The Railway Station – Part 1
In the history of the village school, I mentioned in Part 6 that pupils were set the challenge of measuring the distance from the school gate to the railway station: 1 mile and 8 chains, according to the school diary! This prompted one recent newcomer to Weston to comment that they didn’t know the village ever had a railway station. As it closed some 60 years ago, only very long term residents will have any first hand memories of this service, which has prompted me to look back at another facility now lost to us.
After the crossroads with Buckle Street, the B4035 Bretforton road snakes its way up and over the old railway line. The track is long gone, as is the station, with the site now occupied by CRH Plant. But what brought trains to Weston?
The 19th century saw a period of railway ‘mania’. In 1830 there were just 125 miles of track, but by 1871, this had increased to over 13,000 miles. One reason for this vast expansion was the lack of Government regulation or intervention. Anyone with sufficient financial means (or the capacity to borrow funds) could form a railway company, raise capital and put forward an application for a Railway Bill to Parliament which, if passed, would enable land along the proposed route to be compulsorily purchased and work commenced.
There was no grand master plan, with individual routes being developed by companies formed for a specific purpose. One of these was the Birmingham & Gloucester Railway Company. Running via Cheltenham and Bromsgrove, this service was opened in sections and completed in August 1841.
Closer to Weston, the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway Company constructed their line from Wolvercote (near Oxford) to Evesham, and began running trains in June 1853. Local stations were Mickleton (subsequently renamed Chipping Campden) and Honeybourne. This is essentially the main line still running today, although Camden station closed in 1966.
A number of schemes to serve the Vale of Evesham were floated, but it was not until 1902 that work began to connect Cheltenham and Honeybourne. However, before we look at the history of that line, upon which Weston was one of the stations, I am going on a slight detour and take a closer look at construction of the mile long tunnel on the line between Moreton-in-Marsh and Honeybourne. Work started in 1846, but progress by the contractor was slow and resulted in the Railway Board eventually ordering their Chief Engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to take over the project himself.
This proved easier said than done!
Next month: The battle for Campden Tunnel
(Published in The Messenger June 2021)
The Railway Station – Part 2
Where was the last battle on UK soil fought between two private armies? For a likely candidate we need to look no further than the construction of the mile long tunnel on the railway line between Moreton and Honeybourne.
Work started in 1846, but was beset with problems from the beginning. The scheme was suspended in 1848 and resumed again in 1851 but in July of that year the Railway Board ordered their Chief Engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to dismiss the tunnel contractor, take possession of the site and plant, and hand them over to Messrs Peto & Betts, the firm who were building the rest of the line. Not surprisingly, Mr Robert Marchant, the tunnel contractor, took exception to this and refused to leave. He kept his team of navvies on guard, and drove off all attempts by Peto & Betts to take possession.
After a number of skirmishes, Brunel decided to settle the matter himself. Arriving on Friday July 20th 1851, with a considerable body of men, he discovered that Marchant had been tipped off, and had persuaded local magistrates to attend. Brunel retreated but returned the next day only to find the magistrates still there and now joined by a large force of policemen. As a fight between the two opposing forces seemed inevitable the magistrates read the Riot Act. Brunel and his navvies withdrew again.
Whilst giving the impression of having abandoned all hope of taking over the tunnel, Brunel secretly organised reinforcements and under cover of darkness on the next night, gangs of navvies awoke village after village as they marched through, en route to the tunnel. Reports vary, but it is likely that some 2,000 men assembled under Brunel’s command.
In the face of this show of strength, Marchant retreated, but soon returned with three dozen policemen, some privates of the Gloucestershire Artillery, and two magistrates, who again read the Riot Act. In spite of the draconian penalties of this legislation (refusal to disperse was an offence carrying the death penalty) the rival forces continued to confront each other, armed with spades, picks, clubs and a few pistols. Scattered fighting broke out throughout the day, until Marchant finally accepted that he was outnumbered. He went to Brunel and they agreed to refer the whole dispute to arbitration. Peace was concluded just before the troops, called in to help the police, arrived from Coventry.
Thus ended the ‘Battle for Campden Tunnel’ with the project being completed eventually in the spring of 1852.
Next month: The start of the line from Cheltenham to Honeybourne .
(Published in The Messenger July 2021)
The Railway Station – Part 3
The Bill authorising construction of the line between Cheltenham and Honeybourne, upon which Weston was one of the stations, was presented to Parliament in November 1898 and received Royal Assent in August 1899.
The Great Western Railway Board awarded four separate contracts for the work, all to Messrs Walter Scott & Middleton, with a total value of £340,000 (equivalent to about £45million today). Work started on the section from Honeybourne to Winchcombe, to avoid adding to the disruption being suffered in Cheltenham from the installation of its own tramway system.
First, the centre line of the route was marked out and the land (which had been compulsorily purchased) then fenced off and a temporary track laid for use by steam navvies – excavators with large buckets on their booms that could handle one ton of earth at a time. Tip wagons, filled by either the steam navvies or men, were pulled by steam locomotives ( or sometimes horses) from cuttings to points on the line where embankments required building up.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the navvies, named after the ‘navigators’ who built the first navigation canals in the 18th century. Although the introduction of the steam navvies reduced manpower requirements, there was still a need for these tough individuals. Well paid by the standards of the day, the work was hard and (before the days of Health and Safety) often very dangerous, as we will discover next month. While some found accommodation in local villages, many had to put up with primitive living conditions in temporary camps set up along the course of the line. Sleeping sixteen men to each hut, they would each pay about 2 shillings (10p) per week to a hut keeper for board and cooking their food. The hut keeper in turn hired the hut from the contractor.
Navvies also became renowned for their drunkenness and unruly behaviour. As we saw in the history of the village school, Canon Bourne took exception to their presence at the annual Dover’s Games. This prompted him to have the Games closed down, leading indirectly to the building of the village school. Although Canon Bourne had achieved his objective some years before, we can only guess at the Reverends’ reaction to the hoards of navvies marching through local villages at the dead of night en route to the Battle of Campden Tunnel ( see Part 2).
My main source for the foregoing, and indeed the bulk of the remaining chapters on the railway station, has been the ‘Illustrated History of the Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham Railway’ by the late Audie Baker.
Next month; Tragedy at Toddington Viaduct.
(Published in The Messenger August 2012)
The Railway Station – Part 4
The planner for the Cheltenham to Honeybourne line was Great Western Railways Chief Engineer, James Inglis, and the final route he chose reflected the shortest distance but with diversions to avoid difficult terrain.
One feature that could not be bypassed was the valley and stream near to Stanway, which required a 210 yard long viaduct, incorporating fifteen 36 ft wide arches. The 50ft high structure also needed to incorporate a gradual curve and a 1 in 150 slope down from the Toddington end towards Broadway.
Work on the viaduct started in March 1903, and the gang of 50 or so regular men began by excavating for the pier foundations down to a depth of 12 ft. By the Autumn, all the blue brick piers and arches were nearing completion. However, at 8.15am on Friday 13th (!) November, arch No 10 collapsed without warning, bringing down a 14 ton steam crane which had been used to hoist up materials from ground level. The noise of the collapse was heard over a mile away.
Men from all parts of the line rushed to the site and immediately commenced a rescue operation. They managed to find the crane driver, a man named Smith, and placed him under arch No 9, while they tried to get another fellow who was under the remains of the crane. However, arch No 9 then collapsed, burying Smith again along with four other men. Just 40 minutes later arch No 8 fell in, with cracks appearing in arch No 7. Smith was eventually pulled from the debris, but tragically died later that night in the Cottage Hospital in Winchcombe.
He was one of four men killed, with seven others injured. The death toll could well have been much worse as the men generally took their breakfast at 8.30am beneath the same arches that collapsed. One of the injured men remained in hospital for seven months, so severe was the extent of his injuries, but he must have been well looked after, for after his discharge, he married the Matron!
The subsequent Inquest returned verdicts of ‘accidental death’, but with a rider concluding that, considering the state of the weather, insufficient time had been allowed for the lime mortar to set before the supporting centres were removed. The positioning of the crane was also criticised. The Coroner also recommended that arches of this type should be built using cement mortar during the winter period.
The viaduct was eventually completed without further mishap by the summer of 1904. The contractor also paid compensation for the loss of life and injuries.
Next month: Weston gets its station.
The Railway Station – Part 5
The summer of 1904 saw a concerted effort to open the line from Honeybourne to Broadway. This included completing construction of the station serving Weston, but being midway between two villages, it was originally named ‘Bretforton and Weston-sub-Edge’ ( with two hyphens!): this was subsequently shortened to ‘Weston-sub-Edge’ in 1907.
Weston station had the usual 400ft long platforms, with a waiting shelter on the far platform – this was accessed by way of a footpath from the nearby road bridge that had been built to carry the Weston – Bretforton road over the new track. The main building on the platform closest to the village comprised Station Masters office, Booking Hall, Ladies Waiting Room and Gents Toilet. There was also a signal box, goods shed and a short siding to the weighbridge.
Staffing extended to a Station Master, Mr D G Merritt, with one Porter/Signalman. There was a house for the Station Master, and two other dwellings for the track maintenance team of ganger and platelayer. All shared a pump, supplemented by a churn of water sent to each house every day by train from Toddington. Throughout its life the station was lit by oil lamps.
Sometime during July 1904, a small fire broke out at the station site. A telegram was sent to the nearest fire brigade at Broadway, who arrived some 45 minutes later to find the blaze all but extinguished. This response time was considered good for the 3½ miles travelled, together with the time taken for the men, all being volunteers, to assemble and then catch the horses to pull the fire engine!
This incident doesn’t appear to have delayed the opening of the station, as the first train bound for Broadway left Honeybourne at 07.14am on 1st August 1904. It comprised six all third class coaches, but with only 15 passengers on board. Several others boarded at Weston, to be greeted at Broadway by a large crowd.
The service soon increased to ten trains a day in each direction with freight forming a significant proportion of traffic. Milk was sent from Weston by Tredwells, Brodys and Robinsons, together with fruit and vegetables by J Haydon. Apples were also sent by Merivale Fruit Farm and if Webbs at Mickleton couldn’t get all their cauliflowers out via Long Marston, they would dispatch some from Weston to ease congestion. Not too far from the station was the slaughter house of D Perkins, who sent meat regularly up to London in casks. When he had enough bones, these would be sent to the Sheppy Glue Company in Kent.
Next month: What did Weston Station look like?
(Published in The messenger September 2012)
The Railway Station – Part 6
‘Picture by Jeff Wood/Kidderminster Railway Museum’
This is Weston Station looking back towards Broadway. Taken on 30th May 1959, it shows 9400 class 0-6-0PT locomotive number 9441 on the 17.55 Cheltenham St James to Honeybourne train.
By 1959, Weston Station had become an unstaffed halt. However, the projecting canopy shows where the booking office had been located, and the hanging sign still announces the presence of the gents toilet! The waiting shelter on the far platform is screened by the train.
The bridge at the end of the platform carries the Bretforton Road. The further bridge, visible in the far distance, was built to accommodate a track running from Saintbury. This structure no longer exists, having been demolished when it became unsafe, but its very existence does illustrate the responsibility that fell upon the constructors of the line to accommodate even minor rights of way.
In the absence of a pedestrian bridge, passengers were supposed to use a path down from the road to gain access to the far ‘Up’ platform. As this involved a long walk back to, and along, the road I am told that most opted to walk over the tracks by way of the barrow crossing located at the other end of the platform!
I am obliged to David Postle of the Kidderminster Railway Museum for providing this picture.
Next month: The end of the line for Weston-sub-Edge station.
(Published in The Messenger October 2012)
The Railway Station – Part 7
The demise of Weston Station occurred gradually. The post of Station Master was abolished in 1932, when responsibility was transferred to Broadway. The signal box closed on 8th October 1950 having been preceded by the closure of the goods yard on 2th September 1950, at which point the station became an unstaffed halt, albeit a very large one! The halt closed finally to passengers on 7th March 1960.
Managing to escape the ‘axe’ wielded by Dr Beeching, the line continued to be used as a link between other regions, but the final nail in its coffin seems to have been the derailment, on 25th August 1976, of 22 wagons on the 06.36 coal train from Toton to Severn Tunnel Junction, following an embankment landslip north of Winchcombe Station, at a point known locally as Chicken Curve. It was considered uneconomic to repair the damage and the complete Cheltenham to Stratford line was closed officially by British Rail on 1st November 1976.
Following early efforts focused upon the reopening of the complete service, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway was formed in 1981 with the aim of one day restoring the line from Stratford Racecourse to Cheltenham Racecourse. Utilising finance from shareholder capital and donations, the track bed from Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse was purchased from BR. Although most of the buildings and all of the line had gone, by 1984 work had advanced sufficiently to allow the first public train to operate over a ¼ mile of track, and on Sunday 22nd April, Nicholas Ridley MP, Secretary of State for Transport cut the ribbon to mark the official opening. Since then the line has been extended to Cheltenham Racecourse and quite recently to Broadway.
As mentioned in Part 1, the old station site is now used by CRH Plant, who have operated from there since 1965. The waiting shelter from the far platform was taken down and re-erected at Carrog Station on the Llangollen line. The only remaining building is the weight bridge office, with all other structures having been demolished down to ground level.
The track bed is now owned by Sustrans for use as a footpath and cycle track and the nearby road bridge carrying the B4035 is propped from track level. Thus the chances of the line reaching Honeybourne again, let alone the ultimate goal of Stratford Racecourse seems highly unlikely. But who knows?
As mentioned at the start of this series, my prime source has been the excellent book by the late Audie Baker, ‘The Illustrated History of The Stratford onAvon to Cheltenham Railway’, together with various posts on the internet and information from villagers who experienced the age of steam.
(Published in The Messenger November 2012)
The Railway Station – Part 8
Loose ends
Photo: Audie Baker
I always invite comments and was therefore delighted to be contacted by Jane Jordan, who pointed out that when describing the local stations on the Oxford to Evesham line, I had omitted to mention the Halt at Mickleton. This was located close to the bridge carrying the line over the road to Weston and reached by steps up from the road. Opened in November 1937, it only survived until October 1941, presumably due to lack of usage. This is not surprising, given the long walk from Mickleton village.
Jane also mentioned that she was born and grew up in a house built originally as a pub for the navvies working on the Mickleton tunnel. Now known as Nineveh Bridge House, it is located close to the railway bridge over Smerril Bank, that is, the road running from Mickleton up towards Chipping Campden.
On a similar theme, Stephen Barnett also provided me with further details relating to the construction of the Honeybourne to Cheltenham line and in particular the navvy camp in Saintbury, a wooden building located approximately half way between the phone box and the church. After the departure of the navvies, this structure served as the village club until about 1967/8, when it was demolished by Stephen’s uncle and grandfather, assisted by Stephen. Some of the salvaged timbers were then used to build a shed in the garden of No 6 Dovers View, before eventually being used for firewood.
The above photograph is included by kind permission of Helen Baker, whose late husband’s book on the construction of the Honeybourne to Cheltenham line has been my primary source for this series of articles. The picture shows Weston station during the 1930’s and before the fields to the left of the track were used for the construction of a WW2 airfield.
(Published in The Messenger December 2021)