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Brinklow Station

LMS Route: Trent Valley Line

Brinklow station, or 'Stretton station' as it was originally named by the Trent Valley Railway when the station first opened on 1st December 1847, was the first station north on the line from Rugby. It was located almost midway between the villages of Brinklow and Stretton-Under-Fosse. RVJ Butt in his book The Directory of Railway Stations, published by Patrick Stephens, suggests that the spelling of the latter station name was possibly 'Streeton'. In some timetables the station was described as being 'Brinklow for Stretton Under Fosse'. The station buildings were, as with Shilton, sited on the road bridge with a covered staircase down to each of the two platforms. The passenger facilities were primarily located within the roadside structure as the platforms only accommodated a timber waiting room on the down line. The station was originally built with two platforms but with the increase in traffic, particularly coal from the North Warwickshire Coalfields, a third line was installed - the up slow line - which resulted in an island platform being provided servicing both up lines.

This third line ran between Bulkington and Rugby and was opened on 14th August 1871. Initially this third line was purely used for goods traffic but was later upgraded as a 'slow line' in June 1876. The last twenty years of the 19th century saw an ever increasing amount of traffic resulting in the LNWR applying for permission to widen 13 miles, 4 furlongs, 2 chains of the Trent Valley line between Rugby and Nuneaton. However, other than the sections between Rugby and Brinklow, and Attleborough Sidings and Nuneaton, this was not carried out. More powerful locomotives and increased capacity elsewhere reduced the need for continuous quadruple track. In 1895 six down and five up trains called at Brinklow. This had fallen to four down and three up workings by 1946, with a gap of ten hours in the middle of the day between two of the up services. The lack of passenger traffic not surprisingly resulted in the station being closed to passenger services on 16th September 1957 with goods traffic succumbing less than four years later when the goods yard closed on 20th February 1961. Brinklow's signal cabin remained open until 14th September 1964 when stage one of Rugby Power Box was commissioned.

Goods facilities were accommodated at Brinklow with the yard being located on the up side of the station. In addition to the goods shed there was capacity for 38 wagons in the two sidings in the yard (one of which past through the goods shed) with another 25 wagons being accommodated in the dead-end off the 'down slow'. Access to the goods yard was off the Fosse Way and adjacent to the main station building located on the bridge. The Railway Clearing House's 1929 Handbook of Railway Stations states Brinklow station provided the general public and businesses with the following services: Goods traffic; Passenger and Parcels traffic; Furniture Vans; Livestock; Horse Boxes and Prize Cattle Vans; and Carriages (Horse-drawn - Ed) by Passenger Trains (GPFLHC). No cranage facilities were provided within the goods yard or shed, therefore should one be required this would need to be specially hired. This could be either a wagon mounted crane or a road crane, the later more likely after the First World War. The 1894 edition of The Railway Clearing House Handbook of Railway Stations did not provide information to the same detail e.g. the number of categories listed, and only recorded (GPFL), however its reasonable to assume that the same facilities recorded in 1929 were offered from the outset.

An August 1952 view of Brinklow station's road side building located on the bridge  which housed the booking office and waiting room
Ref: lnwr_brin1099
P Kingston
Brinklow station's road side building located on the bridge which housed the booking office and waiting room
Another August 1952 view of Brinklow station's road side building located on the bridge housing the offices and waiting room
Ref: lnwr_brin4424
P Kingston
Another August 1952 view of Brinklow station's road side building housing the offices and waiting room
View of the down platform looking towards Nuneaton station showing the rear of the station and steps to the platforms
Ref: lnwr_brin1101
Anon
Looking along the down platform towards Nuneaton station showing the rear of the station and staircases
Close up of the rear of Brinklow station showing the lamp room located under the up platform staircase
Ref: lnwr_brin1101a
Anon
Close up of the rear of Brinklow station showing the lamp room located under the up platform staircase
Close up of Brinklow goods yard and shed showing a variety of open mineral wagons including two NE wagons
Ref: lnwr_brin1100a
G Coltas
Close up of the goods yard and shed showing a variety of open mineral wagons including two NE wagons

View from the elevated station towards Rugby showing Brinklow signal box on the right opposite the goods shed on the left
Ref: lnwr_brin1090
LGRP
Elevated station towards Rugby with Brinklow signal box on the right opposite the goods shed on the left
Close up showing the goods yard and goods shed on the left with the signal cabin and the end of the 'down slow' on the right
Ref: lnwr_brin1090a
LGRP
Close up of the goods yard & goods shed on the left with the signal cabin and the end of the 'down slow' on the right
An upper quadrant two arm bracket signal with tubular posts mounted on a lattice girder post at Brinklow station
Ref: lnwr_brin3927
J Alsop
An upper quadrant two arm bracket signal with tubular posts mounted on a lattice girder post at Brinklow station

Trains seen at or near Brinklow station

LMS Period January 1923 to December 1947

An unidentified LMS 4-6-0 Royal Scot class locomotive is seen on a down express as it passes Brinklow goods shed and yard
Ref: lnwr_brin1100
G Coltas
An LMS 4-6-0 Royal Scot class locomotive is seen on a down express as it passes Brinklow goods shed and yard
LMS 4-6-0 Royal Scot class No 6144 'Honourable Artillery Company' is seen on an up express to Euston passing under the station
Ref: lnwr_brin1086
G Coltas
LMS 4-6-0 No 6144 'Honourable Artillery Company' is seen on an up express to Euston
LMS 4-6-0 Royal Scot class No 6119 'Lancashire Fusilier' is seen at the head of an up express to Euston as it passes through Brinklow
Ref: lnwr_brin1083
G Coltas
LMS 4-6-0 No 6119 'Lancashire Fusilier' is seen an up express to Euston as it passes through Brinklow
Ex-LNWR 0-8-0 'G1' class No 8962 is seen working hard at the head of a long mixed up goods train on the up relief line
Ref: lnwr_brin1084
G Coltas
Ex-LNWR 0-8-0 'G1' class No 8962 is working hard at the head of a long up goods train on the up relief line
LMS 4-6-0 5MT 'Stanier Crab' No 2977 is seen on the up relief line with a pick up freight with a train made up of wagons mainly from all four companies
Ref: lnwr_brin1085
G Coltas
LMS 4-6-0 5MT No 2977 is seen on the up relief line with a pick up freight of wagons from all four companies

LMS railway photo
Ref: lnwr_brin1604
G Coltas
Ex-LNWR 4-4-0 Precursor class No 25298 'Dragon' is seen on a local passenger train summer 1938
Ex-LNWR 4-6-0 'Claughton' class No 6004 'Princess Louise' passes Brinklow goods shed on an up express circa late 1920s
Ref: lnwr_brin3928
LNWR Society ECL0086
Ex-LNWR 4-6-0 'Claughton' class No 6004 'Princess Louise' passes Brinklow goods shed on an up express circa late 1920s
LMS 4-6-2 Coronation class No 6224 'Princess Alexandria', a streamlined pacific locomotive, is seen on the down Coronation Scot
Ref: lnwr_brin1093
G Coltas
LMS 4-6-2 No 6224 'Princess Alexandria', a streamlined pacific locomotive, is seen on the down Coronation Scot
LMS 4-6-2 Coronation class No 6224 'Princess Alexandria', now with streamlining removed, is seen on an up express
Ref: lnwr_brin1092
G Coltas
LMS 4-6-2 Coronation class No 6224 'Princess Alexandria', with streamlining removed, is seen on an up express
Ex-LMS 4-6-2 Coronation class No 46230 'Duchess of Buccleuch', a non-streamlined member of the class, is seen on the up Royal Scot
Ref: lnwr_brin1091
G Coltas
Ex-LMS 4-6-2 No 46230 'Duchess of Buccleuch', a non-streamlined member of the class, on the up Royal Scot

LMS 4-6-0 Royal Scot class No 6113 'Cameronian' is seen on a down eleven coach express service near Brinklow station
Ref: lnwr_brin3929
G Coltas
LMS Coronation Class 4-6-2 No 6220 'Coronation' is seen in full flight with the down 'Coronation Scot' at Brinklow
LMS 4-6-2 7P Princess Royal class No 6211 'Queen Maude' is seen on a down express passing through Brinklow station
Ref: lnwr_brin1094
G Coltas
LMS 4-6-2 7P Princess Royal class No 6211 'Queen Maude' on a down express passing through Brinklow station
LMS 5XP 4-6-0 Patriot class No 5511, before being named 'Isle of Man' is seen at the head of the up 'Rushworth's excursion to Radiolympia
Ref: lnwr_brin1097
G Coltas
LMS 5XP 4-6-0 No 5511, prior to being named 'Isle of Man' heads the up 'Rushworth's excursion to Radiolympia
LMS 4-6-0 Royal Scot class No 6113 'Cameronian' is seen on a down eleven coach express service near Brinklow station
Ref: lnwr_brin1096
G Coltas
LMS 4-6-0 Royal Scot class No 6113 'Cameronian' is seen on a down eleven coach express service near Brinklow station
LMS 4-6-0 Jubilee Class No 5709 'Implacable' passes under the roadside station building with an up express sometime in 1938
Ref: lnwr_brin4423
P Kingston
LMS 4-6-0 Jubilee Class No 5709 'Implacable' passes under the roadside station building with an up express

British Railways Period January 1948 to August 1968 (End of main line steam)

LMS railway photo
Ref: lnwr_brin1088
G Coltas
Ex-LMS 4-6-0 No 5681 'Aboukir', with British Railways on the tender, passes through Brinklow on an up express
Ex-LMS 4-6-0 Converted Royal Scot class No 6145 'The Duke of Wellingtons Regiment (West Riding)' is seen on an up express service
Ref: lnwr_brin1087
G Coltas
Ex-LMS 4-6-0 Converted Scot No 6145 'The Duke of Wellingtons Regiment (West Riding)' on an up express
Ex-LMS 4-6-0 'Black Five' No 5314 is seen passing Brinklow station on an up express service comprised of Coronation Stock
Ref: lnwr_brin1089
G Coltas
Ex-LMS 4-6-0 'Black Five' No 5314 passes Brinklow station on an up express comprised of Coronation Stock
Ex-LMS 6P 4-6-0 Converted Royal Scot class No 6116 'Irish Guardsman' is seen at the head of an up express passing under Brinklow station
Ref: lnwr_brin1095
G Coltas
Ex-LMS 6P 4-6-0 No 6116 'Irish Guardsman' is seen at the head of an up express passing under Brinklow station
An unidentified British Railways 4-6-2 Britannia Class locomotive is seen on an up service at Brinklow in 1955
Ref: lnwr_brin4295
L Osbourne
An unidentified British Railways 4-6-2 Britannia Class locomotive is seen on an up service at Brinklow in 1955

Ordnance Survey Maps and Schematic Diagram of Brinklow Station

An 1882 plan of Brinklow station showing the station building adjacent to Fosse Way on the left and the yard on the right
Ref: lnwr_brin3117
LGRP
An 1882 plan of Brinklow showing the station building adjacent to Fosse Way on the left and the yard on the right
An 1886 Ordnance Survey map of Brinklow station showing the station building above the running lines and the goods yard and shed
Ref: lnwr_brin3930
National Library of Scotland
An 1886 OS map of Brinklow station showing the station building above the running lines and the goods yard
A 1903 Ordnance Survey map of Brinklow station showing no significant changes had occurred in the last fifteen years
Ref: lnwr_brin3931
National Library of Scotland
A 1903 OS map of Brinklow station showing no significant changes had occurred in the last fifteen years
A 1923 Ordnance Survey map of Brinklow station showing the start of the four track section to Rugby and the down refuge siding
Ref: lnwr_brin3932
National Library of Scotland
A 1923 OS map of Brinklow station showing the start of the four track section to Rugby and the down refuge siding

LNWR 1898 Timetables

LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby, Stafford (Via Trent Valley) and Crewe
Ref: lnwrrm3396
LNWR Society
LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby, Stafford (Via Trent Valley) and Crewe Weekdays
LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Crewe and Stafford and Rugby (Via Trent Valley) Weekdays
Ref: lnwrrm3397
LNWR Society
LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Crewe and Stafford and Rugby (Via Trent Valley) Weekdays
LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby, Stafford (Via Trent Valley) and Crewe Sundays
Ref: lnwrrm3398
LNWR Society
LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby, Stafford (Via Trent Valley) and Crewe Sundays