







Redditch
Station was formally part of the line known as the
Birmingham and Gloucester Loop, which branched off the
mainline between Birmingham and Bristol at Barnt Green.
The line ran through Redditch and Evesham to rejoin the
Bristol line at Ashchurch a distance of 32 ½ miles
(52km). The loop line actually built in three separate
stages. The first section was the 4 ½ mile Redditch
Railway from Barnt Green to Redditch. The Redditch
Railway was promoted by a number of businessmen from
Redditch and the act of Parliament to allow construction
was passed on 23 July 1858. The line had an authorized
share capital of £35,000 in £10 shares and was allowed
to borrow up to £11,500. The Hon. Robert Windsor Clive
MP performed the ceremony of cutting of the first sod on
August 5 1858; Construction proceeded with the line
opening to passenger on September 19 1859 and to freight
on 1st October of the same year. The opening of the line
virtually coincided with the first issue of the town’s
newspaper, The Redditch Indicator (The indicator
newspaper was merged with the Redditch Advertiser
Newspaper a number of years ago), on September 24 1859.
The first public train over the line was an excursion to
Cheltenham, which was followed by a dinner at the
Unicorn Hotel in Redditch. The Redditch Railway never
owned any locomotives of rolling stock of it’s own and
the Midland Railway worked the line from the outset. Construction
of the second
section of the loop line between Ashchurch
and Evesham was started following the passing of the act
to authorize it on June 7th 1861. This section of the
line opened on 1st October 1864 and was operated and
promoted by the Midland Railway from the outset. The
Redditch and Evesham Railway drew up plans for the third
and final section of the loop. Again this was an
independent Railway Company backed by the Midland
Railway. Authority to build this 17 ¼ mile line was
gained on 13 July 1863 and the Company had a share
capital of £189,600. Construction started from the
Evesham end as the impetus came from Evesham rather than
Redditch. The first 9 ¾ miles from Evesham to Alcester
was opened on 16 June 1866 to freight and passengers on
17 September of the same year. Work on the remaining 7 ½
miles from Alcester to Redditch took longer because of
the need to construct the 330-yard tunnel under Mount
Pleasant in Redditch. The tunnel took 18 mouth to
construct because of problems with the sub soil. The
whole line was completed on May 4 1868. The whole of the
line from Barnt Green to Ashchurch was built to double
track standards except for the 330-yard Redditch Tunnel.
The only section that had double track was that between
Evesham and Ashchurch. At various times during the life
of the line schemes have been promoted for the doubling
of the line between Redditch and Barnt Green. It was
seriously considered during the Second World War when
the possibility of a rail connection was looked at for
the then new (opened 1939) High Duty Alloys factory to
the north of the Redditch alongside Windsor Road.
Consideration was also given during the 1970’s when the
West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority was looking
at the possibility of creating what became the Cross
City Rail Line. General freight facilities were
withdrawn from Redditch in 1969. The station continued
to handle parcels and the freight yard was home to a
rail fed stone terminal during the 1970's and early
1980's. This stone was required for the construction of
the Redditch New Town and was closed following the
completion of the M42 motorway.