REALLY SideTracked – Littleton (and) Badsey
Flanders and Swann Slow Train event No 10
A geocaching meet-up between 1pm and 3pm on Saturday 28th September, in the Potted Pantry, near the site of Littleton and Badsey station in Worcestershire.
This is the next in a series of SideTracked events based on the song Slow Train by Flanders and Swann. Written in 1963, the song laments the closure of many stations and railway lines under the Beeching cuts of that era.
"I'll travel no more from Littleton Badsey to Openshaw.
At Long Stanton I'll stand well clear of the doors no more..."
Littleton and Badsey station.
(Photo © Jim Clemens, Pershore)
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Littleton and Badsey station stood at the point where the road linking the villages of its name crossed the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway (OWWR) on the level, midway between Evesham and Honeybourne on the Worcester to Oxford section of the OWWR main line. The station stood on an embankment to the east (up side) of the crossing. It boasted two platforms, each capable of handling a 6 coach train, though 4" differences in height, part way along their length, indicated that the originals would only handle 3. The up platform had the main, wooden, building, comprising waiting/booking room, office, ladies room and gents toilet. It also supported a lamp and a bicycle shed (both corrugated iron) and a single enamel name board. A wooden fence protected the rear edge of the platform. The down platform had a single wooden shelter plus an identical name board to that on the up platform. The fencing was simple wire through concrete posts. Each platform was lit by two tilly lamps, which were winched up each evening on to four tall pillars.
From Littleton & Badsey Railway Station by the Badsey Society
We will meet in the Potted Pantry cafe, where hopefully some tables will be reserved for us. The event will allow like-minded cachers to meet up to chat, discover and swap trackables.
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(Background images - Donald Swann and Michael Flanders in concert, 1966; disused track near Dunstable Town station in 2006, copyright Nigel Cox, CC-by-SA)