Napton & Stockton Station

LMS Route: Leamington to Weedon

Napton & Stockton was located between Southam & Long Itchington station and Flecknoe station. Despite the village's name being used first in the station's name Napton on the Hill was some two miles away whilst Stockton was relatively close. It was built with a passing loop to serve a second platform, a small goods yard and a small goods shed. A road bridge which carried Stockton Road over the railway was used to connect the two platforms with each platform being connected by steps leading down from the road. In Geoffrey Kingscott book Lost Railways of Warwickshire he claims the 'second platform and the passing loop were done away with'. As can be seen by viewing image 'lnwrn&s1755' which shows the last passenger service calling at the station, this is in fact an error with Geoffrey possibly confusing Southam & Long Itchington with Napton and Stockton.

The station opened on 1st August 1895 and remained open until it closed to passenger traffic on 15th September 1958 with its goods service being withdrawn on 2nd December 1963. As at Flecknoe, the station was constructed of timber throughout. The two platforms, buildings and passenger steps that led down to each platform from either side of the bridge. The style of building, long and narrow was very similar to that erected at Flecknoe. Colin Maggs notes in his book Branch Lines of Warwickshire 'that a goods yard was located on the other side of the road bridge with a single siding whilst a factory nearby was served by sidings on the down side. The branch rose at 1 in 84 from Napton to Marton Junction where it joined the double track branch from Rugby to Leamington.

Ref: lnwrn&s2793 J Alsop Looking towards Southam & Long Itchington as a local train passes the stations's up home signal

Ref: lnwrn&s2793a J Alsop Close up showing the point rodding which ran from the up platform and across to the down platform

Ref: lnwrn&s2793b J Alsop Close up showing the up platform with the signal cabin nearest the camera and the toilets furthest away

Ref: lnwrflek2792 Postcard Looking towards Southam & Long Itchington station from the down side of Stockton Road bridge

Ref: lnwrflek2792a Postcard Close up showing the down buildings which accommodated the passenger waiting rooms and toilets

Ref: lnwrflek2792b Postcard Close up showing the up platform buildings with a number of station staff posed for the camera

Ref: lnwrn&s1318b Postcard Close up of Napton & Stockton station's up platform with the steps coming down from the road to access to the platform

Ref: lnwrn&s1318 Postcard Looking towards Weeden with the main passenger building on the up line on the left and the down platform on the right

Ref: lnwrn&s1318a Postcard Close up of the station's down platform showing the steps down from the road and access to the platform

Ref: lnwrflek1324 Postcard The up platform and main station single-storey building accommodating the booking office and passenger facilities

Ref: lnwrflek1324a Lens of Sutton Close up showing the steps to the road bridge on the left and Stockton Mill goods yard on the right through the arch

Ref: lnwrflek1324b Lens of Sutton Close up showing part of the up platform with the waiting room located in the centre and toilets on the left

Ref: lnwrn&s1319 Lens of Sutton Looking along the station's up platform as the station porter passes over the staff for the next section of line

Ref: lnwrn&s1758 WoW Looking towards Weeden as an unidentified LNWR 0-6-0 locomotive heads one of the first trains to over the route

Ref: lnwrn&s1755 WoW BR built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41218 is seen at the rear of a push-pull train on the last Weeden to Warwick service

Ref: lnwrn&s1760 M Mensing Ex-LMS 4-6-0 5MT No 44833 heads a RCTS Railtour east of the station after closure of the line to passenger services