Preamble
Three railways have served our area:--

1. The Barnt Green to Ashchurch line, known as the Birmingham and Gloucester Loop. The original main line from Birmingham to Gloucester had failed to serve such centres as Redditch, Evesham and Alcester completed in 1868, the other sections predating this. The line closed in 1962. Stations on the line in our area were: Studley, Coughton, Alcester, Wixford, Broom. Junction(1879) and Salford Priors. A few remains still exist but the line, mostly single—track, was all lifted by 1965 and signal boxes removed. The line of the track is mostly visible although pieces have been bought and incorporated in to house gardens. Shortly after 1868 the line was invested in the Midland Railway.

2. The G.W.R. branch line from Alcester to Bearley, known at first as the “Alcester Railway' opened on September 4th,1876 and closed in 1917. The Bearley to Great Alne section reopened in 1922 and the whole line in 1923. All passenger traffic stopped in 1939, though unadvertised trains ran from Birmingham to Great Alne until 1944 to serve the Maudslay factory. The line closed to all traffic in 1951 and rails and railway furniture removed. The station in the area under review is Great Alne.

3. The Evesham, Redditch and Stratford Junction Railway, part of the Stratford and Midland Junction Railway (SMJ) connected Stratford to the Birmingham - Gloucester Loop (v.above) at Broom Junction; it opened in 1879 but closed to passengers in 1949 although it carried freight until 1960. Stations in our area were Broom and Bidford.
N.B. O.S. -U.K. Ordnance Survey Map Reference

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