Commemorative Plaque Unveiled for 175th Anniversary of Worcester Shrub Hill

A commemorative plaque marking 175 years since the opening of Worcester Shrub Hill station has been installed by West Midlands Railway (WMR).

On Sunday 5 October, the mayor of Worcester, Councillor Matt Lamb, unveiled a replica nameplate for the diesel locomotive named ‘City of Worcester’ to celebrate the station’s anniversary.

Built in 1961, the ‘City of Worcester’ was one of 308 Class 37 diesel locomotives built by English Electric & Co and was given its name at the Worcester Open Day on 2 May 1993.

Displayed prominently above Worcester Shrub Hill's booking office window, the nameplate remembers the story of the City of Worcester’s original nameplate, which was intended for display at the station when it was withdrawn from service, however it was sadly lost.

In partnership with Great Western Railway and the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, the replica has been designed, created and installed to remember Worcester’s railway heritage.

Following the unveiling, guests were invited to history talks, a railway photography exhibition and a special screening of historic footage showing steam trains in Worcester, which took place at the Ex-Servicemen’s Club.

John Doughty, WMR engineering director, said: “We are delighted to celebrate 175 years of the railway reaching Worcester by unveiling this historic nameplate. We are proud to play a key role in operating Worcester’s two principal stations and depot, as well as running services linking Worcester across our network.”

Lord Faulkner of Worcester, President of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group and Chair of the GWR Stakeholder Advisory Board, said “This is a really significant day in the history of Shrub Hill station and railways in Worcester. The city was one of Victorian Britain’s foremost railway centres, and I congratulate everyone involved – West Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, the Worcester Locomotive Society, the Cotswold Line Promotion Group and our civic leaders – in coming together and creating this imaginative event today. We look forward to Worcester playing its part in the new railway age.”

Worcester Shrub Hill station opened on 5 October 1850 and was built to serve passengers travelling with Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway and the Midland Railway. The station was designed by Edward Wilson in the Georgian style which combines brick and stone facing. Its waiting room was made Grade II listed in 1971.