Great Malvern station is Grade II listed due to a number of unique features. These include the floral decorations at the top of the cast iron columns supporting the roof and the worm, a passageway connecting the station down platform with what was then the Imperial Hotel, now Malvern St James school. The current station and the hotel were completed in 1862, both promoted by local notables Lady Emily Foley and Dr James Gully. Lady Emily was a substantial local landowner and Dr Gully ran the ‘water cure’ for which Malvern was famous. The station was designed by local architect Edward Elmslie and the stonework and floral decorations were made by the Scottish artist William Forsyth. Lady Foley is commemorated by the popular Lady Foley’s tea rooms on platform 1, originally her private waiting room.
The station has been considerably simplified over 150 years with the loss of the clock tower in the 1950s and then a major fire in 1986. The covered cabstand outside the main entrance has also disappeared. The branch to Ashchurch closed in 1952. The station remains busy with regular services to London, and Bristol to south coast (GWR), Birmingham and Hereford (WMR).
Reference: Gordon Wood: Constructing the Worcester and Hereford Line.
Catherine Moody’s notebook relating to Great Malvern Station. Catherine Moody was a local artist and she researched the colours of the station. Michael Pritchard has transcribed a section of the notebook which is available here. It is believed that the pictures referred to are in Malvern Library.