Английская Википедия:Honeybourne railway station

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Honeybourne railway station serves the village of Honeybourne in Worcestershire, England. Opened in 1853, it is on the Cotswold Line and was formerly a busy junction with five platform faces, also serving trains on the Great Western Railway's Honeybourne Line between Cheltenham Spa and Шаблон:Rws, which formed part of a strategic route between the West Midlands and the West of England.

The station was closed in 1969, after the withdrawal of stopping services to Stratford-upon Avon and closure to freight. The whole of the Stratford to Cheltenham line was closed in late August 1976, after derailment of some wagons on a goods train damaged a section of the track. Honeybourne was reopened in 1981, in connection with residential development near the station. The Heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway have reopened the 14-mile section of the 22-mile-long Honeybourne Line, between Шаблон:Rws and Шаблон:Rws, and hopes to extend its operations a further 5 miles, to Honeybourne, for which Network Rail has made passive provision.

History

Opening and expansion

Honeybourne was one of the original stations opened on 4 June 1853 by the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway (OWW) on the long section between Шаблон:Rws and Wolvercot Junction (north of Шаблон:Rws).Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The OWW became the West Midland Railway in 1860,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn which in turn amalgamated with the Great Western Railway in 1863.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Initially single track, the line between Шаблон:Rws to Evesham, including Honeybourne, was doubled on 20 March 1855.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The station became a junction on 12 July 1859 with the opening of a Шаблон:Convert link to Шаблон:Rws,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn which was continued south to Cheltenham by 1 August 1906.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The single track from Honeybourne to Stratford was doubled on 9 February 1908,Шаблон:Sfn shortly before the route took on main line status on 1 July 1908 with the routing of express passenger trains between Шаблон:Rws and Шаблон:Rws via the newly opened North Warwickshire Line.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

The original station layout at Honeybourne was basic: a two platform station on the Шаблон:Rws to Worcester line which was connected to the single track line to Stratford via a double junction from which an east to north curve forked to the northeast.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The curve, which was later known as the "East Loop",Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn was controlled by a single signalbox that was one of the first in the country to have an interlocking frame mechanically preventing conflicting signal and point levers being pulled.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn North of the platforms was a small goods yard comprising two sidings and a small engine shed, which was used to stable engines that banked goods trains over the steep incline to Campden.Шаблон:Sfn

A Шаблон:Convert turntable was added after the opening of the link to Stratford, as it was a requirement of the Board of Trade to have one at both ends of a branch line.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn This was probably taken up in 1870 with the construction of a new engine shed, which itself only lasted until 1907 when it was demolished to enlarge the goods yard.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Its replacement built in 1909 was burnt down on 13 September 1911 and was not rebuilt, with only a small coaling platform being provided.Шаблон:Sfn A Brunel-designed "chalet" type station building was provided on the "Down" platform, but this only lasted until 1872.Шаблон:Sfn

With the opening of the Cheltenham line as far as Шаблон:Rws on 1 August 1904, the lines through Honeybourne were quadrupled and two loops were laid.Шаблон:Sfn As at one or two other GWR locations, the direction naming here is semi-notional: the OWWR main line was considered to run south (London/Oxford) to north (Worcester), with Cheltenham to the west and Stratford-upon-Avon to the east, despite the former actually running closer to E-W and the latter closer to N-S. The "West Loop" thus ran from the station to the Cheltenham line, whilst the "South Loop" connected the Stratford and Oxford lines.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Four signalboxes, one at each end of the loops, controlled traffic.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The new lines through the station were served by four platform faces: a "Down" main (Шаблон:Convert), an "Up" relief (Шаблон:Convert) and an island platform (also Шаблон:Convert) which served the Worcester line.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The old "Up" platform building was replaced by large waiting facilities and a refreshment room; a waiting shelter was provided on the "Up" branch platform and a footbridge spanned the four tracks.Шаблон:Sfn Two further signalboxes were provided: Station North box opened at the Worcester end on the north side of the Up main line in 1909 to control a goods loop which ran parallel with the main line, and Station South box was positioned south of the main line to control the London end of the station plus a siding and loop line behind the box.Шаблон:Sfn

Decline and closure

Honeybourne generated very little traffic of its own and the agricultural produce that it did handle was dwarfed by interchange returns.Шаблон:Sfn Traffic picked up during the Second World War when the station's geographical location at the crossroads of several routes meant that it was very busy.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn A new yard was opened at Honeybourne West Loop in 1960 to handle iron ore flows which were re-routed via the Stratford to Cheltenham line to relieve the Great Western Main Line.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn In the same year, the Honeybourne to Cheltenham local service was withdrawn, although through express trains such as the Cornishman continued to use the line until 9 September 1962 after when they were worked via Шаблон:Rws.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn A gradual rundown of goods facilities at Honeybourne began on 1 June 1964 with the closure of the station to freight,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn after which the majority of the sidings were abolished and the goods loops were taken out of use.Шаблон:Sfn Station North box was closed on 4 April 1965, with the south loop and South Loop box following on 13 October 1965.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The West Loop box was switched out on 31 January 1966 and only used when required until 1970, while the station became unstaffed from 16 January 1967.Шаблон:Sfn The North Loop signalbox had already closed in March 1933, when its junction came under the control of Station South box.Шаблон:Sfn

The station closed to passengers on 5 May 1969, the last day of regular passenger services between Stratford and Evesham via Honeybourne.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn This rendered the east loop redundant and it was taken out of use on 3 November 1970.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn East Loop box closed permanently, but West Loop box and three long sidings were brought back into use to enable goods trains from Worcester to reach Шаблон:Rws.Шаблон:Sfn The layout was cut back further in 1971 with the rationalisation of the Oxford to Worcester line and singling of the section between Evesham and Шаблон:Rws on 20 September, after which Honeybourne (Station) South box became a ground frame controlling the junction between the main line and double track to West Loop box.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The Stratford-Cheltenham line was used for a modest amount of freight until 1976 when a derailment south of Шаблон:Rws prompted the closure of the line except for a section between the West Loop sidings and Long Marston.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn This section was singled on 24 March 1980 when West Loop box was also closed.Шаблон:Sfn The following year a new chord was laid on the formation of the former east loop which allowed the reversal of trains at West Loop to be discontinued and the sidings there to be closed, followed by the replacement of Honeybourne (Station) South box with a 2-lever frame on 7 March 1983.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

Present day

Файл:HoneybourneStation 1998–2015.png

Bar chart of ORR annual passenger estimates from 1997–98 to 2014–15

Residential development around Honeybourne partly due to its proximity to Long Lartin prison, as well as pressure from the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, led to the ceremonial reopening of the station on 22 May 1981, with the first public services running two days later.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The southernmost of Honeybourne's five former platforms was reopened,Шаблон:Sfn in what was British Rail's 66th station reopening since 1966.Шаблон:Sfn Passenger facilities were very basic and consisted only of a Portakabin and a Portaloo.Шаблон:Sfn On the night of 15 May 1985, the reinstated east loop was used to stable the Royal Train which was being used by Prince Philip while visiting the area.Шаблон:Sfn In 1981, the structure of Honeybourne North box was donated to the heritage railway by a local resident who had erected it in his garden as a shed.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn It was subsequently reused at Toddington as a classroom for the Signal & Telegraph department.Шаблон:Sfn

By the turn of the 21st century, passenger numbers at Honeybourne were slowly increasing: from an estimated 13,360 in 1997–98 to an estimated 22,077 in 2004–05. Since then the number of passengers using the station has increased rapidly, and the estimated total for 2018–19 was more than 66,000. Estimated passenger totals have risen by 78% in 10 years and trebled in 14 years.

Until 22 August 2011 only a single platform face was in use at the station. However, as part of a £67 million project to redouble the Cotswold Line between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh and Шаблон:Rws to Шаблон:Rws, a second platform face on a rebuilt island platform was brought into operation for services on the reinstated "Up" line.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The new platform, which has an operational length of Шаблон:Convert, is numbered "2", whilst the original platform is renumbered "1".Шаблон:Sfn Passive provision was made for the eventual arrival of the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in the shape of a third platform face on the former "Down" branch side of the new platform.Шаблон:Sfn The works also involved relocating the connection to and from the branch to Long Marston to the Evesham side of the station together with a trailing crossover and laying three new sidings for track machines formerly stabled at Moreton-in-Marsh.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The first steam through the new platform 2 took place on 17 September 2011 when GWR steam locomotive 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe hauled a Vintage Trains Cathedrals Express from Шаблон:Rws to Шаблон:Rws via Worcester Shrub Hill and Шаблон:Rws, the first time a steam train had run on the "Up" line for 40 years.Шаблон:Sfn

The track to the east remains as a link to the large ex-Ministry of Defence depot at Long Marston.Шаблон:Sfn The Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway Society aimed to adopt this stretch as a heritage railway and restore the line to Stratford. The society has since been dissolved, however, leaving any heritage connection to be made by the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group is promoting a scheme to reinstate the Шаблон:Convert "missing Link" between Honeybourne and Stratford. Called the "Avon Rail Link", the scheme (supported as a freight diversionary route by DB Schenker) would make Stratford-upon-Avon railway station a through station once again with improved connections to the Cotswolds and the South. The scheme faces local opposition. There is, however, a good business case for Stratford-Cotswolds link.

Passenger services at Honeybourne are operated by Great Western Railway.

References

Sources

• Шаблон:Cite journal
• Шаблон:Awdry-RailCo
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Butt-Stations
• Шаблон:Cite journal
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite journal
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite journal
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book

External links

• Шаблон:Stn art lrnk
• Honeybourne Station on navigable 1946 O.S. map