The following article is taken from The London Illustrated News, for the week ending Saturday May 8, 1852, when the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway (commonly known as 'The Old Worse & Worse') opened its link from Evesham, North to Stourbridge. The news begins:
"This event, which has excited the greatest interest in the districts concerned, took place Saturday last.
About nine o'clock in the morning a special train, with 21 carriages, started from Stourbridge amidst the ringing of bells, firing of cannon, and cheers of an immense concourse of spectators who had congregated at the station. At Kidderminster, and again at Worcester and Pershore, there were the same manifestations of rejoicing - bell ringing, cannon firing, and the cheering of the people, while at every town and hamlet triumphal arches of flowers and ever-greens were erected over the line. At Worcester there was a large accession of visitors, and the train started from that city soon after ten o'clock, making a short stay at Pershore, and arriving at Evesham (37 miles) before twelve o'clock.
This was the point at which the greatest preparations had been made. The Mayor, Mr. Henry Workman, had invited the directors and their friends to a sumptuous déjeuner at the Town hall; and on the excursion train arriving at Evesham station, the party were met by the corporation authorities, and escorted from thence to the Town hall by the High Sheriff and borough members, as well as a numerous portion of the gentry and magistracy of the county. An elegant cold collation was here served - the Mayor of Evesham in the chair.
'bell ringing, cannon firing, and the cheering of the people ...' |
Most of the influential persons of the district were present. The usual introductory toasts having been given, were followed by that of the "Directors of the Company," which was responded to by Captain Rushout, M.P. The "Health of the Contractors" was then given, to which Mr. Peto, M.P., replied in an excellent and spirited speech, in which he pointed out the great resources of the thickly populated district through which the line passes, and expressed an opinion that it would prove one of the best paying lines in the kingdom. He also referred to the extension from Oxford to Brentford, the bill for which was now before Parliament, and which line, he said, would to a certainty be made. That in fact "It should and must be made." (Cheers.) He hoped that their next celebration of this kind would be at Oxford next Autumn, when he trusted to have the honour of entertaining all who were then present.(Loud cheers).
The toast of the "Members for the borough of Evesham" was acknowledged by Lord Marcus Hill. The party rose at two o'clock.
Meanwhile the interests of property having been duly represented, those of labour were not forgotten. After the departure of the magnates from Evesham, the working-men of the town and neighbourhood, to the number of 600 or 700, were entertained with a substantial repast, for which long ranges of tables were laid in the High Street. The brilliant sky overhead, the thousands of happy, smiling faces, and the holiday appearance of everything and everybody, made this the pleasantest scene we have long witnessed. The navigators employed on the line were feasted at the same time in the timber storehouse at the railway station. At four o'clock, the tables in the High street having been cleared, the vacant seats were filling by the female part of the community, who were regaled plentifully with "the cup which cheers but not inebriates," and its usual concomitants. Indeed, the hospitality of the good people of Evesham appeared to be extended to all, without exception, who chose to avail themselves of it. It was Ma-day, too; a grotesque party of dancers preceded the band of music through the town; whilst cakes were unsparingly distributed from the windows of the High street to the crowd below. Rich and poor seemed mutually pleased with themselves and with each other; and from many a weather-beaten partaker in the day's rejoicing we heard the remark, "There were never such doings before in Evesham!"
Our artists have pictured the very interesting demonstrations at Evesham; the gaily-dressed arch of evergreens and flowers; the station, similarly decorated; and the al fresco entertainment in the High street, Evesham.
The party of Directors and their friends, who left Evesham at two o'clock, returned to Worcester, where cake and wine were offered to the party by the Mayor and corporation. The train reached Stourbridge, and shortly after returned to Kidderminster, where they were received by the Mayor and corporation, and escorted from the station to the Lion Hotel, to partake of a sumptuous dinner prepared for their entertainment by the corporate body of the town.
After dinner, Mr. Delalis, one of the directors, in proposing "Prosperity to the borough of Kidderminster," took occasion to point out to the meeting the importance of the construction of the above line, and strongly urged upon those present the necessity of their giving the promoters of this undertaking their strenuous support. The hon. gentleman's remarks were received with most enthusiastic cheers.
"There were never such doings before in Evesham!" |
The Right Hon. Lord Ward, in acknowledging his health, fully corroborated the cogency of Mr. Delalis' observations, remarking that the district through which the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton line passed was pre-eminently entitled to a railway, having an independent access of its own to London; that their traffic would well support its construction; and that without this measure it was impossible to hope the great mineral and other resources of the western counties could ever be adequately developed.
The day was observed as a close holiday along the whole line, and a vast concourse of spectators attended at Evesham, Worcester, Kidderminster and Stourbridge; at the former place it was computed that not less than 10,000 persons were present.
The line having been surveyed by the Government authorities, was opened for traffic to the public on Monday.
The whole line is at present laid down on the narrow gauge, but there is ample room left for laying down an additional rail for the broad gauge hereafter."
It is interesting to note, that the OW&W opened a short section at Worcester in 1850, the Stourbridge and Evesham extensions being in 1852, and each of the far ends, Stourbridge to Wolverhampton, and Evesham via Honeybourne to Oxford in 1853. The OW&W reached from Honeybourne to Stratford-upon-Avon in 1859. However, one year later the OW&W amalgamated with the Worcester and Hereford Railway, and the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway to form the West Midland Railway (incorporated in 1860). This enterprise lasted only three years, and was absorbed by the Great Western Railway in 1863.
The line South-West from Honeybourne, through Toddington to Cheltenham was part of a new route from Birmingham to South Wales that was built by the Great Western: starting in 1904 as far as Toddington, 1905 reaching Winchcombe, and 1906 finally reaching Cheltenham, thus fulfilling one of the original intentions of the OW&W, which had been abandoned prior to absorption into the GWR.
Note, too, that the OW&W line never was equipped for broad (7 ft) gauge. Brunel's unique approach covered much of the original GWR, but by 1860, even the GWR was forced (albeit by Parliament) to lay mixed broad and 'standard' gauge on the Paddington to Birmingham line (via Oxford and Banbury).
Despite persisting, and even opening new broad gauge lines until as late as 1877 (a short branch to St.Ives in Cornwall), the end was inevitable. Standard gauge was progressively being fitted inside the broad gauge rails. Finally, on May 20th, 1892, the last stretch of broad gauge was converted, at St.Germans, deep inside GWR territory, close to the Cornwall - Devon border. It was the end of an era.