station, shed, goods yard and sidings from 1910 to 1942

Ref: smjsa259 Ordnance Survey An 1885 OS map showing the SMJ station on the right and the line to Broom crossing the GWR line to Honeybourne

Ref: smjsa260 Ordnance Survey A 1913 OS map showing the SMJ station on the right and the line to Broom crossing the GWR line to Honeybourne

Ref: smjsa161 Ordnance Survey A 1938 OS map of the SMJ station on the right and the line to Broom crossing the GWR line on the left

Ref: smjsa161b Ordnance Survey Close up of the 1938 OS map showing the station, the carriage sidings and the goods shed and yard

Ref: smjsa161b Ordnance Survey Close up of the 1938 OS map showing the shed, station and the lines to Broom and the GWR network

The LMS and its successor, British Railways, undertook to film various aspects of operating steam locomotives and other railway operations. We have provided below links to some of the films related to shed operation that we know exist. Films on other aspects of railway operations can be viewed via our Video and Film Clip section.

	"Wash and Brush Up" 1953 Shows the procedures that a steam engine goes through as part of its regular maintenance cycle. The locomotive being featured in the film is a British Railways Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 No 73020 at 6D Chester (Midland shed. (25 minutes 19 seconds)
	LMS On the Shed - Part One of Two Various shots of an engine being prepared and serviced ready for its next trip. Includes actions and responsibilities of crew. (9 minutes 44 seconds)
	LMS On the Shed - Part Two of Two Various shots of an engine being prepared and serviced ready for its next trip. Includes actions and responsibilities of crew. (9 minutes 31 seconds)

Recording Locomotive Sightings 1943 - 1968

The following information is provided courtesy of Shed Bash UK (http://shedbashuk.blogspot.co.uk/)

A generation of enthusiasts recorded the movements of locomotives around the railway system. These records of visits to locomotive depots have been collected and carefully analysed to provide an overall portrait for the period 1943 to 1968. During that period of steam's final years, there was a marked change from the pre-grouping types that still found work at a few depots, to the modern BR designs that worked until the end in 1968. The handling of freight and passenger services was a major undertaking from town and cities, ports, coal mines and factories. All of it traversed the labyrinth of lines that criss-crossed the country. There were numerous 'sheds' spread throughout the length and breadth of the land that provided and serviced the vast army of steam locomotives (20,000 in 1948). Here is just a taste of that history.