GWR Route: Bearley to Alcester

Alcester Station - GWR Views: gwr-mra453

This photograph predates the introduction in 1904 by the Great Western of Auto Trailers. Here an immaculate GWR ‘517’ class, 0-4-2T No.203, with a non corridor, eight compartment bogie brake coach and a four wheel passenger brake van pose with the train crew and station porter at Alcester Down platform. This locomotive was built at Wolverhampton in May1876 and was known to be in regular use on the Alcester Branch between 1901 and 1904. It was withdrawn from Oxford in April 1920. The local inhabitants affectionately nicknamed these tank engines ‘The Coffee Pot’ because of their polished brass domes and tall chimneys. The chocolate and cream livery, three centred roof and running boards date the coach to the turn of the century. The lookout projection on the passenger brake van allowed the guard to safely see along the side of the train, but this feature was gradually removed from guard’s vans after 1920.

Robert Ferris

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