Shipston-on-Stour Station

GWR Route: Moreton-in-Marsh to Shipston-on-Stour

Shipston-on-Stour station was first opened on 11th February 1836 as a branch line terminus of the horse-drawn Moreton-in-Marsh to Stratford upon Avon Tramway. Initially, during its days as part of the tramway, the station was used only for goods traffic although individual passengers could ride alongside the driver. It was not until 1st July 1889 that the station became a part of the GWR's network able to be connected to other parts of the country with steam hauled traffic. The opening of the line to steam locomotives also resulted in Shipston-on-Stour being provided with a small brick-built engine shed although this only lasted for twenty-seven years being closed in November 1916. Thereafter the traffic on the branch was handled by the engine hauling the first Worcester to Moreton-in-Marsh goods train. The initial four trains per day each way was reduced as a wartime economy measure to two trains per day with Stretton-on-Fosse station being temporarily closed. The cessation of the war saw traffic increase to three trains per day (and Stretton-on-Fosse being reopened in March 1919). Passenger traffic was withdrawn on 8th July 1929 being replaced by a GWR bus service although records show passengers still purchased tickets for the following two years. The Second World War saw further economies take place on the line which resulted in Stretton-on-Fosse and Longdon Road closing for good although Shipston-on-Stour remained open for goods traffic. Goods services finally closed at Shipston on 2nd May 1960 although the station did remain open to handle rail traffic brought from Moreton-in-Marsh by road lorry.

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

Ref: gwrss533 Postcard Edwardian view of a GWR 0-6-0ST at the head of a mixed local passenger service to Moreton in Marsh with local passengers and staff posed for the camera

Ref: gwrss558 Anon View of the station from the goods yard prior to the loading dock being built in 1914 and showing a GWR 0-6-0ST at the head of a one-coach train

Ref: gwrss536 P Hopkins Looking along the platform towards Moreton-in-Marsh with the goods shed on the left and the timber constructed station building on the right

gwrss535a P Hopkins Close up showing the method of releasing the locomotive after it had brought the train from Moreton-in-Marsh

Ref: gwrss539 CR Clinker Another view looking down the line towards Moreton-in-Marsh with the station on the right and the goods shed on the left

Ref: gwrss603 Anon Looking towards Moreton-in-Marsh with the loading dock fence and gates removed and with the goods yard and shed still in good repair

Ref: gwrss544 JH Russell A panoramic view of the terminus facing the buffers with Hudson's sack office, the weigh bridge office and Hutchings coal office on the right

Ref: gwrss545 Anon View of the station in disrepair and long after closure with the loading dock's fencing removed

Ref: gwrss536b P Hopkins Close up showing the timber framed and clad station building which housed the booking office waiting rooms and toilet facilities

Ref: gwrss606 JH Russell Station building which contained from left to right, gentlemen's lavatory, ladies waiting room with lavatory, general waiting room and booking office

Ref: gwrss604 JH Moss/RS Carpenter A view of the station in 1947 with the trackwork heavily overgrown and with rubbish strewn across the site although the goods shed is still in good repair

Ref: gwrss570 GJ Gammel Looking along the defunct passenger station with the local goods service preparing to return to Moreton-in-Marsh tender first

Ref: gwrss534 Anon View of a railway enthusiasts visiting the station in the late 1950s a common practice on goods only lines before the end of steam

Ref: gwrss537 J Moss/RS Carpenter Looking along the platform long after the station had closed to passenger services with the ground frame now removed

Ref: gwrss567 D Lawrence View of the station towards the end of the goods service with just a two van train train and guards van standing along side the closed passenger station

Ref: gwrss536a P Hopkins Close up showing the goods shed and the loading dock used to transfer road vehicles on to flat wagons protected by the five-bar gate

Ref: gwrss538 Anon Looking towards the station with the cattle dock on the left and the goods shed beyond protected by a standard GWR loading gauge

Ref: gwrss538a Anon Close up showing how the track adjacent to cattle docks was protected by providing hard standing

Ref: gwrss535 P Hopkins A 1930s view of the station looking towards the buffer stops with the single platform terminus on the left and the goods shed on the right

Ref: gwrss541 JH Russell View of the goods shed and extra storage facilities provided by the addition of two grounded bodies which have been raised clear of the ground

Ref: gwrss542 J Moss/RS Carpenter View of the grounded bodies which were from an ex-Taff Vale Railway inside frame Van and an ex-GWR Dean 40 foot passenger bogie brake van

Ref: gwrss950 MJE Deane Looking across to the cattle pens from the end of the platform with the goods shed on the left and the original engine shed in the background

Ref: gwrss569 JH Moss/RS Carpenter View of the station and goods yard with the track over grown taken one year after being brought into British Railways ownership

Ref: gwrss571 CR Clinker Looking towards the throat of the junction with the goods yard with the plate layers mess hut on the right with the roof of the single road engine shed seen above

Ref: gwrss568 JH Moss/RS Carpenter View of the goods shed which being built of corrugated iron looks more utilitarian than the standard GWR design built out of brick or stone

Ref: gwrss543 MJ Deane View of the GWR weigh house looking from the road with the goods shed in the distance and the locomotive shed further behind

Ref: gwrss961 HF Wheeler View of the 'Stop board' which controlled the passage of trains and engines entering the confines of the station

Ref: gwrss607 JH Moss/RS Carpenter View of the ground frame with the single point lever that controlled the locomotive release points at the southern end of the station

Ref: gwrss561 Anon A turn of the century view of Station Road and the terrace houses that lined the street with Shipston-on-Stour station in the distance

Ref: gwrss602 NE Preedy Ex-GWR 0-6-0 'Dean Goods' No 2458 is seen in July 1953 at the head of the short return branch freight to Moreton-in-Marsh

Ref: gwrss566 Anon Ex-MSWJR 0-6-0 No 1335 has run around the SLS special from Oxford and is now ready to reverse the train back to Morton-in-Marsh tender first

Ref: gwrss960 JH Russell View of an unidentified GWR 0-6-0 2301 class as it shunts in the station station just after the end of the Second World War

Ref: gwrss1002 MEJ Deane View of the station, the goods shed, cattle dock and coal merchant sidings located at Shipston-on-Stour

Ref: gwrss605 OS Maps Layout of the station