Stratford Upon Avon Racecourse Platform
Stratford Upon Avon Racecourse's minimal facilities were
built in 1933 opening on the 6th May of the same year. The nature of its use,
providing racecourse visitors with access by rail during the 'flat' season,
always meant that the GWR would only provide the most basic of facilities. In
this instance, this meant two platforms without the structures that would
normally provide toilet, waiting room and booking office.
The SMJ crossed over the GWR lines at the northern end of
the platforms. With the installation of a new spur from the SMJ, forming a
connection with the ex-GWR line just south of the down platform, the existing
northern spur was singled. More importantly it allowed BR the opportunity to
close the SMJ Stratford to Broom line together with the MR's Redditch to
Evesham branch.
The traffic previously operated via these two lines was
primarily iron ore from the Corby area to the South Wales Steelworks which
could now be diverted via the new connection. Unfortunately the grade of iron
ore was not the best and as cheaper and a better grade of iron ore became
available from overseas the traffic from Corby declined.
This eventually resulted in the closure of the connection on
the 1st March 1965 when freight services ceased. The Racecourse Platforms
lasted barely longer as it too was a casualty of BR's decision to withdraw
passengers along the route to Honeybourne, being closed on the 3rd January
1966.
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