Lapworth Station

GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Lapworth Station was opened as Kingswood when the Oxford & Birmingham line was opened by the GWR in 1854 and was not renamed Lapworth until 1st May 1902. Built initially as a broad gauge route the convertion to standard gauge gave the double tracked station a distinctive look as the gap between the two running lines (known as the six foot) was considerably wider than normal.

Select an image below to view the larger version with accompanying text:

Ref: gwrl132 - Postcard An early view looking towards Leamington with the main station buildings on the up (left) with the Henley in Arden bay behind

Ref: gwrl132b - Real Photographs Close up showing a lamppost lying on the platform which would seem to indicate the probability they were being replaced

Ref: gwrl132a - Postcard Close up showing passenger footbridge and the down platform structure which appears to be an amalgam of two buildings

Ref: gwrl133 - Real Photos A panoramic view of station looking towards Birmingham with the signal box located in the centre of the two sets of tracks

Ref: gwrl133a - Real Photos A close up showing the new signal box built in June 1932 and some of the track layout at the Birmingham end of the station

Ref: gwrl134 - Anon View of the Lapworth station's name board which was erected in the 1930s when the station was rebuilt

Ref: gwrl135 - Postcard Looking towards Leamington from the Birmingham end of the down platform with the turnout from the up refuge siding on the left

Ref: gwrl947 - Lens of Sutton Looking towards Leamington with a view of what is probably a GWR 0-4-2T class 517 on an Autotrain standing in the down platform

Ref: gwrl947a - Lens of Sutton Close up showing the up platform and main station building which provided accommodation for the station master, booking office and passenger facilities

Ref: gwrl947b - Lens of Sutton Close up of the GWR 517 class at the head of a down Autotrain and the ornate timber bench seating and the buffer beam of the down bay

Ref: gwrl948 - Lens of Sutton Looking towards Birmingham from the down platform towards the main station building with a GWR Autotrain standing in the up platform

Ref: gwrl948a - Lens of Sutton Close up showing the GWR 0-4-2T Class 517 powered Autotrain with its 'Henley-in-Arden' sign fixed above the centre window

Ref: gwrl948b - Lens of Sutton Close up which provides a better indication of the size of the station building and which shows signs for various passenger facilities

Ref: gwrl949 - Anon GWR 2-6-2T 5101 class 'Large Prairie' No 5198 is seen on a down Leaminton to Birmingham passenger service

Ref: gwrl950 - Anon GWR 2-8-2T 7200 class No 7247 is seen entering the station at the head of a short through fast freight train

Ref: lapworth_map Layout of Lapworth station in its original form prior to the quadrupling of the tracks in the 1930s