Milcote

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Milcote station was located on the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway's single line branch from Honeybourne to Stratford Upon Avon and was opened on the 12th July 1859. In 1915 Milcote was just inside the county boundary which passed through the very southern end of the goods yard. As was the case with other stations on the then signle branch line, Milcote was built with just the one platform until May 1908 when the line was doubled. The original platform was by nature short and had the goods yard and its facilities immediately adjacent to the platform's end. Rather than remodelling the goods yard the cheapest alternative for the GWR was to resite the platforms the other side of the crossing. Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith record in their book 'Stratford Upon Avon to Cheltenham' the records for the movement of goods traffic and passengers over three decades from 1903 to 1933. These records showed the passenger numbers in 1903 were 5077. By 1913 they had grown to 7126 with a further increase to 9399 in 1923 but by1933 these numbers had fallen back to 5151. Parcel traffic showed a similar pattern. In 1903 the station forwarded 1844 parcels, growing to 4943 in 1913, and further growth in 1923 to 4806 but again a fall in number to 1919 by 1933.

The year 1923, which saw the station's busiest time, saw the station with five members of staff being employed. Interestingly, the tonnage of goods forwarded from the station didn't follow this pattern as numbers actually fell from 1903 onwards. Whilst in 1903 the figure was 1333 tons, the following three decades saw much lower figures, being respectively 575, 534 although tonnage did recover to 692 tons in 1933. General goods received commenced at 301 tons in 1903 with increases over the next two decades to 449 tons and 485 tons respectively before falling to 195 tons in 1933. The station, being located in a rural area without much industry, handled very little coal and coke. Tonnage received started from 14 tons in 1903 growing slightly to 16 tons in 1913 before falling back to 7 tons for both 1923 and 1933. The passenger service was withdrawn on 3rd January 1966 whilst the goods yard had closed a year before Long Marston's on 1st July 1963.

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

Ref: gwrm591 Stations UK Looking towards Stratford on Avon along the original single platform with the new station in the distance in 1908

Ref: gwrm591a Stations UK Close up showing the up waiting room on the left and opposite the cantilevered signal at the end of the down platform

Ref: gwrm592 Mowat Collection Looking towards Honeybourne along the up platform with the goods yard in the distance on the left beyond the 1859 station

Ref: gwrm592a Mowat Collection Close up showing Milcote station's goods yard which was built alongside the 1859 station with vans on both of the sidings

Ref: gwrm592b Mowat Collection Close up showing the down platform and the extensive flowerbeds and flora created and maintained by the station staff

Ref: gwrm485 Lens of Sutton Looking south along the down platform towards Honeybourne and Milcote Signal Box and level crossing with up waiting room on the right

Ref: gwrm487 Lens of Sutton Looking north towards Stratford on Avon along Milcote station's down platform with the fir tree lined up platform on the left

Ref: gwrm486 Lens of Sutton View of the original 1859 station and Milcote Signal Box which was erected in 1891 some years prior to the doubling of the route

Ref: gwrm486a Lens of Sutton Close up Milcote Signal Box which was accessed via a gate by the level crossing, steps up the original platform and then wooden steps into the signal box

Ref: gwrm486b Lens of Sutton Close up showing the remnants of the abandoned 1859 single platform and the goods yard now lifted following closure

Ref: gwrm589 C Maggs Broadside view of the original 1859 Milcote station and short platform with the signal box and level crossing on the left

Ref: gwrm589a C Maggs Close up of the original 1859 station platform showing the opening beneath the short platform which was once used by a ground frame

Ref: gwrm589b C Maggs Close up showing the 1891 signal box and the short flight of steps up to the box from the original station's platform

Ref: gwrm590 C Maggs Looking towards Stratford on Avon along the now disused up platform which has had the paved surface removed

Ref: gwrm590a C Maggs Close up showing the abandoned down platform Waiting room on Milcote station and the removal of both ends of the platform

Ref: gwrm803 K Flynn View of the 1908 main station building located on the up platform which housed the booking office and waiting rooms for passengers

Ref: gwrm804 K Flynn View of Milcote Signal Box a couple of years after the closure of the station when the route was still being used by freight services

Ref: gwrm1554 Lens of Sutton Looking south towards Honeybourne showing passengers seated whilst waiting for an up service to Stratford on Avon

Ref: gwrm1555 Lens of Sutton Another view of the original 1859 station building and platform taken after closure of the station with platform edges cut back

Ref: gwrm1556 C Metcalfe British Railways built GWR 4-6-0 Castle class No 7028 'Cadbury Castle' is seen passing through the station on 3:45pm Snow Hill to Swansea service

Ref: milcote-map Ordance Survey View of the ordance survey map showing Milcote station and its two siding goods yard which opened in 1908