As another random aside, back to my reading through old back issues of the Railway Times…. There was an article in December 1837 which gave progress on the line between Birmingham and Gloucester.
“We have much pleasure in being able to inform our readers that considerable activity is displayed on this line. Fourteen contractors are at work—four in the Birmingham division, and ten in the Gloucester—five are engaged in earth-work, one brick-work and masonry, four fencing, and the remainder stone suppliers. Four miles of earth-work, and twenty miles of fencing are in progress.”
What amuses me is reading that the route of the line had been planned by Captain William Scarth Moorsom (1804-1863) who had worked with Robert Stephenson. He delivered a route which was economical, efficient and well planned, but unfortunately, it was economic as he had missed out nearly all the towns en route to save money. This displeased residents of numerous towns, including Cheltenham. The compromise was that Pearson Thompson (1794-1872), a member of a key committee of the railway and resident of Cheltenham, paid for much of it so that was a handy arrangement for the railway.
The whole project was successful, it was decided not to build a new railway station in Birmingham and instead they decided to share Curzon station. This building is interesting, it opened in 1838 but ceased to be used for rail purposes in 1966. It is very visible now amid all the civil engineer works when arriving into Birmingham as it is being integrated into the new Curzon HS2 railway station which should be open in around three to four years.
As for the towns that they missed, the railway network decided to build a series of branch lines, including to locations such as Tewkesbury and Worcester. That seemed to be a very reasonable compromise although Tewkesbury lost its rail connection following the Beeching cuts. Eventually the whole arrangement became part of the Midland Railway which then in turn became the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923.