In partnership with Great Western Railway and the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, a commemorative plaque marking 175 years since the opening of Worcester Shrub Hill station has been installed by West Midlands Railway.
Civic leaders and special guests came together at the weekend to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Worcester’s first railway station. Worcester Shrub Hill, the city’s first permanent railway station, replaced a temporary building at Spetchley and was officially opened by the Oxford Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway on 5th October 1850.
To commemorate the milestone, a special “City of Worcester” replica nameplate from class 37 loco No 37114 was unveiled during a ceremony at the station. The nameplate will remain on permanent display in the Ticket Office as a lasting reminder of the station’s rich heritage. The unveiling was carried out by a very surprised Susana Blimundo, who owns Café Loco at the station which has been run by her daughter Mariana Santos for the past 8 years, making her a familiar face to generations of travellers and commuters. Following the official ceremony, a celebration party was held at the Barbourne Ex-Servicemen’s Club, bringing together railway enthusiasts, local residents, and supporters of Worcester’s historic transport links.
Through sponsorship, raffles, and a series of fundraising events, the 175 Worcester Committee raised nearly £1,000. The proceeds will be shared between the Royal British Legion and the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, two charities with long-standing ties to the local community. The event highlighted not only the city’s proud railway heritage but also the enduring community spirit that continues to define Worcester. It was organised by Cotswold Line Promotion Group & Worcester Locomotive Society
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.”
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.”
