The railway arrived late at the County town, but this was not due to the opposition or indifference of the citizens as happened at other places. From the earliest days of railways, the manufactures and the Corporation let it be known that they wanted Worcester to be on a main-line railway, and if possible to be a railway centre; and for a few years Worcester did become the centre of the West Midland railway system.
As early as 1803, the 'progressives' in the area were aware of the building of Trevethic's locomotive 'Coalbrookdale', just across the northern border at Hazeldine's foundary at Bridgnorth, and in 1808, the 'Catch-me-who-can', built at the same foundry for Trevethic, came down the Severn, as did the earlier engine, on it's way to run on a circulat side-show in Euston Square.
In 1824, one year before the famous Stockton and Darlington line, a proposal was made for a railway connecting Bristol and Birmingham, via Gloucester and Worcester. The railway had the imposing title of 'The Grand Connection Railway'. The route was partially surveyed and shares issued, but though there was plenty of money, there was no technical or administrative experience available, and the whole scheme collapsed after a few months.
The next railway scheme to concern the County was put forward in 1832 by the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway Company. This company, often referred to by the Worcestershire newspapers as the Birmingham and Gloucester party, was in no way concerned with the requirements and benefits of a railway to Worcestershire, only with building a cheap link between the Gloucester docks and the great manufaturing area of Birmingham
