Castle Bromwich

Castle Bromwich was a stop on the Birmingham New Street - Peterborough Line in Castle Vale, Birmingham between Bromford Bridge Racecourse and Water Orton.

The remains of Castle Bromwich station

Information
Type:	National Rail (Birmingham - Peterborough Line)
Opened:	1842
Closed:	1968
Platforms:	4

The station was opened by the Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway in 1842, later becoming part of the Midland Railway. The station was extended when the line was doubled in 1909 [1]. The station was adjacent to Castle Bromwich Aerodrome and the British Industries Fair, a forerunner of the NEC. Every year an exhibition was held which was one of the most popularly attended events in the country, Castle Bromwich station benefited from many extra visitors during these events including royalty.

The exhibition centre and aerodrome were closed in 1960, the Castle Vale housing estate built on the land. Despite the large potential new catchment area for passengers, the station was closed in 1968.

Castle Bromwich had four platforms, platform buildings with canopies and a fine station building. All that remains now is the remains of one platform though the railway line that goes through the former station site remains busy. It is possible the station could be re-opened as part of plans to improve railway services around Birmingham though this will not likely happen for a few years yet!

[1] Vic Mitchell, Birmingham to Tamworth & Nuneaton (Middleton Press, 2014) Fig. 38

Harrow and Wealdstone (HRW)

Harrow & Wealdstone is the Northern terminus of the Bakerloo Line as well as being served by London Overground and National Rail services. It is situated in North West London between Headstone Lane and Kenton.

A Bakerloo Line train waits at the station, notice the step down into the 72ts tube train

Information
Type:	National Rail (West Coast Main Line) & Transport for London (London Overground & Bakerloo Line)
Station code:	HRW
Opened:	1837
Platforms:	6

The station was opened by the London & Birmingham Railway as Harrow in 1837 [1]. It gained it's current name in 1897 [2]. What became known as the Watford DC Line, an electric service between London Euston to Watford Junction, began in 1912. This is now the London Overground. The station was rebuilt for these new services with two new island platforms [3], other station buildings date from 1875.

In 1917 the London Underground reached the station as Bakerloo Line trains were extended to Watford Junction, services North of Stonebridge Park were ended in 1982. Just two years later the Bakerloo Line was restored back up to Harrow & Wealdstone which became the line's Northern terminus.

In 1952 two trains collided at the station, a third train hitting the wreckage seconds later. One hundred and twelve people were killed in the disaster which remains the worst peacetime rail accident in the UK.

As well as Transport for London services the station is served by London North Western Railway and Southern.

Station entrance

[1] Jason Cross, London Underground Guide 2017 (Train Crazy, 2017) p. 129
[2] Keith Scholey, Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone (Middleton Press, 2002) Map. XIV
[3] Ibid. Fig. 113

West Hampstead tube station (ZWH)

West Hampstead is a stop on the Jubilee Line in North West London between Kilburn and Finchley Road.

Jubilee Line 96009 at West Hampstead

Information
Type:	Transport for London (Jubilee Line)
Station code:	ZWH
Opened:	1879
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the Metropolitan Railway in 1879 [1] as it extended North West, and was the line's terminus before the extension continued to Willesden Junction. From 1939 the Bakerloo Line took over most services from West Hampstead [2] with these services transferred to the Jubilee Line in 1979. A few Metropolitan Line services continued to stop at West Hampstead until the late 2000s but nowadays all of the line's services pass by the station on the two outer lines.

The station originally had platforms either side of the tracks [3] but this was replaced by an island platform. The station platform was rebuilt when the Bakerloo Line took over and has a fine Art Deco waiting room. The platform is in a cutting with the ticket office on a street level bridge that crosses the tracks.

Metropolitan Line S8 Stock passes the station

A Jubilee Line 96ts train prepares to depart

Platform building, the station building can be seen in the background

Looking South

[1] Jason Cross, London Underground Guide 2017 (Train Crazy, 2017) p. 166
[2] Mike Horne, The Jubilee Line (Capital Transport, 2000) p. 25
[3] Mike Horne, The Metropolitan Line (Capital Transport, 2003) p. 15

Cropredy

Cropredy was a stop on what is now the Chiltern Main Line in Oxfordshire between Banbury and Fenny Compton.

The station in the early 1930s (Mowat Collection)

Information
Type:	National Rail (Chiltern Main Line)
Opened	1853
Closed:	1956
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1853 on the recently opened line built by the Oxford & Rugby Railway (which was taken over by the GWR). The station was closed in 1956 and there is little trace remaining of the station.

The station had a number of sidings, a goods yard and a cattle pen. The station was busy enough to require ten station staff in the 1930s [1]. The station had a brick ticket office and wooden shelters on both platforms. During the post-war period the station's traffic declined with just a handful of trains a day before the final closure.

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Banbury to Birmingham (Middleton Press, 2004) Fig. 17

Hunts Cross (HNX)

Hunts Cross is the Southern terminus of the Merseyrail Northern Line, the preceding station being Liverpool South Parkway. It is also a stop on the Merseyside City Line route from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Oxford Road.

A Merseyrail service stands at Hunts Cross

Information
Type:	National Rail (Merseyrail City & Northern Lines)
Station code:	HNX
Opened:	1874
Platforms:	3

The station was opened by the Cheshire Lines Committee in 1874 on the line between Liverpool Central and Manchester Central. The Merseyrail Northern Line was extended to Hunts Cross in 1983. The original station building still survives but is now a bar and restaurant. A modern building has replaced it for railway purposes.

Hunts Cross is in a cutting with stepped ramps down to the platforms from a road level booking office. It is served by Merseyrail services departing every fifteen minutes most days as well as Northern services at least once an hour. East Midlands Railway also stop at Hunts Cross in peak hours.

View of the ramps, the old station building can be seen on top of the ramp

Platform view on a wet day!

Facilities at platform level are fairly basic

Alresford

Alresford was a stop on the Alton, Alresford & Winchester Railway between Ropley and Itchen Abbas, nowadays it is the Western terminus of the Watercress Line which runs from Alton.

45379 runs around it's train before returning to Alton

Information
Type:	Preserved Railway (Watercress Line)
Opened	1865 (Closed 1973)
Re-Opened:	1977
Platforms:	3

The station was opened by the Alton, Alresford & Winchester Railway in 1865 and later became part of the London & South Western Railway. The station was closed in 1973 by British Rail but re-opened as the Western terminus of the Mid Hants Watercress Line four years later.

The station has two platforms which have been extended so they can accomodate four coach trains, the former cattle dock can also be used for shorter trains (two coaches) during galas.

Station view from the footbridge

Alresford signal box

Footbridge

Storage sidings extend beyond the station

45379 at Alresford