WORCESTER SHRUB HILL
Grid Reference: SO 857552
The first railway into the City of Worcester was that of the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway which opened, on 5th October 1850, a short single line standard gauge connection to the Birmingham & Gloucester Railway at Abbotswood Junction. The latter company had running powers over the line which later passed to the Midland Railway. The terminus at Worcester was a temporary structure and records have failed to reveal its precise location. The present day station was erected in 1865. Prior to the opening of the station at Worcester intending passengers had to travel to Spetchley to catch a train to Birmingham, Cheltenham or Gloucester. The station originally had an overall roof but this believed demolished in the 1930s. (Ref: Memory Lane, Volume 11.)
Worcester Shrub Hill is the main station in the city and is the focal point for railway activity in the area. From here there are lines to Hereford, Birmingham, Oxford and Gloucester. From the east end of the station the locomotive sheds were visible and were always a hive of activity in steam days and they continue to act as stabling for diesel multiple units. There are numerous pages with information and photographs about Worcester Shrub Hill Station. The list which follows references the main pages:
Railcar W23W at Shrub Hill in the 1950s (from the MIAC collection)
No.1507 at Shrub Hill on 19th June 1961 (from the Ted Crocker collection)
Steam on 12th July 1964 (No.60114 etc) (from the Pete Wilcox collection)
Steam in 1965 (from the Robert Pritchard collection)
Diesels in 1965 (from the Robert Pritchard collection)
Diesels on 26th July 1968 (from the Adrian Booth collection)
Shrub Hill on 23rd August 2007
Shrub Hill on 31st January 2008
Shrub Hill on 2nd October 2008
Shrub Hill on 11th February 2010
Shrub Hill on 17th August 2010
Shrub Hill on 5th June and 24th November 2011
Handbill about the City of Worcester Show, 1961
An article by Dave Newman who was a signalman at Worcester from 1968 to 1972
