CHELTENHAM - HONEYBOURNE - STRATFORD (GWR)

19th January 2004

Dating from the early 1900s, this GWR main line was a relative latecomer. It survived as a through route until 1976, although the intermediate stations closed before this date. Now only the section from Honeybourne to Long Marston remains part of the network, but Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse has been reopened as the Gloucestershire - Warwickshire Railway.
Apologies for the poor quality of some of the images, particularly the urban section through Cheltenham. I will replace these with new images as soon as I can.
Engineer's Line Reference: HCL (Honeybourne to Cheltenham)

S&T cabinet near Milcote. 1995. OS: SP169513	The remains of Milcote station. A cycle path occupies the track bed and only a platform and the standard GWR station conifers survive. 1995. OS:SP170516	Milcote, with the remains of the down platform visible. 1995.	Another view of Milcote station site, looking towards Honeybourne. 1995. OS:SP170516
Looking north towards Milcote from the trackbed. 1995.	The trackbed north of Milcote - in use as a cycle route. 1995. OS: SP173520	Looking south towards Chambers Crossing and Milcote from just south of the River Stour bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP183531	The base of a signal post near the River Stour bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP185531
Occupation crossing immediately south of the River Stour bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP185531	Looking ove the eastern parapet of the River Stour bridge (no. 8). 20th April 2007. OS: SP185531	Bridge 8 over the River Stour. It is a double structure with a brick arch over the river and a girder bridge providing a cattle creep. 20th April 2007. OS: SP185531	Looking south over the River Stour bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP185531
Occupation bridge between the two river bridges. 20th April 2007. OS: SP186532	Maker's plate on the occupation bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP186532	Looking south over the occupation bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP186532	Flood relief arches on the southern side of the River Avon bridge (no. 11). 20th April 2007. OS: SP187532
The River Avon bridge looking north. 20th April 2007. OS: SP187532	Girder detail on the River Avon bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP187532	Only one side of the bridge is used for the cycle path, the other remains derelict. 20th April 2007. OS: SP187532	Unidentified structure on the trackbed by the River Avon bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP187532
Looking south towards the River Avon bridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP188533	Bridge 12, adjacent to Stratford Racecourse. 20th April 2007. OS: SP190534	Parapet detail on Bridge 12. 20th April 2007. OS: SP190534	Looking south with bridge 12 in the foreground and the River Avon bridge in the distance. 20th April 2007. OS: SP190534
View looking south where the line skirts Stratford racecourse. 20th April 2007. OS: SP192536	Looking north from the same location as the previous picture. 20th April 2007. OS: SP192536	Ballast bunker adjacent to the racecourse. 20th April 2007. OS: SP192536	Looking south from the site of Racecourse Junction. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195538
Racecourse Junction looking north with the main line on the left and the spur to the SMJ line on the right. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195538	Occupation crossing at Racecourse Junction. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195538	The spur leading to the SMJ line and Stratford Old Town station. It was constructed as late as 1960. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195538	The site of Stratford Racecourse Platform looking north. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195539
Looking north from Stratford Racecourse Platform towards the site of the SMJ overbridge. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195540	Looking north from the site of the SMJ overbridge. From here to Evesham Road the trackbed has been used to construct Seven Meadows Road. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195540	A former foot crossing on what is now Seven Meadows Road. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196541	A GWR bridge rail fence post still in situ at the foot crossing. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196541
View looking south along the formation where it forms Seven Meadows Road. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196542	Looking north from the same location as the previous picture. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196542	A bridge carried Sanctus Road over the line. During conversion of the trackbed to a roadway in 1991 the bridge was replaced. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196544	The site of Evesham Road Halt and signal box looking north. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196545
The site of Evesham Road crossing looking north. Beyond the roundabout the trackbed becomes a cycle path once again. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196545	Looking south towards Evesham Road crossing. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196546	Looking south from the site of the foot crossing which carried the alleyway between Evesham Road and St Andrews Crescent. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196547	The former footpath crossing looking across the trackbed. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196547
Looking north from near the foot crossing in the previous picture. 20th April 2007. OS: SP196548	Another former foot crossing at the end of the cycle path section. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195549	Looking south from the end of the cycle path. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195549	Looking in the opposite direction from the same spot. There is a short derelict section beyond which the pallisade fence marks the current Network Rail boundary. 20th April 2007. OS: SP195549
Looking south from the Alcester Road bridge showing the current head of steel. 20th April 2007. OS: SP194550	Looking south towards the Alcester Road bridge from the platform end at Stratford. 20th April 2007. OS: SP194550	Plan of the route.

Mapping images used on this site produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Images reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.