General information | |
---|---|
Location | Edgbaston, Birmingham England |
Coordinates | 52°27′04″N1°56′10″W / 52.451°N 1.936°W |
Grid reference | SP043837 |
Managed by | West Midlands Railway |
Transit authority | Transport for West Midlands |
Platforms | 2 |
Construction | |
Architect | John Broome (original) 1978 and Associated Architects (rebuild) 2024 |
Other information | |
Station code | UNI |
Fare zone | 2 |
Classification | DfT category D |
History | |
Original company | British Rail |
Key dates | |
1978 | Opened |
2024 | Rebuilt |
Passengers | |
2018/19 | 3.970 million |
2019/20 | 3.975 million |
2020/21 | 0.731 million |
2021/22 | 1.961 million |
2022/23 | 2.633 million |
Location | |
Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
University railway station serves the University of Birmingham,Birmingham Women's Hospital,and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the West Midlands of England. It is on the Cross-City Line,which runs from Redditch and Bromsgrove to Lichfield via Birmingham New Street. Most services are operated by West Midlands Railway who manage the station,but some are operated by CrossCountry.
The station is the only main line railway station in Great Britain built specifically to serve a university.
Located on the former Birmingham West Suburban Railway,University station was built in 1977–8 to the designs of the architect John Broome [1] as part of the upgrade of the Cross City line. [2] The station was opened by William Rodgers,the Secretary of State for Transport,on 8 May 1978. It is a short distance away from the former Somerset Road station which closed in the 1930s. The station is part built on the site of the ancient Metchley Roman Fort. The Cross-City Line was electrified in 1993 and the current Class 323 electric multiple units were introduced by British Rail on local services.
In 2017,it was announced that University railway station would receive up to £10 million as an improvement fund to enhance passenger experience and reduce overcrowding,as part of the Government's Midlands Engine Strategy. [3]
In July 2019,West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) [4] announced plans to redevelop the station in order to accommodate increasing passenger numbers generally and those arising from the upcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games,of which two events will be held at venues on the University of Birmingham campus. [5] The upgrades are intended to allow the station,originally designed for approximately 500,000 passengers a year,to handle more than 7 million passengers annually. [6]
The plans include: [6]
On 22 July 2020,Minister of State for Transport Chris Heaton-Harris announced £12 million of government funding towards the expected £56 million cost of the project. [7] The remaining £44 million is to be funded by a consortium comprising the University of Birmingham,Birmingham City Council,Network Rail,West Midlands Trains and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP. [7]
Construction work took place from 2021 to 2024. The architects were Associated Architects and the contractor was VolkerFitzpatrick. [8] The extended platforms were opened in time for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in July 2022,and the new buildings were opened on Sunday 28th January 2024. [9]
Pedestrian access is via University Road West,close to the Medical School and bus interchange - around 330 yards (300 m) uphill from University Square. Owing to the station's campus location on a service road there is no car parking,although nearby Selly Oak station is a designated Park and Ride station. [10] The station is alongside the Worcester and Birmingham Canal,a popular cycling and jogging route. Access is at street level as there is a fence between Platform 2 and the towpath.
On the concourse are two automated ticket machines and two windowed ticket booths,staffed all day Monday to Saturday and from 9:20 on Sundays. There is lift access down to both platforms from the entrance. [11] Platform 2 has a covered waiting room. Fare control is enforced by a line of automatic ticket barriers installed in April 2009,as at Five Ways station.
The station is served by West Midlands Railway with local Cross-City Line services operated by Class 323 electric multiple units. West Midlands Trains longer-distance services to Hereford and CrossCountry services to Cardiff and Nottingham are operated by air-conditioned Turbostar diesel multiple units.
University station is the seventh busiest station in the Transport for West Midlands region in terms of passenger numbers,and the busiest without a direct link to London. Just under four million passenger journeys were made to and from the station in the periods 2018–19 and 2019-20.
The typical off-peak weekday service,in trains per hour (tph) is: [12] [13] [14]
All services from Platform 1 stop at Birmingham New Street with an average journey time of around 7 minutes.
Services from this platform include :
On Mondays to Saturdays:
West Midlands Railway:
CrossCountry:
On Sundays:
West Midlands Railway:
CrossCountry:
Weekday services from this platform include:
West Midlands Railway:
CrossCountry:
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Five Ways | West Midlands Railway Lichfield –Four Oaks –Birmingham –Bromsgrove/Redditch Cross-City Line | Selly Oak | ||
Birmingham New Street | West Midlands Railway Birmingham –Bromsgrove –Worcester –Hereford | Bromsgrove or Droitwich Spa or Barnt Green | ||
CrossCountry |
There is level access from the street to the ticket office and footbridge. Lifts provide access to both platforms from the footbridge. The station has a wide ticket gate which wheelchair users can use unaided.
Birmingham New Street,also known as New Street station,is the largest and busiest of the three main railway stations in Birmingham city centre,England,and a central hub of the British railway system. It is a major destination for Avanti West Coast services from London Euston,Preston,Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley via the West Coast Main Line,the CrossCountry network,and for local and suburban services within the West Midlands;this includes those on the Cross-City Line between Lichfield Trent Valley,Redditch and Bromsgrove,and the Chase Line to Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley. The three-letter station code is BHM.
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.
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.
Five Ways railway station is a railway station serving the Five Ways and Lee Bank areas of Birmingham,England. It is situated on the Cross-City Line.
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.
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.
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.
Selly Oak railway station is a railway station in Selly Oak in Birmingham,England,on the Cross-City Line between Redditch,Birmingham and Lichfield.
Stafford railway station is a major interchange railway station in Stafford,Staffordshire,England,and is the second busiest railway station in Staffordshire,after Stoke-on-Trent. The station serves the market and county town,as well as surrounding villages. The station lies on the junction of the Trent Valley line,the Birmingham Loop/Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line,and the West Coast Main Line.
Water Orton railway station serves the village of Water Orton in Warwickshire,England. It is owned by Network Rail,and managed by West Midlands Railway. However,no West Midlands Trains stop there;it is only served by CrossCountry services.
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 is a railway station serving the Pype Hayes,Erdington,Wylde Green and Boldmere areas of north-east Birmingham,in the West Midlands county of England,as well as the nearby Wylde Green shops.
Longbridge railway station is a two-platform station,serving 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.
Droitwich Spa railway station serves the town of Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire,England. It is located just to the south-west of Droitwich Spa Junction of the Worcester to Leamington Spa Line and the Worcester to Birmingham New Street line. The station is managed by West Midlands Trains,who also operate all trains serving it.
The Birmingham station group is a station group of three railway stations in Birmingham city centre,consisting of New Street,Moor Street,and Snow Hill. The station group is printed on national railway tickets as BIRMINGHAM STNS and does not include the international station of Birmingham International,which is located some 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) east of the city centre next to Birmingham Airport and National Exhibition Centre.