Hinton, Ashton under Hill and Beckford all opened for goods on 1st July 1864 and passengers on 1st October 1864.


These three pictures at Hinton were all taken in the middle of May 1964, so Hinton didn’t quite make a century.


Demolition had started from the Ashchurch end; the contractors were at Beckford in the March.  Just before the tracks vanished forever at Hinton 2232 disgraced itself by becoming derailed adjacent to the signal box.


Much to the amusement of local children, 2291 with the Worcester breakdown train unit were summoned via Evesham to sort out the problem.  Within days it had all gone.

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The Midland Railway class ‘3F’ 0-6-0s were introduced in 1885.  Here class member 43593, allocated to Gloucester Barnwood, is southbound through Hinton in the summer of 1962 on the afternoon freight from Evesham to Ashchurch, the line shut completely in 1963.


During May 1964 it was being dismantled and the contractors were about to set fire to the wooden signal box in the background to recover any metalwork. In exchange for a ten bob note (50p) my dad was able to have all the signal instruments and Hinton signs.

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The ‘new’ GWR route from Cheltenham to Honeybourne suffered from drainage problems and extensive remedial works were carried out on it in the late 1950’s.  Between 2nd February and 6th April 1958 trains were diverted via the Ashchurch to Evesham line and thence to Honeybourne.


Here heading northbound through Hinton is a train of empty iron ore tipplers, most probably bound for Banbury.  To provide rails for the war effort, the track was singled from Bengeworth through Hinton and Ashton under Hill to Beckford from 31st January 1917; double track working was restored on 22nd February 1921.

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A ‘Castle’ on the southbound ‘Cornishman’ at Hinton, between Evesham and Ashchurch, was not a common occurrence. The reason was engineering work on the line between Honeybourne and Cheltenham via Broadway and Winchcombe in early 1958. A new connecting spur was opened between the GWR & LMS lines at Evesham on 15th March 1957 that allowed the diverted trains to travel this way.


Hinton signal box is in use with the signalman’s motorbike parked under the steps; normally it was only open for about 15 minutes in the afternoon for the weekdays only freight train to shunt the goods yard.