More new train stations in the West Midlands

[ellspurs]

https://bdcmagazine.com/2024/02/west-midlands-advances-plans-for-three-new-railway-stations-to-enhance-regional-connectivity/

There appears to be plans in place for another three new railway stations at Castle Bromwich, "Coventry East" and Tettenhall.

Andy Street has photos of him and friends holding the signs up, but when I went onto his website to see if there was any news on there, it appears he hasn't updated it since 2021.

[Stu]

There appears to be plans in place for another three new railway stations at Castle Bromwich, "Coventry East" and Tettenhall.

Yes, I saw this story the other day.

Looking on Google Maps, I think I can make out where the Castle Bromwich station used to be, where the Chester Road crosses the line.

Can't see any obvious place where the other two stations would go.

[ellspurs]

From the comments I saw on the Instagram post from Andy Street (where I first saw it), "Coventry East" is apparently going to be in the Willenhall/Binley area, and "Tettenhall" is not going to be in Tettenhall.

As with the Camp Hill line, the station names are going to be "subject to local consultation".

[Roy]

There was a photo last year of Andy Street and the local MP on the railway bridge in Pendeford Lane so I assume that's the intended location of "Tettenhall" station on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury line.  Given that both Claregate and Pendeford are a lot closer to the site than Tettenhall, I would guess that a local vote would probably choose one of these as the name if it is built.  

[Sandy Lane]

Yes, I saw this story the other day.

Looking on Google Maps, I think I can make out where the Castle Bromwich station used to be, where the Chester Road crosses the line.

Can't see any obvious place where the other two stations would go.

Coventry East!
This is a fascinating Mayoral political spin on a very long standing plan (25 to 30 years ago) to get Binley & Willenhall served by train. The original local Coventry council plan (well before the Mayor's office was dreamed up) was to have the station in the cutting below St James Lane. What stopped the idea was the introduction of Virgin's high frequency train service to London  - the train paths for a Binley/ Willenhall stopper could not be fitted in. Someone has recently realised that now Avanti run less trains that hey presto Binley & Willenhall could be back on the agenda.

To note that it was also Virgin's high speed train services on the WCML through Nuneaton killed off the direct Coventry to Leicester and Nottingham / Skegness that was quite a successful service. They used to reverse at Nuneaton and cross the WCML on the then flat junction. Even today Coventry passengers still have to change at Nuneaton to get to Leicester.

Progress eh?

[the trainbasher]

Well couldn't platform loops work for the Binley station (I can't see them calling it Willenhall as there is the new Willenhall station opening soon in Wolvo, and two in the Midlands sounds like a job lot!) so if Avanti do reinstate the third train, WMR services can stop at the Coventry East Station and be out of the way of fast running services running in the through lines?

[Sandy Lane]

Well couldn't platform loops work for the Binley station (I can't see them calling it Willenhall as there is the new Willenhall station opening soon in Wolvo, and two in the Midlands sounds like a job lot!) so if Avanti do reinstate the third train, WMR services can stop at the Coventry East Station and be out of the way of fast running services running in the through lines?

IMO, assuming the mayor's 'New' (ho ho) plan is for a station in the cutting at St James Lane. Then he should stick with the local Coventry council original plan and call it Binley & Willenhall as Binley is on one side of the line and Willenhall on the other.  Best ask the Mayor what the heck does Coventry East mean?

Stations are built as cheap as possible. Again IMO putting extra tracks sounds a good idea but there isn't the money to do it? Also there isn't space to do this in a cutting. 

Just maybe the Mayor's plan will be to plonk the platforms somewhere else. We will have wait and see unless anyone has more info? IMO Binley & Willenhall station should have been built years ago.

Don't forget election time is coming soon and many promised vote catching ideas just don't happen!. If 'Coventry East' ever gets built it will be a long wait until the first train is able to call there, 

Let's see how this station idea rolls on.

[markcf83]

Well couldn't platform loops work for the Binley station (I can't see them calling it Willenhall as there is the new Willenhall station opening soon in Wolvo, and two in the Midlands sounds like a job lot!) so if Avanti do reinstate the third train, WMR services can stop at the Coventry East Station and be out of the way of fast running services running in the through lines?

If the stopper,on departure from Coventry,is only a few minutes behind the Avanti service it wouldn't really matter when it's timed. Likewise at Rugby too. 

[Stu]

Well couldn't platform loops work for the Binley station (I can't see them calling it Willenhall as there is the new Willenhall station opening soon in Wolvo, and two in the Midlands sounds like a job lot!) so if Avanti do reinstate the third train, WMR services can stop at the Coventry East Station and be out of the way of fast running services running in the through lines?

As far as I can make out from the timetable, WMR only operate a couple of journeys to/from Coventry, so presumably it would be London Northwestern (LNR) that would call at any Coventry East station.

As LNR journeys are already pathed to avoid clashing with the faster services, it might just require a small timetable tweak to factor in this additional stop.

[Sandy Lane]

As far as I can make out from the timetable, WMR only operate a couple of journeys to/from Coventry, so presumably it would be London Northwestern (LNR) that would call at any Coventry East station.

As LNR journeys are already pathed to avoid clashing with the faster services, it might just require a small timetable tweak to factor in this additional stop.

Agree as there are less Avanti trains today and also the more recent LNWR units have better acceleration rates so time in section is less than it would have been 25 to 30 years ago.

Wasn't there a call from Warwickshire to reopen the nearby Brandon & Wolston station as well? If so the LNWR trains could require two additional stops in this section?

[Stu]

IMO, assuming the mayor's 'New' (ho ho) plan is for a station in the cutting at St James Lane. Then he should stick with the local Coventry council original plan and call it Binley & Willenhall as Binley is on one side of the line and Willenhall on the other.  Best ask the Mayor what the heck does Coventry East mean?

Stations are built as cheap as possible. Again IMO putting extra tracks sounds a good idea but there isn't the money to do it? Also there isn't space to do this in a cutting. 

Having studied that location on Google Maps, it would seem a logical place to put the station.

It wouldn't need to be anything fancy, just a simple 'Metro-style' station, with platforms and a couple of shelters, with ramps leading up to the road.

I would imagine that at the same time, there could be an opportunity to replace the current bridge with something a bit wider?

[Sandy Lane]

The road bridge is quite narrow and has a sharp dog leg corner on the Willenhall side. The bridge has been there for a long time (since the rlwy opened? - in horse and cart days maybe?) and has seen many bumps and scrapes over the years. It is well beyond its sell by date. Try StreetView and you will see what I mean.

To sort it all out would need more land and there's none spare. 

[Stu]

The road bridge is quite narrow and has a sharp dog leg corner on the Willenhall side. The bridge has been there for a long time (since the rlwy opened? - in horse and cart days maybe?) and has seen many bumps and scrapes over the years. It is well beyond its sell by date. Try StreetView and you will see what I mean.

To sort it all out would need more land and there's none spare.

I guess it would be interesting to see where they plan to put this station then.

Something that should be relatively straight-forward will no doubt end up costing millions of pounds!

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

I guess it would be interesting to see where they plan to put this station then.

Something that should be relatively straight-forward will no doubt end up costing millions of pounds!

Knowing this Mayor it will. Darlaston and Willenhall Train stations which have the line already and have the land Haven't been built yet I understand the contractor went bust, but I believe they have a new one now last time I past Darlaston on the bus there was no signs of life how many millions is that going to cost by the time it is done, WMR already had or have services going down the line in preparation they have the planned services and timetable all sorted. Aldridge is another one how long will that take and cost how much. 

[ellspurs]

Knowing this Mayor it will. Darlaston and Willenhall Train stations which have the line already and have the land Haven't been built yet I understand the contractor went bust, but I believe they have a new one now last time I past Darlaston on the bus there was no signs of life how many millions is that going to cost by the time it is done, WMR already had or have services going down the line in preparation they have the planned services and timetable all sorted. Aldridge is another one how long will that take and cost how much.

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/willenhall-and-darlaston-stations-heading-30m-over-budget-as-opening-slips-to-late-2025-15-11-2023/

You don't need to imagine, it's already happening lol.