Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway

Last updated January 27, 2022

The Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway project (SBR) was an English railway project whose aim was to re-open the closed railway line from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire to Honeybourne railway station, Worcestershire for main-line re-connection.

Activities

A short section of track remains as a freight-only line from Honeybourne to Long Marston and initial efforts were concentrated on this. A newsletter for members was published under the title The Shakespeare Express.

The SBR project was run by the Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway Society (1999) Limited (SBRS) and the Society had locomotives and rolling stock stored at the former Ministry of Defence depot at Long Marston. The site was not generally open to the public but there were occasional open days. The site was also visited by railtours.^[1]

Dissolution

On 14 February 2010 the Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway Society (1999) Limited was dissolved because "...with little chance of opening the line between Stratford and Honeybourne within the next 10 years and the fewer volunteers, we only had two choices: find a new home or sell the stock".^[2] The Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway Trust (a separate body) still exists.

It was envisaged that the rolling stock would be moved to the Berkeley Vale Railway which plans to use the Sharpness Branch Line. The Vale of Berkeley Railway eventually moved into the old engine shed at Sharpness Docks in August 2015.^{[ citation needed ]} Some of the stock was sold and the remainder will be loaned to other railway societies. The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust took delivery of two ex-Navy goods vans and a two-car diesel multiple unit on loan in October/November 2011.^[3]^{[ failed verification ]} As of January 2016 the railway has some 80 members and has moved some of the assets to their new engineering base.^{[ citation needed ]}

Locomotives

SBR locomotives ^[4]

Steam

Hawthorn Leslie and Company 0-4-0ST, works no. 2800, Met
Hawthorn Leslie and Company 0-4-0ST, works no. 3718, Swanscombe No.4
Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST, works no. 1903, LITTLE LADY
Barclay 0-4-0ST, works no. 2220, Invicta No.8

Diesel

Barclay 0-4-0DM, works no. 362, Mulberry 70047
Fowler 0-4-0DM, works no. 4220022, ROF Chorley No.4

The Long Marston site is also used for the storage of surplus main line locomotives and rolling stock which do not form part of the SBR fleet.

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Toddington railway station serves the village of Toddington in Gloucestershire, England. Since 1984 it has been the main base of operations for the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

Honeybourne railway station serves the village of Honeybourne in Worcestershire, England. Opened in 1853, it is on the Cotswold Line and was formerly a busy junction with five platform faces, also serving trains on the Great Western Railway's Honeybourne Line between Cheltenham Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon, which formed part of a strategic route between the West Midlands and the West of England.

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Long Marston is a village about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. The southern and western boundaries of the parish form part of the county boundary with Worcestershire. The civil parish is called Marston Sicca. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 436.

Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse Platform was a railway station on the Stratford upon Avon to Cheltenham section of the Honeybourne Line. Located one mile south of the town centre, its purpose was to serve Stratford Racecourse. It closed in 1968 as a result of falling passenger numbers.

Milcote railway station was a station on the Great Western Railway line between Stratford-upon-Avon and Honeybourne, which in 1908 became part of the Great Western Railway's new main line between Birmingham and Cheltenham.

Chambers Crossing Halt railway station was a timber-framed railway halt on the Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham section of the Honeybourne Line. The station was located two miles south-west of Stratford upon Avon. The site of the station is now part of the Stratford greenway and may in future form part of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's northern extension from Toddington.

Cheltenham Spa Malvern Road railway station was a station in the town of Cheltenham.

Laverton Halt railway station was a halt on the Honeybourne Line from Honeybourne to Cheltenham which served the hamlet of Laverton in Gloucestershire between 1905 and 1960.

Hayles Abbey Halt railway station is a halt opened by the Great Western Railway on the Honeybourne Line from Honeybourne to Cheltenham which served the hamlet of Hailes in Gloucestershire, as well as the nearby Hailes Abbey, between 1928 and 1960. The line through the site of the station was reinstated in 1985 and opened in 1987 by the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, although for many years no new halt was provided. The halt was eventually reopened on 5 June 2017 after being rebuilt by volunteers. Unlike the original, however, it only has a single platform. It lies between Toddington and Winchcombe stations.

Gretton Halt railway station was a halt opened by the Great Western Railway on the Honeybourne Line from Honeybourne to Cheltenham which served the small village of Gretton in Gloucestershire between 1906 and 1960. The line through the site of the station was reinstated in 1997 by the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, although no new halt was provided.

Weston-sub-Edge railway station is a disused station on the Honeybourne Line from Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham which served the village of Weston-sub-Edge in Gloucestershire between 1904 and 1960.

Long Marston railway station was a station at Long Marston, Warwickshire on the Great Western Railway line between Stratford-upon-Avon and Honeybourne, which became part of the Great Western Railway's new main line between Birmingham and Cheltenham.

References

↑ "7th June 2008 UK Railtours Long Marston Open Day Weekend". Six Bells Junction. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
↑ The Shakespeare Express, issue no.39, spring 2010, page 3
↑ http://www.sdjr.co.uk/
↑ Industrial Locomotives: including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Vol. 14EL. Melton Mowbray: Industrial Railway Society. 2007. ISBN 0-901906-39-5.

The Shakespeare Express, issue no.31, winter 2006
SBR Stock Book, September 2006

Coordinates: 52°10′23″N1°44′23″W / 52.17306°N 1.73972°W / 52.17306; -1.73972

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[Six_Bells-1] "7th June 2008 UK Railtours Long Marston Open Day Weekend". Six Bells Junction. Retrieved 10 October 2008.

[2] The Shakespeare Express, issue no.39, spring 2010, page 3

[3] ttp://www.sdjr.co.uk/

[IRS_14EL-4] Industrial Locomotives: including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Vol. 14EL. Melton Mowbray: Industrial Railway Society. 2007. ISBN 0-901906-39-5.

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