During the market gardening heyday of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a huge amount of fresh produce was transported from the Vale of Evesham by rail to all parts of the country. A railway goods yard was established at Littleton and Badsey before the passenger station opened in 1884. This was in addition to the substantial facilities at Evesham for the handling of fresh produce.
The fact that a further facility between the two at Aldington Siding was deemed to be necessary is an indication of the huge tonnage of fruit and vegetables which were transported by rail by Vale growers at that time.
Aldington Siding, situated at the end of Pitwell Lane, just before the junction with Offenham Road, was in existence by 1882 at the latest. It had its own signal box to control the shunting of trucks etc. There were no facilities for passengers there at any time.
Both Siding and signal box were closed in 1959, after railway freight charges became prohibitive, and the much reduced number of growers had switched to road transport.
The thing that prompted me to put this together is this wonderful poem by the late Mike Edwards, which gives a good idea of what went on there. The poem has a great rhythm to it, mimicking that of a train in motion. The sketch is by Badsey's own Mike Barnard. The pair were schoolmates at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Evesham. The poem was taken from the book "Lands of the Two Rivers" by Mike Edwards. (2000).
Will and John Dallimore and I were lucky enough to appear with Mike at an Evesham Festival of Words event at the Red Lion pub in Evesham. The photo is of the four of us, with Badseyonian Nigel Huddleston, MP (left to right: Brian Smith, John Dallimore, Will Dallimore, Mike Edwards, Nigel Huddleston).
Brian Smith, January 2025.