Kilburn Park (ZKP)

An updated version of this station profile can now be found on our dedicated railway station website

Information
Type:	Transport for London (Bakerloo Line)
Station code:	ZKP
Opened:	1915
Platforms:	2

Kilburn Park is in between Queen's Park and Maida Vale. Like a number of stations on this stretch of the Bakerloo Line it was opened in 1915 as part of the line's extension from Paddington to Queen's Park [1].

After opening for 10 days Kilburn Park (originally it was to have been called just Kilburn) was the Northern terminus of the line as Queen's Park's opening was delayed meaning that passengers could only go as far as Kilburn Park and trains had to continue empty up to Queen's Park.

As with other stations on the line it was designed by Stanley Heaps to a modified Leslie Green design and the exterior of the building has glazed terracotta. The station is Grade II listed. Kilburn Park was one of the first stations designed for escalators instead of lifts.

A Bakerloo Line 72ts train arrives

Station entrance

Original signage 

Platform view

[1] Mike Horne, The Bakerloo Line (Capital Transport, 2001) p. 29

Worcester Shrub Hill (WOS)

An updated version of this station profile can now be found on our dedicated railway station website

Worcester Shrub Hill is one of Worcester's two railway stations though is not in the city centre like Worcester Foregate Street.

Information
Type:	National Rail (Cotswold & Snow Hill Lines)
Station code:	WOS
Opened:	1850
Platforms:	2

Shrub Hill is a much larger station than Foregate Street. It was opened in 1850 and was a joint project of the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton and Midland Railways. The current station building dates from 1865.

The station has two platforms connected by a footbridge though people who can't use the stairs have to cross the track (under supervision). The former platform three was a bay platform that is no longer in use but used to host services to Cheltenham Spa. Shrub Hill is adjacent to Worcester TMD with a number of stabling sidings behind the station. The station is host to a number of fine semaphore signals.

As well as West Midlands Trains services to/from Birmingham and Malvern the station has regular GWR services to London Paddington, Hereford and other destinations like Evesham and Westbury.

GWR 800 009 at Worcester Shrub Hill

GWR HST led by 43 189

Fine semaphores

View down the line, signalbox on the right

View from the footbridge, both platforms occupied

GWR 166 206 prepares to depart

Sandwell and Dudley (SAD)

An updated version of this station profile can now be found on our dedicated railway station website

Sandwell & Dudley is a stop on the West Coast Main Line in the West Midlands between Smethwick Galton Bridge and Dudley Port. 

A LNWR train prepares to depart

Information
Type:	National Rail (West Coast Main Line)
Station code:	SAD
Opened:	1852
Platforms:	2

The station was opened as Oldbury and Bromford Lane by the Birmingham, Wolverhampton & Stour Valley Railway (later the London North Western Railway) in 1852. The station later becoming just Oldbury. The station was rebuilt and enlarged for intercity traffic (long enough for thirteen coach trains [1]) in 1983 and renamed Sandwell and Dudley (though the name Oldbury International was considered and even used on some early announcements after reopening [2]). The station was rebuilt in the plain brickwalls and mono-pitch roof style common to British Rail in the 1980s, sometimes called neovernacular [3].

The station platforms are accessible via a subway and ground level booking office. The station is managed by West Midlands Railway. Most services are provided by West Midland Railway and London Northwestern Railway, there is an hourly service by Avanti West Coast as well.

Avanti West Coast Pendolino passes through

Waiting room

LNWR 350 405 arrives

Steps down to the booking hall and exits

A Cross Country service passes through

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Birmingham to Wolverhampton via Tipton (Middleton Press, 2008) Fig. 67

[2] Ibid. Fig. 69

[3] David Lawrence, British Rail Architecture 1948-97 (Crecy, 2018) p. 155

Southend Victoria (SOV)

An updated version of this station profile can now be found on our dedicated railway station website

Southend Victoria is one of the stations serving Southend-on-Sea. It is on the Shenfield-Southend Line and is served by Greater Anglia services out of London Liverpool Street.

Information
Type:	National Rail (Shenfield-Southend Line)
Station code:	SOV
Opened:	1889
Platforms:	4

The station was opened, as Southend-on-Sea, by the Great Eastern Railway in 1889 close to the existing London, Tilbury & Southend Railway station Southend Central. The station was renamed Southend-on-Sea Victoria in 1949 and twenty years later shortened to Southend Victoria.

The line was electrified in 1956, originally to 1, 500v DC overhead. British Railways had already decided however to standardise on 25kV AC overhead earlier that year [1]. The line was converted to AC in 1960, initially to 6.25kV and in 1979 finally to 25kV.

The station is a terminus and is next to carriage sidings. All four platforms can handle twelve-coach trains.

Looking down the platform away from the station building

Greater Anglia 321 327 on one of the storage sidings

Just arrived

Station sign

Greater Anglia 321 358 at the buffers

Station frontage

[1] John Glover, Eastern Electric (Ian Allan, 2003) p. 67

Olton (OLT)

An updated version of this station profile can now be found on our dedicated railway station website

Olton is a stop on the Chiltern Main Line in the West Midlands situated between Acocks Green and Solihull. 

WMR 172 101 (at the time still in Chiltern livery) departs Olton

Information
Type:	National Rail (Snow Hill Lines & Chiltern Main Line)
Station code:	OLT
Opened:	1869
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1869 on their Oxford-Birmingham line. Olton was originally a basic station with a couple of platforms but was expanded to four platforms (two island platforms) in 1933 [1] as the line from Birmingham was quadrupled as far as Lapworth. However, only one of those island platforms is now in use.

The platforms are on an embankment with the booking office at street level below the platforms. On the platforms are some basic facilities including a waiting room. Most services to Olton are operated by West Midlands Railway, who manage the station, with some Chiltern Railway services stopping in peak times.

Station entrance

In London Midland days a Class 172 arrives

Steps down to ground level, a lift is also available

Chiltern 168 328 passes through the station

View down the platform

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Banbury to Birmingham (Middleton Press, 2004) Fig. 80