Hatton railway station (England)

Railway station in Warwickshire, England
the station in Hatton, Warwickshire

Hatton railway station takes the name of the village of Hatton in Warwickshire, England, although it is about 1 mile (2 km) from the village. It is situated in the linear settlement of the same name (Hatton Station), that evolved around the station, mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. Other close settlements are Little Shrewley and Shrewley. The station is managed by Chiltern Railways. Hatton is the junction station at which the lines from Leamington Spa to Stratford upon Avon and Birmingham diverge. The station is unstaffed; ticketing is restricted to a 'Permit to Travel' machine located at the single entrance to the station on the London bound (southbound) platform. There is a small shelter on Platform 1 (southbound – for trains from Birmingham to Leamington Spa) and also one on the island platform, which consists of Platforms 2 and 3 (Platform 2 is for Birmingham bound services and Platform 3 is for stations from/to Stratford upon Avon, which bear to the west immediately north of the station. Trains can, however, use both Platforms 2 and 3 to reach Birmingham, as just outside the station, the lines re join). A footbridge links Platform 1 with island Platform 2/3. Each platform at the station is equipped with a real time electronic information departure screen.

The station dates from 1852 (being opened by the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway), with the branch to Stratford opening in 1860 (this had a later extension, now closed, from Bearley Junction to added in 1876). It sits part way along a 5 mile (8 km) long rising section of line with a ruling gradient of 1 in 110 for northbound trains known as Hatton Bank – this section was often difficult to negotiate for heavy freights and the use of banking engines was commonplace. being extended to 2¼ miles in May 1914 to the Budbrook and Warwick Cold Store.