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The results are in - here's the names...

The results are in - here's the names...

We all know that Worcestershire is a beautiful county with a fascinating history which contains many towns and villages that attract thousands of visitors each year. The Community Rail Partnership would love more of those visitors to come to, and travel around, the County by train.
Most visitors know the name ā€˜The Cotswold & Malvern Lineā€™ which brings visitors from London and runs through Worcester to Great Malvern.
The County now has names for these three other rail routes which can also take them to beautiful and interesting places.Ā 
The new lines run from:
ā€¢ Hagley to Hartlebury via Kidderminster (and onto Worcester through Droitwich)
ā€¢ Barnt Green to Droitwich via the Lickey Incline (and onto Worcester)
ā€¢ Barnt Green to Redditch crossing the Birmingham to Worcester canal at Alvechurch
These means that all lines in Worcestershire are now named. They join the Cotswold & Malvern Line, which runs from Worcester Foregate Street, through Malvern Link, Great Malvern, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcestershire Parkway, Pershore, Evesham, to Honeybourne to complete the Worcestershire Routes.

The Winners

Cllr. Alan Amos and Sue Lloyd

Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership have announced the three winners from their Name the Line competition.

The line to Droitwich Spa via Bromsgrove to Barnt Green was named by Sue Lloyd and her winning suggestion was the Saltway Line. The Wyre Valley Line was named by Peter McNougher and covers the route serving the towns of Hagley, Blakedown, Kidderminster and Hartlebury. Last, but by no means least, is the line including the stations of Barnt Green, Alvechurch and Redditch which has been named the Arrow Valley Line by Margaret Evans.

Peter McNougher receiving his memento from Cllr. Amos

The winners were announced at Worcester Guildhall during the Rail Partnershipā€™s second Anniversary event on Friday 12th November. They received a commemorative memento from Alan Amos, Worcestershire County Council Cabinet member for Transportation.

Margaret Evans and Cllr. Alan Amos

Community Benefits

Colin Major Vice Chair Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership said, ā€œWe are delighted that all 18 stations in Worcestershire are now linked to named lines enabling the Community Rail Partnership to promote travel by rail and the stations not only to the local communities, but also to attract visitors to the businesses and places of interest served by the lines.ā€

The Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership are working with local communities to create Station Adoption Groups of volunteers who enhance station environments and build local pride in the facilities.

One of the latest groups is the Friends of Droitwich Spa Railway Station who started in May and have already cleared and planted flowers in the flower beds and have exciting plans to make the station a more warming and friendly environment to catch a train.