General information | |
---|---|
Location | Lichfield, District of Lichfield England |
Coordinates | 52°41′12″N1°48′01″W / 52.68662°N 1.80024°W |
Grid reference | SK136099 |
Managed by | West Midlands Trains |
Platforms | 3 |
Other information | |
Station code | LTV |
Classification | DfT category E |
History | |
Opened | 1847 |
Original company | Trent Valley Railway South Staffordshire Railway |
Pre-grouping | London and North Western Railway |
Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
Key dates | |
15 September 1847 | Original station on Trent Valley Railway opened as Lichfield |
August 1849 | Station on South Staffs Railway opened as Lichfield Trent Valley Junction |
3 July 1871 | Earlier stations closed; present Lichfield Trent Valley station opened |
18 January 1965 | High level platforms closed |
28 November 1988 | High level platform reopened |
1 June 2014 | Station buildings replaced |
Passengers | |
2018/19 | 1.094 million |
Interchange | 0.127 million |
2019/20 | 1.104 million |
Interchange | 0.136 million |
2020/21 | 0.179 million |
Interchange | 18,697 |
2021/22 | 0.595 million |
Interchange | 68,711 |
2022/23 | 0.688 million |
Interchange | 65,725 |
Location | |
Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
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.
The Trent Valley Railway (TVR),which connected the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) at Rugby with the Grand Junction Railway (GJR) at Stafford,was formed on 21 July 1845, [1] and opened on 15 September 1847, [2] including a station at Lichfield. [3] In the meantime,the L&BR,GJR and Manchester and Birmingham Railway had amalgamated in July 1846 as the London and North Western Railway (LNWR), [4] which itself absorbed the TVR later in 1846. [2] This first station at Lichfield was built in 1847. This station was situated north of Burton Road approximately 0.2 miles north of the current crossing point. The architect,John William Livock,built the station in a Tudor Gothic style. [5]
The South Staffordshire Railway (SSR),which connected Dudley with Burton-on-Trent,was formed on 6 October 1846 by amalgamation of two smaller railways,both of which had been formed on 3 August 1846. [6] The line north of Walsall opened on 9 April 1849, [7] but the station named Lichfield Trent Valley Junction was not opened until August 1849. [3] Lichfield Trent Valley Junction was built south of Burton Road close to Streethay just past the present signal box. From it a spur line descended to the other station north of the crossing point to allow passengers to transfer to the LNWR main line below. [8] The SSR was leased to the LNWR in February 1861,and was absorbed by that company on 15 July 1867. [9]
On 3 July 1871,both of these stations were closed by the LNWR,they were replaced with a single station;Lichfield Trent Valley was built in its present location with high and low-level platforms adjoining each other. The Low Level platforms,serving the Rugby-Stafford line,were situated approximately 400 m (440 yd) south of the original TVR station. The High Level platforms closed on 18 January 1965 with the withdrawal of passenger services between Lichfield City and Burton-on-Trent. On 28 November 1988,the service between Birmingham and Lichfield City was extended,and initially both of the High Level platforms at Lichfield Trent Valley were reopened as a terminus,with steps leading up to both sides from the low level platforms. [3] [10] At that time the service was hourly,and the diesel units were shunted as empty coaching stock North from the Down Walsall platform to just past the high level signalbox. There they would be crossed over to the Up Walsall line and proceed into the up platform. [11] These workings remained in place until the now current trailing crossover just south of the high level platform was opened during the electrification and upgrading of the line in 1992. Once the new trailing crossing had been commissioned,the Up Walsall platform was closed,and the electric trains terminated in the Down Walsall platform without requiring a shunt move to reverse.
The signal box was demolished over the weekend of 15 June 2008 as part of the West Coast upgrade.
In December 2013,work started on an upgrade to the station,this included the opening of an additional car park in February 2014,and the construction of a new station building. [12]
From July to December 2023,Platform 3 on the Cross-City Line was replaced by a new structure due to corrosion of the old platform supports. Whilst the bridge was being replaced a temporary footbridge was in use and a rail replacement bus transported passengers between Lichfield City and Trent Valley Stations.
On New Year's Day 1946, the station was the site of a points failure resulting in an express fish train from Fleetwood to London Broad Street being diverted into a stationary local passenger train standing in the up platform loop, resulting in the deaths of 20 people and injury of 21 more. The disaster is one of the very rare cases in the UK that involved a mechanical point interlocking failing to prevent an accident.
The station is located 1 mile north-east from the city-centre and serves the east and north side of the city. It is also being used by commuters from surrounding villages, such as Fradley, Alrewas and Whittington. The station bears the name Trent Valley, as the line on the lower level was opened by the Trent Valley Railway, which ran between Rugby and Stafford. [1] The River Trent is found around 6 miles north of Lichfield Trent Valley at Wynchnor Junction, where it is joined by two of its tributaries, the River Tame and the River Mease.
Access to the station is from the A5127. The station serves as a connecting station for travellers wishing to get to Birmingham on the Cross-City Line.
The station's low-level platforms are located on the Trent Valley Line section of the West Coast Main Line (WCML). Facilities are basic – the original station buildings on the low-level platforms were demolished in 1969 and replaced with a basic wooden building and shelter. [13] [14]
Above this, a single platform at a right-angle to the low-level platforms, forms the high-level part of the station. This is Platform 3 and is used as the northern terminus of the Cross-City Line, which passes over the WCML on a bridge. The high-level platform is connected by stairs from the low-level platforms and also serves as a footbridge for passenger access to the southbound low-level platform. Passenger lifts were installed here in June 2020 to allow for step free access between the lower and upper platforms. [15] Platform 3 was replaced from 2022 to 2023. In 2022, it was temporarily closed due to safety concerns while repairs took place. The platform then closed from July to December 2023 to allow it to be replaced in a £5.8 million project. [16] [17] [18] [19]
North of the high-level station, the line continues to Wychnor Junction, where it joins the Cross Country Route towards Derby. This stretch of line remains open for freight trains, empty stock transfers to the nearby Central Rivers TMD and occasional diversions, but no longer has a regular advertised passenger service. One or two trains a day between Birmingham and Derby use this route without stopping instead of going via Tamworth for operational reasons. [20] Passenger services used to run north to Alrewas and Burton-on-Trent, but these ceased when the high-level station was closed in 1965. One platform of the high-level station was reopened as the northern terminus of the Cross City Line in 1988 by British Rail, with southbound services to Birmingham, Longbridge and Redditch only. A single track chord connects the low and high level lines at the north of the station, but is not regularly used. [13] [14]
In the December 2023 timetable services at Lichfield Trent Valley's Low level platforms are as follows:
West Midlands Trains operating under the London Northwestern Railway branding, operates a semi-fast hourly service southbound to London Euston via Nuneaton, Rugby, and Milton Keynes Central and northbound to Crewe via Stafford. This service uses Class 350 EMUs. [21] Some peak services call at Northampton.
Avanti West Coast provide additional services during the peak hours and weekends. [22]
Mondays to Saturdays:
Northbound, there are:
Southbound there are:
Sundays:
Additional services may also call, providing links to Manchester Piccadilly, Lancaster, Glasgow Central, Carlisle in the northbound direction and to London southbound. [23] It is envisaged for services from Lichfield Trent Valley to Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly to start in the future as part of a possible direct award of the West Coast Partnership franchise. [24] As part of the December 2022 timetable changes, it was planned that from December 2023, Lichfield Trent Valley would begin to receive regular off-peak calls on Avanti services to and from Liverpool, along with Tamworth, using Hitachi trains. [25] These would be hourly calling at Runcorn. The introduction of this service did not occur as of January 2024 and the Hitachi trains have not yet entered service.
On the high level platform 3 there is a half-hourly service on Mondays-Saturdays on the Cross-City Line to Bromsgrove, calling at all stations except Duddeston. On Sundays the service typically terminates at Redditch serving all stations en route. All Cross City Line services are operated by West Midlands Trains with local Transport for West Midlands services using Class 323 Electric multiple units with an average journey time to Birmingham New Street of around 41 minutes and to Longbridge of around 1 hour 5 minutes. [26] [27]
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Terminus | West Midlands Railway Lichfield – Four Oaks – Birmingham – Bromsgrove/Redditch Cross-City Line | Lichfield City | ||
London Northwestern Railway Crewe – Nuneaton – London | ||||
Avanti West Coast Liverpool – London | ||||
Stafford | Avanti West Coast Manchester – London | Tamworth or London Euston | ||
Stoke-on-Trent | ||||
Stafford | Avanti West Coast North Wales – London | Tamworth | ||
Avanti West Coast Lancaster/Preston – London | ||||
Historical railways | ||||
Line open, station closed | London and North Western Railway | Line and station open |
Birmingham International is a railway station known by code "BHI" in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands of England, just east of Birmingham. It is on the Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line 14 km (8.7 mi) east of Birmingham New Street railway station. BHI serves Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre, the Resorts World Arena, and Resorts World Birmingham.
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 Trains.
The Chase Line is a suburban railway line in the West Midlands region of England. It runs from its southern terminus, Birmingham New Street, to Walsall, and then Rugeley Trent Valley in Staffordshire, where it joins the Trent Valley line. The name of the line refers to Cannock Chase which it runs through at its northern end.
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. 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 is situated in the Duddeston area of Birmingham, England on the Redditch-Birmingham New Street-Four Oaks-Lichfield Cross-City Line and the Chase Line. Services on the Cross-City Line are usually operated by Class 323 electric multiple units, while Class 350 electric multiple units are commonly used on services to and from Walsall.
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.
Nuneaton railway station serves the market town of Nuneaton in Warwickshire, England. The station is managed by West Midlands Trains. It is served by three railway lines: the Trent Valley section of the West Coast Main Line (WCML), the Birmingham-Leicester-Peterborough line and the Coventry to Nuneaton branch line. The station was known, during the period 1924–1969, as Nuneaton Trent Valley, to distinguish it from the now closed Nuneaton Abbey Street station; many local people still refer to it as Trent Valley.
Gravelly Hill railway station 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.
Tamworth is a split-level railway station which serves the market town of Tamworth in Staffordshire, England. It is an interchange between two main lines; the Cross Country Route and the Trent Valley section of the West Coast Main Line (WCML). It has four platforms: Two low-level platforms on the WCML, and, at a right-angle to, and passing over these, are two high-level platforms served by the Cross Country Route. Historically there were chords connecting the two lines, but there is no longer any rail connection between them.
Wolverhampton station is a railway station in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England on the Birmingham Loop of the West Coast Main Line. It is served by Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains services, and was historically known as Wolverhampton High Level. It is also a West Midlands Metro tram stop.
Rugeley Trent Valley is a railway station located on the outskirts of Rugeley in Staffordshire, England. It is one of two stations serving Rugeley, the other being Rugeley Town. It is on the eastern side of the town close to the Rugeley Trent Valley Trading Estate and located close to the River Trent. West Midlands Trains operate the station, and all trains serving it.
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, Wylde Green and Boldmere in north-east Birmingham, in the West Midlands county of England. It is sited on the Cross-City Line between 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.
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.
Blake Street railway station serves the Hill Hook area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is situated on the Cross-City Line, located on the county boundary between the West Midlands and Staffordshire. The station is managed by West Midlands Trains, who operate all trains serving it.
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.
Hednesford railway station serves the town of Hednesford in Staffordshire, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by West Midlands Railway.
Alrewas railway station was a station on the South Staffordshire Railway, which served the village of Alrewas, Staffordshire. The station was located next to a level crossing, although the main road, now the A513, now crosses the railway line via a bridge.