General information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Location | Lichfield, Lichfield District England | ||||
Grid reference | SK119091 | ||||
Managed by | West Midlands Railway | ||||
Platforms | 2 | ||||
Other information | |||||
Station code | LIC | ||||
Classification | DfT category D | ||||
Key dates | |||||
1849 | First station opened | ||||
3 November 1884 | Resited [1] | ||||
Passengers | |||||
2019/20 | 0.828 million | ||||
2020/21 | 0.197 million | ||||
2021/22 | 0.488 million | ||||
2022/23 | 0.633 million | ||||
2023/24 | 0.751 million | ||||
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Lichfield City is one of two railway stations serving the cathedral city of Lichfield,in Staffordshire,England. It is situated in the city centre,whilst Lichfield Trent Valley station is on the eastern outskirts. City station is a stop towards the northern end of the Cross-City Line,17+1⁄4 miles (27.8 km) north-east of Birmingham New Street. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by West Midlands Railway.
The station opened in 1849, on the South Staffordshire Railway's line from Lichfield Trent Valley to Walsall and Dudley. This later became part of the London and North Western Railway. The architect for the South Staffordshire Railway was Mr Edward Adams of London and the station building built in 1849 was a modest creation in a Tudor style, with tall gables and chimneys. [2] Services to Birmingham began in 1884, when a branch to Sutton Coldfield opened, connecting with an earlier LNWR line. This original station was demolished in 1882 when the present one was built to accommodate these additional services. The original station stood further east than the present one. It was approached from the city by a path which ran across Levett's Field and up some brick steps in front of the station, these can still be seen near the present Fire Station. [2]
Passenger trains northwards to Burton-on-Trent, via Trent Valley station, ceased in January 1965, along with trains to Walsall. Lichfield City became the northern terminus of the line from Birmingham, which later became part of the Cross-City Line. In 1988, under British Rail, the line was extended back to Trent Valley. Lichfield City has retained considerable character. [3]
The line to Walsall closed subsequently to all traffic in March 1984, except for the section as far as Anglesey sidings (near Hammerwich), which was retained to serve a Charringtons oil terminal. Traffic from there ceased in 2002 and the line has been disused since then, although the track remains intact.
In June 1990, the station was in the news after a trainee soldier, William Robert Davies, aged 19, was shot and killed by two Provisional IRA gunmen; two other new recruits were wounded, whilst they were awaiting a train to Birmingham. [4] A plaque commemorating the incident is situated in the station.
The station has a staffed ticket office, located at street level on Station Road; this is open throughout the week from early morning until mid-evening. A self-service ticket machine is also provided in the ticket hall for use when the ticket office is closed or for collecting pre-paid tickets.
At platform level, there are toilets and a waiting room. Customer help points, CIS displays and automated announcements provide train running information. Step-free access is available to both the ticket hall and platforms (the latter via lift from the subway). [5]
The station is served by West Midlands Trains with local Transport for West Midlands branded "Cross-City" services, operated using Class 323 Electric multiple units (EMUs) [6] until September 2024 and currently by Class 730 EMUs. [7]
The off-peak service pattern is as follows:
Mondays to Saturdays:
Sundays:
Services on Sundays call at all stations between Lichfield T.V. and Redditch.
The average journey time to Lichfield Trent Valley is around 3 minutes and the average journey time to Birmingham New Street is around 36 minutes. [8] [9]
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Lichfield Trent Valley | West Midlands Railway Lichfield – Four Oaks – Birmingham – Bromsgrove/Redditch Cross-City Line | Shenstone | ||
Terminus | ||||
Historical railways | ||||
Line and station open | London and North Western Railway | Line and station closed |
The South Staffordshire Line from Lichfield Trent Valley to Burton on Trent is often used for diversions when the route via Tamworth is closed for engineering work, as well as for occasional freight trains and empty stock transfers.
The line from Walsall to Lichfield has been identified as a "disused rail corridor" in a strategy conducted by the West Midlands Combined Authority; this means that there a long-term ambition to reopen this line as either a heavy/light rail corridor. There are also aspirations to reconnect the disused line at Wednesbury to Walsall, as either a rail or tram line. [10]
Consideration is also being given to the reintroduction of train services to Burton and Derby. Services north of Lichfield City currently terminate at Lichfield Trent Valley; the line beyond is only used by freight for access to the Barton train maintenance depot, occasional CrossCountry services and as a diversionary route. A short-term option may be a diesel shuttle service, with longer-term ambitions to electrify the line and provide stations at Barton Under Needwood and Alrewas. [11]
Immediately adjacent to the station is a bridge which carries the rail lines over the busy A51. The bridge is frequently struck by heavy goods traffic on the road below, forcing rail traffic to and from Shenstone to reduce speed over the bridge as a safety precaution. The bridge is the fourth most struck bridge in the country. [12]
The Cross-City Line is a suburban rail line in the West Midlands region of England. It runs for 32 mi (51 km) from Redditch and Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, its two southern termini, to Lichfield, Staffordshire, its northern terminus, via Birmingham New Street, connecting the suburbs of Birmingham in between. Services are operated by West Midlands Railway.
Sutton Coldfield railway station is the main railway station for the town of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is situated on the Redditch/Bromsgrove-Birmingham New Street-Four Oaks-Lichfield Cross-City Line 7+1⁄2 miles (12.1 km) north east of Birmingham New Street.
Aston railway station serves the districts of Aston and Nechells in Birmingham, England. The passenger entrance is on Lichfield Road and accessible via the staircase or lifts to take you to the platform which is raised. The station is on the Cross-City Line and the Chase Line. It is one of two local stations for Aston Villa Football Club and near to the Aston Expressway and to Gravelly Hill Interchange.
Duddeston railway station serves the Duddeston area of Birmingham, England. It is sited on the Cross-City Line between Bromsgrove and Redditch in the south and Four Oaks and Lichfield Trent Valley in the north and the Chase Line between Birmingham International and Rugeley Trent Valley. Both lines run towards Birmingham New Street in the southbound direction.
Wylde Green railway station is a railway station serving northern Wylde Green and Boldmere in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is on the Redditch/Bromsgrove-Birmingham New Street-Lichfield Cross-City Line 6+1⁄2 miles (10.5 km) north east of Birmingham New Street, and is in Centro fare zone 4.
Shenstone railway station is a railway station on Station Road, in the village of Shenstone, in Staffordshire, England. It is situated on the Cross-City Line between Bromsgrove/Redditch and Lichfield via Birmingham.
Gravelly Hill railway station is a station below the surrounding ground level and can be accessed by a staircase or ramp to reach the platforms. It serves the Gravelly Hill area of Birmingham, England. It is situated on the Redditch/Bromsgrove-Birmingham New Street-Four Oaks-Lichfield Cross-City Line.
Walsall railway station is the principal railway station of Walsall, West Midlands, England and situated in the heart of the town. It is operated by West Midlands Trains, with services provided by West Midlands Railway. The main entrance is situated inside the Saddlers Shopping Centre.
Selly Oak railway station is a railway station in Selly Oak in Birmingham, England, on the Cross-City Line between Redditch, Birmingham and Lichfield.
Kings Norton railway station serves the Kings Norton and Cotteridge areas of Birmingham, England. It lies on the Cross-City Line from Redditch and Bromsgrove through Birmingham New Street to Lichfield. The station's main entrance is located on Pershore Road South, the A441.
Lichfield Trent Valley is one of two railway stations that serve the city of Lichfield in Staffordshire, England; the other being Lichfield City in the city centre. It is a split-level station: low level platforms serve the Trent Valley section of the West Coast Main Line, with a single high level platform being the northern terminus of the Cross-City Line.
Erdington railway station is a railway station serving the Erdington area of Birmingham, England. It is situated on the Redditch/Bromsgrove-Birmingham New Street-Four Oaks-Lichfield Cross-City Line.
Chester Road railway station serves the areas of Pype Hayes, Erdington and Wylde Green in north-east Birmingham, in the West Midlands county of England. It is sited on the Cross-City Line between Bromsgrove/Redditch and Lichfield Trent Valley, via Birmingham New Street. Pedestrian access to the station is via Green Lanes, near to the junction with the Chester Road (A452). It is above road level, as the line here is on an embankment.
Northfield railway station serves the Northfield area of Birmingham, England. It is situated on the Cross-City Line, and is managed by West Midlands Trains, who also operate all of the rail services that serve it.
Longbridge railway station serves the Longbridge, Rednal, Rubery and West Heath areas in the far south-west of Birmingham, England. It is on the Cross City Line. The station, and all trains calling there, are operated by West Midlands Trains.
Barnt Green railway station serves the village of Barnt Green, North Worcestershire, England. It is situated 9+1⁄2 miles (15.3 km) south west of Birmingham New Street. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by West Midlands Trains.
Four Oaks railway station serves the Four Oaks area of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England. It is situated on the Cross-City Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by West Midlands Railway.
Butlers Lane railway station serves the northern part of the Four Oaks district of Sutton Coldfield, England. It is sited on the Cross-City Line between Bromsgrove/Redditch and Lichfield Trent Valley, via Birmingham New Street. The station, and all trains calling there, are operated by West Midlands Trains.
Blake Street railway station serves the Hill Hook area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is sited on the Cross-City Line between Bromsgrove/Redditch and Lichfield Trent Valley, via Birmingham New Street. The station located on the county boundary between the West Midlands and Staffordshire. It is managed by West Midlands Trains, who operate all trains serving the station.
The South Staffordshire line is a partially mothballed and active former mainline that connects Burton-upon-Trent to Lichfield in Staffordshire and formerly then to the West Midlands towns of Walsall, Wednesbury, Dudley and Stourbridge. However, Dudley and Stourbridge were already joined to the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway's (OW&WR) line just north of Dudley Station. It in essence, continued to Stourbridge along with Wednesbury and Walsall.