Opening of new train line through UK’s second city is delayed
THE reopening of an old train line abandoned by passengers since World War Two has been delayed. featuring several disused stations in Birmingham has been delayed.
Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road Train Stations were set to open to the public later this year, but the launch has been pushed back because of rising costs.
The three stations, which are located on the Camp Hill Line in the south of the city, closed in 1941 as a wartime economy measure during the Second World War.
Even though passengers have been unable to board a train at these stations since the mid=20th century, their tracks have still been routinely used by freight services.
While the train stations were rumoured to reopen at the end of 2024, their opening date has been delayed by an additional year.
Other major transport projects in the region have also been hit with delays because of a rise in costs.
Transport for West Midlands bosses confirmed these delays last week.
According to the Birmingham Mail, a report to the West Midlands Combined Authority Board said “super inflationary” impacts, including issues like Covid, Brexit and other global events has resulted in increased costs.
The Executive Director for Transport for West Midlands, Anne Shaw, told the paper: “We’ve got quite an ambitious £3.5billion programme overall and we’re continuing with all schemes.
“We want to make sure we’ve got projects shovel ready. Nothing is being cancelled, we just deferring some of the start times and some of the construction.
“The current (Camp Hill) programme was to complete by the end of this calendar year and obviously we’re not in a position to do that and we will be completing in our programme during 2025.”
When the stations eventually open, they will provide regular train services into Birmingham New Street.
Until the revamped train stations reopen, several bus routes, including both the 50 and 35, will connect passengers to the city centre.
Moseley Village Train Station will open in one of Birmingham’s coolest neighbourhoods.
The Birmingham suburb is home to a thriving independent food scene and edgy music festivals.
A revamped attraction is set to reopen in Moseley next year following a £15.5million renovation project.
Moseley Road Baths first opened back in 1907, but it closed in October 2023 to make way for the redevelopment.
Other transport plans in the region have also been hit by the rising costs, including the reopening of Aldridge Station in Walsall.
The Black Country station first closed to passengers in 1965, but its tracks have been routinely used by freight services in the years since.
Even though the station hasn’t welcomed a single passenger in nearly 60 years, the West Midlands train station will reopen.
Nothing is being cancelled, we just deferring some of the start times
The new £30million train station was set to open in 2027 – although this date has now been delayed.
Meanwhile, phase one of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension has also been pushed back by one year.
The news was met with anger by former Birmingham mayor, Andy Street, who told the BBC the following: “If the mayor is now taking the decision to scale-back these plans then that is up to him and him alone.
“There were no end of challenges with transport projects when I was mayor – not least around inflation and construction challenges.
“But every time I sat down with officers and my team and worked through the problems to get schemes back on track.
“That was certainly the case with the Camp Hill line stations and Dudley Metro extension, which were on track to their revised timetables when I left office.”
Luckily, the West Midlands is home to plenty of unusual train stations and train lines, including the shortest train route in UK.
OTHER UK TRAIN LINES
The train between Stourbridge Town and Stourbridge Junction takes just three minutes and claims to be the shortest route of its kind in Europe.
The railway line stretches for a mere 0.8 miles, with tickets costing just £1.50.
Meanwhile, away from Birmingham, an urban train route in London lets passengers feeling like they’re in the driving seat.
On the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) line, passengers are able to perch on seats right at the front and look out upon the tracks as if they were in charge.
For those who like to imagine that they’re driving the trains, a new instalment could make it feel even more realistic.
Several of the trains running on the DLR lines could soon be fitted with cardboard steering wheels, allowing kids – and adults too – to act as driver.
Sun Travel's favourite train journeys in the world
Sun Travel's journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.
Davos to Geneva, Switzerland
“After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass.” – Caroline McGuire
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen
“Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you’re whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too – as you’ll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way.” Kara Godfrey
London to Paris by Eurostar
“Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what’s so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won’t have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord.” – Sophie Swietochowski
Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail
“From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond.” – Hope Brotherton
Beijing to Ulaanbatar
“The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city’s high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I’ve witnessed anywhere.” – Ryan Gray
Meanwhile, the world’s most beautiful train station is just one hour from the UK, and it is like “travelling back in time to golden age of rail”.
And a derelict train station dating back to 1881 could be transformed into a holiday park.
