Marston Green Station

LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton

Marston Green station is located on the London and Birmingham main line between Hampton in Arden and Lea Hall. The decision to open a station at Marston Green, then serving a tiny village community, was officially sanctioned by the newly formed LNWR in October 1844 with a platform and booking hut authorised the following month. The station layout was built from the outset with two platforms to the west of the level crossing and not in the staggered formation with one platform either side as seen at Tile Hill and originally at Berkswell stations. A goods yard facility was provided with two sidings and a weighbridge and mainly catered for mineral traffic with coal and coke being its primary source of traffic. A cattle pen was also provided reflecting its early roots of being a rural station. In addition the goods yard there was a refuge siding built opposite on the down line. Had the quadrupling of the line between Coventry and Birmingham been carried out the station as seen today would have been swept away. It would have been replaced by two platforms set either side of four tracks with the main lines passing through the middle. The level crossing would have been replaced by an under bridge to accommodate Elmdon Lane. The existing building would have been replaced by a modern booking office facing the road with inclined approaches leading to the two platforms. The goods yard was to be expanded with four sidings accommodating 36, 21, 21 and 32 wagons respectively with a landing stage to accommodate both cattle and other traffic.

Marston Green station - views from mid-1930s to circa 1960

Ref: lnwrmg717 P Hopkins Looking to Coventry from the Birmingham end of the down platform with oil lamps on posts against the fencing

Ref: lnwrmg717a P Hopkins Close up showing the signal box on the left at the end of the up platform with the main building on the down platform

Ref: lnwrmg718 Lens of Sutton The station in the 1950s looking very little different except the platforms are now lit by electric lighting

Ref: lnwrmg718a Lens of Sutton Close up showing the station buildings with the down platform only housing a waiting room and toilets

Ref: lnwrmg2818 DJ Norton Looking towards Coventry and the level crossing from the Birmingham end of the up platform on 24th May 1955

Ref: lnwrmg2818a DJ Norton Close up showing the gated entrance to Marston Green goods yard and the weigh bridge office behind

Ref: lnwrmg2097 Lens of Sutton Looking towards Coventry from the Birmingham end of the down platform during the late 1950s

Ref: lnwrmg1591 DJ Norton Looking to Coventry from the centre section of the up platform with the signal box on the left on 30th May 1955

Marston Green goods yard and the southern approaches

Ref: lnwrmg1592 DJ Norton Looking to Coventry from the footbridge with the goods yard on the up side and the refuge siding on the down side

Ref: lnwrmg2817 DJ Norton Looking towards Marston Green showing the down refuge siding on the left and the shunting neck on the right

Ref: lnwrmg2817a DJ Norton Close up of the approach to the station, the entrance to the goods yard and the remains of the cattle dock

Ref: lnwrmg2819 DJ Norton Looking north showing the level crossing, the signal box on the up platform and part of the goods yard on the right

Ref: lnwrmg2819b DJ Norton Close up showing part of Marston Green goods yard with several open mineral wagons and huts in view

Ref: lnwrmg2820a DJ Norton Close up showing the level crossing gate protecting Elmdon Lane which is still in a rural aspect in 1955

Ref: lnwrmg2819a DJ Norton Close up looking towards New Street showing Marston Green station from the Coventry side of the level crossing

Marston Green station after the line had been electrified

Ref: lnwrmg2814 Preston Hendry View of the modified ex-LNWR structures on Marston Green's down platform after electrification

Ref: lnwrmg2821 Powell Hendry The station building on the up platform with the ladies waiting room on the left and the booking office on the right

Ref: lnwrmg2821 Powell Hendry View showing Marston Green signal box and the passenger footbridge modified to gain extra height over the tracks

Schematic maps showing actual layout and proposed modifications to Marston Green station

Ref: lnwrmg2816 Preston Hendry Schematic plan showing the layout of Marston Green station's facilities including the goods yard

Ref: lnwrmg2816a Preston Hendry Close up of schematic plan showing the various facilities provided for both passengers and goods traffic

Ref: lnwrmg2815 Preston Hendry Schematic plan of proposed four track route through Marston Green station and goods yard circa 1938

Ref: lnwrmg2815a Preston Hendry Close up of schematic plan showing proposed modifications to Marston Green station circa 1938

Locomotives and trains seen at Marston Green

Ref: lnwrmg1593 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 4-6-0 No 45587 'Baroda' is seen at the head of an up express passing through the level crossing

Ref: lnwrmg1594 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 4-6-0 5MT No 45344 at the head of an engineering department's loading gauge clearance test train

Ref: lnwrmg2820 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 44863 is seen passing Marston Green level crossing at the head of a down express train

Ref: lnwrmg1290 M Mensing British Railways Standard class 5MT No 73004 is seen at the head of the 12.14 pm semi-fast Watford to New Street

Ref: lnwrmg1291 M Mensing Ex-LNER 4-6-0 B1 class No 61119 at the head of the 7:00am Norwich Thorpe to New Street service

Ref: lnwrmg2810 M Mensing A Class 310 EMU is seen arriving at Marston Green on 14:40pm semi-fast New Street to Euston service