Stratford-upon-Avon railway station

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Stratford-upon-Avon
National Rail
StratfordStation2020.jpg
New entrance to the station.
LocationStratford-upon-Avon, Stratford-on-Avon
England
Grid referenceSP194551
Managed byWest Midlands Trains
Platforms3
Other information
Station codeSAV
ClassificationDfT category D
Key dates
24 July 1861Opened
Passengers
2016/17Increase 1.037 million
2017/18Increase 1.044 million
2018/19Decrease 1.036 million
2019/20Decrease 0.911 million
2020/21Decrease 0.210 million
Location
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Stratford-upon-Avon railway station is the southern terminus of the North Warwickshire Line and Leamington-Stratford line, serving the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. The station is served by West Midlands Trains and Chiltern Railways.

Prior to August 1976, the station provided direct links to the south of the region via the Cotswold Line; however, the derailment of a freight train prompted British Rail to withdraw the link.

History[]

The first line to reach Stratford was the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway branch from Honeybourne to the south, which opened a station at Sanctus Street on 12 July 1859.[1] This was soon followed by the Stratford on Avon Railway's branch from Hatton from the north, which opened on 9 October 1860. Both branches initially had separate termini, but they soon agreed to join the two branches and open a single station at the present site, which was opened on 24 July 1861. Both branches later came under the control of the Great Western Railway (GWR).

Map of railways in the area of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1908.

In 1908 the GWR opened the North Warwickshire Line, which incorporated parts of the two original branch lines into a new main line from Birmingham to Cheltenham. This put Stratford on a main line, and at this date, the station was expanded, and a third platform added.[2]

Through services to Gloucester were withdrawn in 1968,[3] and passenger services south of Stratford ceased altogether on 5 May 1969, when the service to Honeybourne, Evesham and Worcester Foregate Street was withdrawn. However the line remained open for freight until 1976, when a serious freight train derailment led to British Rail closing the line entirely, leaving Stratford as the southern terminus of the lines from Birmingham and Hatton.[4][5]

Between 1873 and 1952 Stratford was also served by Stratford Old Town railway station on the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway (SMJR).

A new Stratford Parkway railway station north of the town, next to the A46 road was opened on 19 May 2013. It is intended to ease congestion, as passengers from outside Stratford will no longer need to drive into the town to catch a train. Rail services between Birmingham and Stratford have been increased from hourly to half-hourly in conjunction with the opening of the new parkway station.[6][7]

On 26 November 2015 it was announced that a second footbridge and lifts had been completed, meaning people with limited mobility would be able to use all the platforms. It was also announced that a new café, waiting room and retail area are planned.[8]

On 18 March 2019 a refurbishment of the station was started, funded by the Department for Transport and Warwickshire County Council. This refurbishment would include the rebuild of the ticket hall and improved seating areas on the platforms alongside better toilet facilities and bike racks.[9]

Former services[]

Prior to 2004, services towards Leamington Spa were operated jointly between Thames Trains (now known as First Great Western Link) and Central Trains, both being replaced by Chiltern Railways.

Thames Trains also operated services to London Paddington via Wilmcote, Hatton, Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford, Didcot, Reading, Slough and Ealing Broadway. It also occasionally operated shuttle trains between Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa, with a limited service calling at Bearley and Claverdon on weekdays. As with all of their services at the time, they were operated using Class 165 and 166 units.

Central Trains operated a shuttle service between Stratford and Leamington Spa, in conjunction with those operated by Thames Trains. Additionally, they also ran a limited Sunday service during summer. Central Trains services were operated using Class 150 units.

Stationmasters[]

  • William Hazzard Rigbey ca. 1862
  • John Mathews from 1866[10] - 1890 (formerly station master at Windsor)
  • Thomas Birchall until 1891
  • Edward Foster 1891 - 1892[11] (afterwards station master at Alcester)
  • Samuel Edwin Meredith 1892[12] - 1921 (formerly station master at Alcester)
  • Elliot P. Roberts 1921 - 1931[13] (formerly station master at Stourbridge)
  • William Edwin Davenport 1931 - 1945[14] (formerly station master at Hall Green)
  • Frank Upchurch 1945 - 1952[15] (formerly station master at Small Heath)
  • W.J. Bright until 1964[16]

Facilities[]

The station has a ticket office located by the station entrance on platform 1 which is open Monday-Thursday 07:00-18:00, Friday 07:00-19:00, Saturday 07:00-18:00 and Sunday 09:00-16:00. When the ticket office is open tickets must be purchased before boarding the train. Outside of these times there is a ticket machine outside the ticket office which accepts card payments only - cash and voucher payments can be made to the senior conductor or train manager on the train.

Cycle parking is available.

Step free access is available between the platforms via lifts on the newer footbridge. Station staff provide information and assistance whilst the ticket office is open. Outside of these hours information is available from help points located on both platforms and from the senior conductor or train manager on the train. Stratford-upon-Avon station is accredited by the Secure Station Scheme.

Services[]

A West Midlands Railway train at the station.
Map of the lines from Stratford

West Midlands Railway[]

Stratford-upon-Avon is served by two trains per hour, to Kidderminster via Birmingham Snow Hill along the North Warwickshire Line. One train runs via Earlswood and Shirley with the other running via Dorridge and Solihull. Some trains, mainly early morning and evening services continue to Worcester Foregate Street. Some early morning and late night services start/terminate at Stourbridge Junction, Birmingham Snow Hill or Birmingham Moor Street.

On Sundays there is an hourly service to Worcester Foregate Street via Birmingham Snow Hill and Kidderminster. All services run via Earlswood and Shirley. Some services extend to/from Great Malvern with early morning services starting at Birmingham Snow Hill. Some services start/terminate or call at Worcester Shrub Hill instead or in addition to Worcester Foregate Street. Services only run between 09:00 and 19:30. Journeys to stations via Dorridge and Solihull can be made using Chiltern Railways services changing at Hatton or Warwick. A more expensive ticket is also available which allows travel via Tyseley.

Chiltern Railways[]

Stratford-upon-Avon is also served by approximately one train every 2 hours, to Leamington Spa via Hatton and Warwick along the Leamington-Stratford line. On weekdays, during the afternoon peak, in order to run additional services some trains start/terminate at Hatton or Warwick where connections are available for Leamington Spa and onwards to London Marylebone. Some services extend to Banbury or London Marylebone. In the hour which the direct service does not run, on Monday-Saturday, connections to Hatton, Warwick and Leamington Spa can be made using West Midlands Railway services and changing at Dorridge for onwards Chiltern Railways services.

Sunday services only run from 09:30 with the final departure at 20:36.

Vintage Trains[]

A steam train service to Birmingham Snow Hill, occasionally serving Henley-in-Arden, is operated by Vintage Trains between July and September.[17]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway   West Midlands Railway
Birmingham–Stratford line 		  Terminus
  Chiltern Railways
Leamington–Stratford line 		 
Heritage Railways  Heritage railways
Henley-in-Arden   Vintage Trains
The Shakespeare Express
July–September 		  Terminus
  Historical railways  
Wilmcote   Thames Trains
Cherwell Valley line 		  Terminus
Disused railways
Wilmcote   Great Western Railway
Honeybourne Line 		  Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse
Line and station closed
Terminus   SMJR
East and West Junction Railway 		  Stratford Old Town
Line and station closed
Heritage Railways  Proposed Heritage railways
Terminus   Honeybourne Line   Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse
Line and station closed

Stratford-Honeybourne link[]

The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group is promoting a scheme to reopen the 6 miles (10 km) of line to the south of Stratford-upon-Avon, where it would link to the Cotswold Line at Honeybourne. The scheme (supported as a freight diversionary route by DB Schenker)[18] would make Stratford a through station once again, with improved connections to the south of the region. It would open up the possibility of direct services towards London Paddington, via Oxford, and also significantly faster services to Worcester, via Evesham.[19]

The scheme has been deemed economically beneficial in the long-term, being supported by former Prime Minister David Cameron and Network Rail.[20][21] It has also been overwhelmingly supported by the local community, consisting of rail users and local businesses;[22] however, the district council have opposed the scheme due to financial costs.[23]

In November 2020, it was announced that the scheme had been approved for up to £50,000 funding by the Department for Transport (DfT) under the second round of the Restoring your Railway Fund.[24]

Criticism[]

The station has often been criticised for having slow and infrequent connections. In particular, Chiltern Railways has faced criticism for their lack of services to London Marylebone and Leamington Spa,[25] with the RSC describing services provided by the company as “woefully inadequate” for an international tourist destination.[26] The absence of services running directly to Coventry and Birmingham International has also been noted.[27] Stratford-upon-Avon suffers from road congestion, which is worsened by poor connections in the area and below average usage of rail by visitors in the area.[28]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Mitchell, Victor E.; Smith, Keith (October 1998). Country Railway Routes: Stratford upon Avon to Cheltenham. Midhurst: Middleton Press. map following figure 15. ISBN 1-901706-25-7.
  2. ^ "Stratford on Avon Station". Warwickshire Railways. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  3. ^ Passengers No More by G. Daniels and L. Dench Second Edition page 36
  4. ^ "Stratford Branch". GWR Archive. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  5. ^ "RE REGIONAL URBAN MARKET STUDY" (PDF). Network Rail. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  6. ^ "New £7m Stratford Parkway railway station opens". BBC News, Coventry & Warwickshire. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Stratford Parkway". Warwickshire County Council. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Access for All as Stratford Rail Station footbridge opens". Warwickshire County Council. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  9. ^ Lugg, Ben (15 March 2019). "£1.5million Stratford Station refurbishment to begin". Stratford Herald. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  10. ^ "1835-1910 Clerks Vol.3". Great Western Railway Operating, Traffic, Coaching Departments: 46. 1899. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  11. ^ "1835-1910 Clerks Vol.5". Great Western Railway Operating, Traffic, Coaching Departments: 652. 1899. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  12. ^ "1835-1910 Clerks Vol.5". Great Western Railway Operating, Traffic, Coaching Departments: 570. 1899. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Death on Way to Work". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 31 March 1931. Retrieved 23 June 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "A Stationmaster for 39 Years". Evening Despatch. England. 18 December 1945. Retrieved 23 June 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "Stationmaster Retires". Coventry Evening Telegraph. England. 16 May 1952. Retrieved 23 June 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "No Comparison". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 2 May 1964. Retrieved 23 June 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "The Shakespeare Express 2019". www.vintagetrains.co.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  18. ^ DB Schenker Rail (UK) Limited (November 2009). "Response to Network Rail's Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy Draft for Consultation (Published September 2009)" (PDF). Doncaster. pp. 14, 29. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  19. ^ Wilson, Matt (25 June 2013). "Campaigners' new report on Stratford to Honeybourne rail link". Stratford Herald. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  20. ^ Smith, Chris (18 February 2016). "PM backs Stratford-Honeybourne train line". Stratford Herald. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  21. ^ "New backing for Oxford to Stratford-Upon-Avon rail link". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  22. ^ "Shakespeare Line: STRATFORD TO HONEYBOURNE". www.shakespeareline.com. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  23. ^ Lugg, Ben (16 June 2019). "Developers should have to pay for rail study say campaigners". Stratford Herald. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  24. ^ "Restoring your railway: successful bids - GOV.UK". assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  25. ^ Lugg, Ben (20 August 2018). "Rail operator responds to criticism of Stratford service". Stratford Herald. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  26. ^ "RSC urges GWR to provide Stratford improvements". www.railmagazine.com. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  27. ^ https://www.stratford.gov.uk/doc/206646/name/Adopted%20Stratford%20Area%20Transport%20Strategy.pdf
  28. ^ "When shall these towns meet again?". www.railmagazine.com. Retrieved 18 July 2019.

External links[]

Coordinates: 52°11′38″N 1°42′58″W / 52.194°N 1.716°W / 52.194; -1.716

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