Kineton railway station
Encyclopedia
Kineton railway station was a railway station located to the west of Kineton
, Warwickshire
, England
.
to Fenny Compton
. Until July 1873, it was the headquarters
and western terminus of the line. When the connection to Stratford was completed, the latter became the headquarters.
Business did not meet expectations and, in 1877, the station closed. In attempt to improve matters, an extension to Broom Junction
was incorporated in 1873 by means of a railway called the "Evesham Redditch and Stratford-upon-Avon Junction Railway" which opened in 1879. As trade picked up, the station was reopened on 22 February 1885. The line became part of the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
in a merger of 1908 and at grouping
in 1923, it became part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway. At nationalisation it became part of the Western Region of British Railways
.
The station had two platforms
for the passing loop
on the otherwise single line
. It was larger than was usual for the line, the brick
built station buildings consisting of two pavilion
s with a central connection, and with quoined door and window openings. There was a siding
to the goods shed
and coal
yard. This branched off what was, in effect, an extended headshunt
to the down side of the loop, and itself had a runaround loop built into it. This was extended in 1959 when the line was modernised by the Western Region. The up line also had a small carriage siding behind the platform with a staff cabin, again connected to the main line by a headshunt.
Initially the single line was operated on the "one engine in steam" principle. However after completion to Stratford, absolute block
working with them was introduced, with electric train staff
working after 1894.
About four miles to the east, at Burton Dassett
, was a connection with the abortive Edge Hill Light Railway
.
A typical service, as in 1942, would be two through trains in either direction, with the addition of two to Stratford on Saturdays. The passenger service was withdrawn on 7 April 1952, although through traffic continued to gain access to the Great Western Railway
at Fenny Compton
until 5 July 1965.
A short distance to the east, there are military
railway sidings serving an ammunition depot. The sidings are also used for rolling stock
storage on behalf of British train operators. The area also had an extensive closed rail system used to train military railmen.
Kineton
Kineton is a village and civil parish on the River Dene in south-eastern Warwickshire, England. The village is part of Stratford-on-Avon district, and in the 2001 census it had a population of 2,278....
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
Opened on 1 June 1871, the station was situated on the East and West Junction Railway's route from Stratford-upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon railway station
Stratford-upon-Avon railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. It was once a through station on the Great Western Railway route from Birmingham to Cheltenham, but has been the terminus of the line since 1976.There are plans for a new...
to Fenny Compton
Fenny Compton West railway station
Fenny Compton West railway station was a railway station serving Fenny Compton in the English county of Warwickshire.-History:It was opened by East and West Junction Railway between Stratford upon Avon and...
. Until July 1873, it was the headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
and western terminus of the line. When the connection to Stratford was completed, the latter became the headquarters.
Business did not meet expectations and, in 1877, the station closed. In attempt to improve matters, an extension to Broom Junction
Broom Junction railway station
Broom Junction was a railway station and interchange between the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway and the Barnt Green to Ashchurch line. Although initially only an exchange station, it was opened to the public from 1880 and remained in service until 1963...
was incorporated in 1873 by means of a railway called the "Evesham Redditch and Stratford-upon-Avon Junction Railway" which opened in 1879. As trade picked up, the station was reopened on 22 February 1885. The line became part of the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway was a small independent railway company which ran a line across the empty, untouched centre of England. It visited the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and a little of Buckinghamshire, only existing as the SMJR from 1909 to...
in a merger of 1908 and at grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
in 1923, it became part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway. At nationalisation it became part of the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
.
The station had two platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
for the passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
on the otherwise single line
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
. It was larger than was usual for the line, the brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
built station buildings consisting of two pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
s with a central connection, and with quoined door and window openings. There was a siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
to the goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
yard. This branched off what was, in effect, an extended headshunt
Headshunt
A headshunt is a short length of track, provided to release locomotives at terminal platforms, or to allow shunting to take place clear of main lines.- Terminal Headshunts :...
to the down side of the loop, and itself had a runaround loop built into it. This was extended in 1959 when the line was modernised by the Western Region. The up line also had a small carriage siding behind the platform with a staff cabin, again connected to the main line by a headshunt.
Initially the single line was operated on the "one engine in steam" principle. However after completion to Stratford, absolute block
British absolute block signalling
The principle of the British absolute block system of railway signalling is to ensure the safe operation of a railway by allowing only one train to occupy a defined section of track at a time...
working with them was introduced, with electric train staff
Token (railway signalling)
In railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track. The token is clearly endorsed with the name of the section it belongs to...
working after 1894.
About four miles to the east, at Burton Dassett
Burton Dassett
Burton Dassett is a parish and shrunken medieval village in Warwickshire. Much of the area is now the Burton Dassett Hills country park. It was enclosed for sheep farming by Sir Edward Belknap at the end of the 15th century....
, was a connection with the abortive Edge Hill Light Railway
Edge Hill Light Railway
The Edge Hill Light Railway, one of Colonel Stephens' railways, was in Warwickshire, England. It was designed to carry iron ore from Edge Hill Quarries to Burton Dassett where a junction was made with the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway. It was never officially opened, but began...
.
A typical service, as in 1942, would be two through trains in either direction, with the addition of two to Stratford on Saturdays. The passenger service was withdrawn on 7 April 1952, although through traffic continued to gain access to the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
at Fenny Compton
Fenny Compton railway station
Fenny Compton railway station was a railway station serving Fenny Compton in the English county of Warwickshire.-History:It was opened by Great Western Railway in 1852 on its Oxford and Rugby Railway and would have formed the junction of with its proposed Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway...
until 5 July 1965.
A short distance to the east, there are military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
railway sidings serving an ammunition depot. The sidings are also used for rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
storage on behalf of British train operators. The area also had an extensive closed rail system used to train military railmen.