Evesham (Midland) Station

I find Evesham (Midland) Station fascinating!  If ever the competition between railway companies needed a clear illustration it could be found at Evesham.  The Midland station was side by side with the GWR station as this extract from my father's 1946 Cheltenham and Evesham maps shows:-



The Midland station is the lower red dot while the GWR one is the upper dot.  Of course, being an LMS man he never photographed the GWR station on his visit.  Note all the orchards shown on the map!

The Midland station was on the line from Barnt Green to Ashcurch that now only goes as far as Redditch.  It closed on 17 June 1963.

Angus got in touch to say that in the early BR years before the ex-Midland station shut, "One unusual feature of this station was that although the station buildings were separate, with the car park in between, they were treated as one station with the ex-GWR  station as Platforms 1 and 2, while the ex-MR platforms were 3 & 4. The 'porters' used to travel from one side of the car park to the other to attend to the trains on the ex-Midland line."

The MIAC site informs us that it is the GWR station that survives today as the current Evesham Station.  Thankfully, the Midland station building also survives and is called 'The Signal House'

Evesham (MR) Stn from W - 13/11/62

Looking east, the station building on the Redditch bound platform is the building that is now known as 'The Signal House'.  The road bridge in the distance is where the third photo was taken from as it carries High Street over the line. Angus kindly provided this picture of ex-GWR 'Collett' 3745 that was taken from under the canopy seen in the centre of my father's picture.  His notes on the back say that the train had come from Ashchurch and he believes it dates from September 1961.

Evesham (MR) Stn from E - 13/11/62

Here we are at the other end of the platform looking west.  This view clearly shows the typical Midland style wrought iron footbridge.  The nearby sign, not unexpectedly, reads, "Passengers are requested to cross the line by means of the bridge".  In the distance there appears to be some sidings occupied by goods wagons.

Evesham (MR) Stn from High St - 13/11/62

This final shot from the High Street and looking west provides a complete view of the station including a water column on the far right.  I wondered if that was an engine shed on the left but thanks to Mike for letting me know that it was a goods shed as illustrated on his Warwickshire Railways website. The GWR station was just off to the right of this view.

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