Coventry railway station is the main railway station serving the city of Coventry,West Midlands,England.[2] The station is on the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line (WCML);it is also located at the centre of a junction where the lines to Nuneaton and to Leamington converge. It is situated on the southern edge of the city-centre,just outside the Coventry ring road,about 250 yards to the south of junction 6.
The original station was built in 1838 as part of the London and Birmingham Railway and could be entered from Warwick Road,where two flights of stairs took the passengers down to the platform. Within two years it had been replaced,with a new larger station,a few hundred feet nearer to Rugby,this time,accessed via Eaton Road. In the late 19th century the Coventry tram network extended to the station at Eaton Road. The original station building remained in service as the station masters offices,until the station was redeveloped in the early 1960s by the London Midland Region of British Railways.
The 1840 station was subject to a significant number of modifications and extensions over the years. There was an engine shed,water column and turntable,in its later days an inclined walkway from the platform directly to Warwick Road for summer excursion passengers,and a parcel depot formed from old carriages. However,the station was constrained by bridges at either end,Stoney Road bridge to the south,and Warwick Road bridge to the north. The bridges effectively restricted the station to two lines,and prevented the platforms from being extended.
In 1881 the London and North Western company planned extensive alterations and improvements at an estimated cost of £12,000 to £13,000 to remedy the situation.[4] The up and down platforms were extended beyond the bridge and a new siding installed near Quinton Road. A new line of 2¾miles was laid from Coventry to Wainbody Wood to ease congestion and delays on this branch line. The cutting opposite the signal box on the Leamington Line was widened and the stone bridge in Stoney Lane replaced with an iron girder one. An accident occurred during the installation of the iron girder bridge when as the iron girder was being lifted into position. The hook of the pulley holding the girder broke in two and the girder fell,smashing the wagons beneath. There were no injuries,although many workmen had a lucky escape.[5]
In 1902 the LNWR carried out further improvements at the station at a cost of £25,000. The contractor was Mr. Parnell of Rugby and the work was supervised by Mr. Brunsdon. The plan involved converting a garden rented by the station-master to utilise as a siding. The left-hand side of the Warwick Road bridge was widened by around 12 feet (3.7m). The up platform was raised by 9 inches and extended 95 yards beyond the Stoney Road bridge.[6] The interior of the station was extended to where the current entrance was,and the refreshment rooms,telegraph and other offices were built on the space formerly roof-in as a cab stand. The cab stand was planned to move further in the direction of Eaton Road. A foot bridge with lifts was provided between the up and down platforms[7] The new booking office opened in February 1903.[8] It was 25ft 9in by 27ft and in the centre of a new block of waiting rooms and offices.
However,it proved inadequate for the growing business at the station. Work on expansion was due to start in 1914,but was delayed by labour shortages and the outbreak of the First World War. Work started in August 1915 on enlarging the booking hall.[9] The new booking hall had a 60ft open frontage to the street with six booking windows,and extra entrances and exits to the up platform. The booking office was also much larger. The contractor was Mr. Heap of Northampton.[10]
By 1935 the station needed additional facilities and a plan was prepared to provide a new island platform of 920 ft in length on the down Birmingham side at a cost of £70,000 to £80,000.[11] Although the railway company had wanted a larger scheme of improvement,the full plan could not be delivered at this time,so the island platform was the first stage. Work did not start until early 1938 when the costs had risen to £100,000[12] (equivalent to £6,790,000in 2021).[13] The bookstall on the up platform was moved,rebuilt and equipped with electric light. A new electric lift was provided for the movement of luggage. The existing general and women’s waiting rooms,and the enquiry office were converted into new refreshment rooms. The construction of the island platform did not start until 1939,[14] but was put on hold by the outbreak of the Second World War and never completed to the original LMS plans.
Coventry station in 1962,shortly after being rebuilt
In the early 1960s,during electrification of the line,both bridges were widened,and the old station finally demolished and re-built,this time with room for four platforms instead of two. At the time it was demolished in 1960,some parts of the old station were 120 years old. The new station comprises a two-storey height booking hall with reinforced concrete frame,linked across an adjoining platform by a bridge to an island platform and a single sided platform. It was built to the designs of W R Headley,Regional Architect of the London Midland Region of British Railways and Derrick Shorten,the project architect.[1] It was formally reopened on 1 May 1962.[15][16][17] In 1995 it became a Grade II listed building.[1][18][19]
The new station featured a new parcel depot,used to manage the large number of mail order catalogue packages coming into Coventry at the time. The depot was serviced by its own platforms from the Rugby end. The depot has now been replaced by a multi-storey car park,although some of the platforms and an electrification gantry remain.
A £91 million redevelopment of the station commenced in 2019 and was completed in 2022.[20] The redevelopment consists of a new concourse,footbridge and a new multi-story car park.[20] From the mid-2020s Coventry station is also planned to be served by the Coventry Very Light Rail system.[21]
There was a power signal box on the Rugby side of the station,but was closed by Network Rail in 2002-2004 as a new signalling centre was made.
Motive power depot
The London and Birmingham Railway opened a small motive power depot at the west end of the station in 1838. This was replaced by a larger depot in the fork between the Leamington and Rugby lines,in 1866. This was enlarged in 1897 and rebuilt in 1957 but closed 17 November 1958 and was demolished.[22] Locomotives were then serviced at the former Great Western Railway depot at Leamington Spa.
Services
Coventry station from above in 2018Coventry railway station platforms
There is a small yard at the Birmingham end of the station,in front of the shopping centre that was once part of Coventry's yard,that is used by London Midland for the stabling of electric traction units,no heavy work is carried out at Coventry as that is done at either Soho TMD (for Class 323s) or Northampton Siemens depot (Class 350s). All diesel units are stabled at Tyseley TMD where they are cleaned,maintained and refuelled. These units are only used on the local service to Nuneaton.
Until 2004,Coventry had a direct service to Nottingham via Leicester,but this was discontinued because Network Rail took away the ability for trains coming from Coventry to cross to the Leicester line at Nuneaton.
The basic Monday to Saturday off-peak service in trains per hour (tph) is as follows:[23][24]
2tph to London Euston calling at Rugby,Long Buckby,Northampton,Milton Keynes Central,Wolverton and Bletchley and once per hour additionally at Watford Junction.
The former (1960s) main station building,seen in 2006
In addition to the usual ticket office,the station has a travel centre for information,tickets for advance travel,ferry services,for rail passes,and other services. Buses to Coventry city centre can be caught from the station car park.
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.
Warwickshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north,Northamptonshire to the east,Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire to the south,and Worcestershire and the West Midlands county to the west. The largest settlement is Nuneaton and the county town is Warwick.
Rugby railway station serves the market town of Rugby in Warwickshire,England. The current station dates from 1885;two previous stations dating from 1838 and 1840 respectively,existed at locations to the west of the current one. It has been Rugby's only station,since the closure of the former Rugby Central station in 1969,on the now-abandoned Great Central Main Line route through the town. Between 1950 and 1970,the station was known as Rugby Midland before reverting to its original title. The station underwent an extensive remodelling between 2006 and 2008;new platforms were added and a new ticket office and entrance building were constructed. The original Victorian part of the station was retained in the upgrade.
Leamington Spa railway station serves the town of Leamington Spa,in Warwickshire,England. It is situated on Old Warwick Road towards the southern edge of the town centre. It is a major stop on the Chiltern Main Line between London and Birmingham,and is the southern terminus of a branch line to Coventry.
The Chiltern Main Line is a railway line which links London (Marylebone) and Birmingham on a 112-mile (180 km) route via High Wycombe,Bicester,Banbury,Leamington Spa and Solihull in England.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Berkswell railway station,in the West Midlands of England,takes its name from the nearby village of Berkswell although it is located on the northern edge of the village of Balsall Common. The station originally opened in 1844 as Docker's Lane,changed to Berkswell on 1 January 1853,then to Berkswell &Balsall Common on 1 February 1928 before reverting to Berkswell again in 1955.
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.
Dorridge railway station serves the large village of Dorridge in the West Midlands of England. The station is served by Chiltern Railways,who manage the station,and also by West Midlands Trains. It is situated 10+1⁄2 miles (16.9 km) south of Birmingham Snow Hill.
Solihull railway station serves the market town of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. The station is served by West Midlands Trains and Chiltern Railways. CrossCountry serve the station occasionally to replace stops at Coventry and Birmingham International during engineering work. Solihull used to have a regular Virgin CrossCountry service to Manchester Piccadilly,Blackpool North and Portsmouth Harbour until 2004,when all services through the station were made to run non-stop between Birmingham and Leamington Spa.
Tyseley railway station serves the district of Tyseley in Birmingham,West Midlands,England. It is at the junction of the lines linking Birmingham with Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Canley railway station is situated in Canley,Coventry,in the West Midlands of England. The station,and all trains serving it,are operated by West Midlands Railway.
Stechford railway station serves the Stechford area of Birmingham,England on Victoria Road,just off Station Road,which is part of the A4040 Birmingham outer ring road. The station and all trains serving it are operated by West Midlands Trains. It lies at the junction between the Birmingham to Coventry line and the predominantly freight-only Stechford-Aston spur.
Tame Bridge Parkway is a railway station in the north of the borough of Sandwell,in the West Midlands,England,close to the boundary with Walsall. The station is operated by West Midlands Railway. It is situated on the Chase Line 9 miles (14 km) north of Birmingham New Street,part of the former Grand Junction Railway,opened in 1837.
Cradley Heath railway station serves the town of Cradley Heath in the West Midlands of England. It is on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster line. The station is managed by West Midlands Railway,who provide the majority of train services;there are also occasional services provided by Chiltern Railways.
The Coventry to Leamington Line is a railway line linking the city of Coventry with the town of Leamington Spa. The line was opened in 1844 by the London and Birmingham Railway,as far as Milverton. The line was extended to Leamington Spa Avenue in 1851. A connecting line to Berkswell opened in 1884.
↑ "Accident at the Railway Station". Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser. England. 24 December 1881. Retrieved 9 February 2022– via British Newspaper Archive.
↑ "Topics of the Week". Coventry Evening Telegraph. England. 15 November 1902. Retrieved 9 February 2022– via British Newspaper Archive.
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