LMS Route: Stratford Midland Junction - The Shakespeare
Route
E&WJR and SMJ - Locomotives and Rolling Stock:
smjsa52
E&WJR 2-4-0 No 6 standing the original station whilst at
the head of three-coach passenger service for Towcester shortly after the
formation of the SMJ in 1909. The E&WJR signal box can just be seen above
the first coach whilst its 1910 replacement which would have been seen above
the second or third carriage is not visible. The large gap between platforms is
clearly evident in this photograph and has been the subject of some debate as
to why the platforms were so wide apart. JM Dunn in his book speculated that it
was because a temporary platform was built prior to the erection of the down
platform.
However earlier photographs show there was no logic to this
thinking. Another more probable reason is connected to the introduction of the
extension to Broom. Up to this point the station was a terminus and the
frequency of passenger traffic did not justify more than one platform. The new
service required passengers travelling on to Broom (for forward connection) to
have a platform and this was aligned with the route which because it sharply
veered to the left and climbed rapidly over the GWR Stratford to Cheltenham
route required the down platform to be so positioned.
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