RAILWAYS of the WEST MIDLANDS A Chronology 1954 – 2022 Part Three: The Privatisation Years; 1994–2022 Compiled by Robert Darlaston from the sources listed on the last page The two other parts of this Chronology may be found at: RAILWAYS of W. MIDLANDS pt 1. (1954-1974) RAILWAYS of W. MIDLANDS pt 2. (1975-1993)
			1994	Next Reference
Jan 10	RF.		Birmingham Snow Hill - Queen's Head sidings (Handsworth) reopened G. First use on January 12. [BLN723/4]	1995
Jan 10	R.R.		Stourbridge Junction - Stourbridge Town temporarily closed P and Stourbridge Town station permanently closed P pending construction of new station (see April 29). [BLN721]
Mar 13 (Sunday)	R.R.		Head-on collision at Sutton Coldfield resulting in injuries to 12 persons. The incident occurred during single-line working because of engineering work. The trains involved were diesel multiple units (Class 150) replacing the normal electric units.
Apr 1	B.R.B.		Railways Act 1993 effective. Railtrack assumed responsibility for rail infrastructure. Freight operations broken down into three individual operating units, plus Rail Express Systems (parcels and mail) and Railfreight Distribution (continental traffic). Passenger business sectors were split into Train Operating Units preparatory to privatisation. [F&S] TOUs operating in the West Midlands were: West Coast Trains (Inter-City services from Birmingham to Euston, Crewe and beyond). North London Railways (semi-fast services from Birmingham to Euston). CrossCountry (Inter-City services from Birmingham to Sheffield, Bristol, and Poole). Chiltern Lines (services from Snow Hill – Marylebone). Central (local services in the West Midlands area and trains from Birmingham to Wales and East Anglia). Thames Trains (services between Paddington and Stratford-upon-Avon via Oxford and Leamington Spa).	1995 1996 2001 1997 1997 1996 1997 1997 1996
Apr 29	WMPTE/ RT/Cen.		New station opened P at Stourbridge Town, the branch being shortened by 37 yards. [BLN733]	2009
Jun 27	RT		Sidings at Baddesley on branch from Kingsbury remodelled, later becoming Birmingham International Freight Terminal. [BLN737]	2002
			1995
May 29	XC		Direct service inaugurated from Manchester to Waterloo via Birmingham New Street, to connect with Channel Tunnel services [B]	1997
May 29	XC		Sleeping car service through Birmingham to Scotland (latterly extended to run to and from Plymouth) withdrawn. [B]
Sep 25	WMPTE/ RT/Cen.		Birmingham Snow Hill - Smethwick Junction reopened P with the stations noted below. [Q] A 'gala' service had been operated on the previous day. Jewellery Quarter opened P. The Hawthorns reopened P. Smethwick Galton Bridge opened P (platforms on both Snow Hill and New Street lines). Note: Smethwick West was reduced to a token service from the same date.	1996
Dec	RF/RT		Traffic ceased on remaining portion of Oldbury Goods branch serving Albright & Wilson's sidings. Branch remained in situ for several years but in practice was out of use. (Cessation of traffic was a result of withdrawal of cross-channel train ferries, dangerous chemicals not being allowed through the Channel Tunnel).
Dec 9	EWS		Under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993 a consortium formed by Wisconsin Central acquired Rail Express Systems (including Royal Mail trains). [F&S]	1996, 2004 2007
			1996
Feb 24	EWS		Wisconsin Central acquired and consolidated the various ex-B.R. Trainload Freight operations, including those in the West Midlands, subsequently adopting the title English, Welsh & Scottish Railways. [NAO]	2007
Mar 8	Transrail/ RES		Derailment and collision at Rickerscote, Stafford with one fatality. The 14.40 Glasgow Mossend - Willesden freight was derailed following axle failure of a private-owner wagon and the 21.40 Coventry - Glasgow Royal Mail Travelling Post Office train ran into the derailed stock. [HMSO]
Jul 21	Chiltern		Under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993 Chiltern Trains TOU acquired by M40 Trains (trading as Chiltern Railways). [F&S]	2004
Sep	RT/Metro		Platform 4 at Snow Hill taken out of use as formation required for construction of Midland Metro route and terminus. [B]
Sep 29	WMPTE/ Cen.		Smethwick West closed P. (Since opening of Galton Bridge on 25/9/1995 the station had only been provided with a token service). [Q]
Oct 13	Thames		Under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993 Thames Trains TOU acquired by Victory Railway Holdings Ltd (trading as Thames Trains). [F&S]	2004
			1997
Jan 4	XC		Direct service Manchester and Birmingham New Street to Waterloo (for Paris and Brussels) ceased because of poor traffic figures. [B]
Jan 5	XC		Under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993 CrossCountry TOU acquired by Virgin Rail Group (trading as Virgin CrossCountry). [F&S]	2007
Mar 2	Cen.		Under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993 Central TOU acquired by National Express Group (trading as Central Trains). [F&S]	2007
Mar 2	Silver		Under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993 North London Railways TOU acquired by National Express Group (trading as Silverlink). [F&S]	2007
Mar 9	WCML		Under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993 West Coast Trains TOU acquired by Virgin Rail Group (trading as Virgin West Coast). [F&S]
May 24	RT		New Royal Mail platform at Stafford completed.	2004
Jun 1	WMPTE/ RT/Cen.		Tame Bridge renamed Tame Bridge Parkway [Q]	2008
Jun 2	RT/Cen.		Hednesford - Rugeley Town re-opened P [Q]
Jul 11	RT/ABP		Associated British Ports' Hams Hall freight terminal opened G. [B]
			1998
May-25	RT/Cen		Rugeley Town - Rugeley Trent Valley reopened P. [B]
May 25	WMPTE/ RT/Cen		Wolverhampton (Crane St Jc) - Walsall (Pleck Jc) reopened P for Wolverhampton - Walsall service. (No intermediate stations). A special inaugural service operate the previous day. [B]	2005
			1999
Jan 5	Red Star		Red Star parcels service acquired by Lynx Express Limited and subsequently closed down, thus ending the railway parcels business. The operation had been sold to a management buy-out in 1995.
May 31	WMPTE/Metro		Midland Metro opened P Birmingham Snow Hill to Wolverhampton St Georges, using the formation of the former G.W.R. line to Priestfield with on-street running beyond. There had been special gala services on two preceding days. The following tram stops were provided; those shown in UPPER CASE are at (or immediately adjacent to) the site of former G.W.R. stations: BIRMINGHAM SNOW HILL (near south end of platform 4, adjacent to tunnel mouth). St Paul's Jewellery Quarter (situated south of former G.W.R. Hockley station). SOHO BENSON ROAD Winson Green / Outer Circle HANDSWORTH BOOTH STREET THE HAWTHORNS Kenrick Park Trinity Way WEST BROMWICH CENTRAL Lodge Road, West Bromwich Town Hall Dartmouth Street Dudley Street Guns Village (situated south of G.W.R. Swan Village station). Black Lake WEDNESBURY CENTRAL Wednesbury Parkway BRADLEY LANE Loxdale Bilston Central (situated north of G.W.R. Station of that name). The Crescent Priestfield (situated north of G.W.R. Station of that name). The Royal Wolverhampton St Georges [B]	2015
			2000
Aug 29	RT		Proof House Junction remodelled with the elevated Vauxhall lines providing a 'fly-over', allowing Cross-city line trains to cross both up and down Stour Valley lines. [BLN882]
Oct 8	N.R./ Chiltern		Warwick Parkway opened P. [Q]	2004
			2001
Oct 7	RT		Railtrack plc placed in Administration by H.M. Government	2002
			2002
Sep†	VXC		Virgin Trains introduce "Operation Princess" with greatly increased frequency of services on cross-country routes through Birmingham. This operation had varied success. Services from Birmingham to destinations including Liverpool, Paddington, Brighton and Portsmouth were later withdrawn while operations were developed on other routes including those to Southampton, Plymouth, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.	2007
Sep 9	RT		Kingsbury: Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal at Birch Coppice reopened G. [BLN931 and 1153]	2006
Oct 3	N.R.		Network Rail acquires the assets of Railtrack (in Administration).
			2003
Mar 18	N.R./ E.W.S.		Castle Bromwich automotive terminal officially opened by H.R.H. the Princess Royal. [BLN943]
Oct 11	N.R.		Original GWR buildings and concourse at Birmingham Moor Street returned to use after major restoration work. Station buildings erected in 1987 closed and later demolished, but original bay platforms still isolated from network. [B&H]	2010
			2004
Jan 9	E.W.S.		Final Travelling Post Office operated as part of the run down by Royal Mail of carriage of mail by rail (though a London - Warrington - Glasgow operation was subsequently reintroduced)
Apr 1	Thames/ Chiltern		Following termination of the franchise to Thames Trains, operation of the London (Paddington) - Stratford-upon-Avon service passed initially to First Great Western Link before being transferred to Chiltern Railways from 13 December 2004 (see below).	2004
May 23	Central		Local P service Coventry - Nuneaton - Stafford (-Stoke-on-Trent) suspended and Bedworth, Atherstone and Polesworth temporarily closed P. Through services Coventry - Leicester ceased permanently on severance of direct connection at Nuneaton. Suspension caused by WCML engineering work for upgrade. [Q]	2005
Jun 7	N.R.		New alignment Abbey Jc - Nuneaton South Jc brought into use, including new platforms 6 and 7 at Nuneaton station for use by Birmingham - Leicester trains. The new alignment uses the bridge across the Trent Valley line which had been disused on closure in 1992 of Abbey Jc - Midland Jc permitting Birmingham - Leicester trains to operate without conflicting with movements on the Trent Valley line. The new line replaced Abbey Jc - Nuneaton North which closed to all traffic. [BLN972]
Dec 13	Chiltern		Inauguration of two trains per hour on Birmingham - Marylebone service and transfer to Chiltern Railways of Stratford-upon-Avon - London service which subsequently operated to and from Marylebone via High Wycombe.	2008
			2005
Jan 3	WMPTE/Central		Wolverhampton - Walsall P service suspended except for token daily train. [BLN989/990/92]	2008
Mar 26	N.R.		Lichfield City Jc - Anglesea Sidings secured out of use. [BLN992]
Apr 24	E.W.S.		Saltley diesel depot closed.
Jun 13	Central		Coventry - Nuneaton P service restored after suspension. Bedworth reopened P. [Q]
Dec-12	Central		Atherstone and Polesworth reopened P. (Token service of only one down train daily SuX at Polesworth). [Q]
			2006
Jul 4	FL		Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal at Birch Coppice opened G. [BLN1023] This seems to be a spurious entry in view of 9/9/02 (BLN1153).
			2007
Feb 5	N.R.		Coventry, Three Spires Jcn - Keresley Prologis Park (on site of former Coventry colliery) opened G but saw little subsequent use. [BLN1037]
Mar 31	E.W.S.		Walsall Tasker Street closed to D.H.L. parcels traffic. (Official date - traffic ceased 23rd February 2007) [BLN1038]
Jun 28	E.W.S/ DB-S		E.W.S. Freight operations acquired by Deutsche Bahn and rebranded DB Schenker with effect from 1st January 2009.
Aug 19	N.R./XC		Coleshill Parkway opened P. (On site of former Coleshill station). [Q]
Aug 29	N.R.		Control of signalling from Hampton-in-Arden (excl) towards Rugby and also Leamington (excl) transferred to WMSC Saltley on closure of Coventry Power Box. [SB] [BLN1035 says 9th April, but S.R.S website amends to Wed 29th Aug]	2022
Nov 11	XC/ Central/ London Midland/ Silverlink/ ATW/V.T.		Cross-country franchise passed from Virgin Trains to Arriva Cross-country. Central Trains franchise terminated. Birmingham suburban operations taken over by London Midland along with semi-fast services to Euston via Northampton previously operated by Silverlink. Trains to Cambrian lines taken over by Arriva Trains Wales and services to Cardiff and to the East Midlands by Arriva Cross-country. Birmingham – Scotland service transferred to Virgin West Coast	2010 2017
Dec 12	E.W.S.		Birch Coppice branch closed from headshunt to TNT sidings. [BLN1057]
			2008
Jan	Chiltern		Chiltern Railways franchise acquired by DB Regio, part of Deutsche Bahn. (From 2011 D B Regio was administered as part of Arriva Group, upon acquisition of the latter by DB)
Feb 18	N.R.		Control of signalling from Leamington Spa (excl) to Jewellery Quarter, plus Hatton - Bearley transferred from Saltley Power Signal Box to WMSC Saltley. [BLN1058, SRS]
Mar 25	N.R.		Control of signalling from Arley to Nuneaton transferred to Rugby Signalling Centre. [SRS]
Apr 28	W&SR		Wrexham - Marylebone service commenced. In the West Midlands area the only calling point for the trains was at Tamebridge Parkway. [BLN1064] (Trains took a variety of routes through the West Midlands: after calling at Tame Bridge Parkway they ran via Aston, Stechford and Coventry to Leamington Spa or via New Street (no advertised call) and thereafter via either Coventry or Solihull. W&SR trains were not permitted to take up or set down passengers at stations served by Virgin Trains West Coast Main Line services).	2011
May-29	N.R.		Quadrupling completed north of Lichfield Trent Valley to Armitage (already provided from Armitage to Colwich). Control of signalling Tamworth - Rugeley transferred to Rugby Signalling Centre. [BLN1068, SRS]	2009
Aug-27	N.R.		Use of additional platforms inaugurated at Rugby passenger station. Work included the provision of an additional down platform principally for Birmingham line trains, which opened on 29th May 2007, and a new island platform on the up side. [BLN1074]
Dec-13	WMPTE/ LM		Wolverhampton - Walsall passenger service (largely suspended from 3rd January 2005 - q.v.) reduced to a single weekly train in one direction only. [BLN1072/76]
Dec 14	VT		Virgin Trains "Very High Frequency" service introduced, including trains every 20 minutes between Birmingham New Street and London Euston.
			2009
May	N.R.		Quadrupling completed from Rugby to Lichfield T.V. (LL) and all lines brought into use. [BLN1089]
May 26	N.R.		Nuneaton - Coventry line signalling transferred to Signalling Centre at Rugby and to WMSC at Saltley on closure of local manual signal boxes. [BLN1089, SRS]
Jun 1	WMPTE/ LM		"Parry People Mover" railcars introduced on Stourbridge Town branch (Note: from 2005 to winter 2008-9 there were periods of several weeks when the Town service did not operate because of staff shortages and rolling stock difficulties, but the service was not officially withdrawn and motor 'bus services operated in lieu. There were also occasional experimental Sunday services using the Parry vehicle powered by electrically charged flywheel).
			2010
August		XC	Arriva Trains, operators of the Cross-country franchise, acquired by Deutsche Bahn.
Nov 1		N.R.	Control of signalling on North Warwickshire line to Bearley Jcn transferred to WMSC Saltley on closure of local manual signal boxes. [BLN1121, SRS] As part of the upgrade, a new crossover was installed at Whitlock's End, permitting all trains hitherto turning back at Shirley to be extended to Whitlock's End.
Dec 12		N.R.	Two of original bay platforms at Birmingham Moor Street reconnected to network and returned to use. (Ceremonial opening on 10th December).
			2011
Jan 28		W&SR	Last day of operation of Wrexham - Marylebone passenger service.
Aug 30		N.R.	Control of signalling from Water Orton to Tamworth and to Nuneaton transferred from Saltley Power Signal Box to WMSC Saltley. [SRS]
			2012
Apr-10		N.R.	Control of signalling from Water Orton to Rycroft Jc and to Lifford Jc transferred from Saltley Power Signal Box to WMSC Saltley. [SRS]
Aug 28		N.R.	Control of signalling from Jewellery Quarter to Droitwich (excl) transferred to WMSC at Saltley on closure of local manual signal boxes. [SRS]
Oct 21		N.R.	Nuneaton North Chord (from Midland Yard Jcn to Canal Farm Jcn) commissioned as a uni-directional single line. [BLN1171/2] Official inauguration on 14th November. [BLN1174]
			2013
Apr 28		N.R.	First part of new concourse at Birmingham New Street opened, replacing the 1967 concourse which closed. Passenger entrance from Stephenson Street (closed in 1966) restored.	2015
May 19		N.R.	Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway station opened P.
Aug 27		N.R.	Control of signalling from Hamstead to Rugeley TV transferred to WMSC at Saltley on closure Walsall power signalbox [SRS]
Dec 9		LM	Hourly interval service Birmingham (Snow Hill and Moor Street) to Stratford-upon-Avon via Hatton North and West Junctions inaugurated, complementing existing hourly service via North Warwickshire line.
			2014
Aug 26		N.R.	Wolverhampton Power Signal Box closed and control transferred to WMSC Saltley.
Sept 1		N.R.	Alvechurch station rebuilt and a two mile double track loop installed to facilitate a thrice hourly passenger service to Redditch.
			2015
Sept 20		N.R.	New concourse at Birmingham New Street completed and brought into public use. The Grand Central shopping development above the station opened four days later.
Dec 6		Metro	New line opened from north end of Snow Hill NR station to Bull Street stop (a temporary terminus) and Bull Street stop opened P. This section included the first street running in Birmingham since closure of the BCT tram operations in 1953. The Metro line within Snow Hill station and the Metro terminus were closed and the track immediately north of the station slewed to the new alignment.	2016
			2016
May 22		Metro	Line opened from Bull Street to Grand Central (Stephenson Street) and the following stops opened P: Snow Hill (on section of route opened Dec 6 2015) Corporation Street Grand Central	2017
June 17		WMPTE/ Centro	West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive and Centro dissolved and replaced by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority
July 12		N.R.	Bromsgrove: new station opened P., replacing old station which was slightly to the north. (NB: this was a Tuesday)
			2017
Jan 1		Metro	Renaming of Snow Hill stop as St Chad’s [TfWM]
Feb 27			High Speed Rail Bill (London – West Midlands) receives Royal Assent.
Dec 10 Jan 3 July 29		LM/TfWM/WMT N.R. WMT	Existing London Midland franchise terminated. Operations transferred to new West Midlands Trains franchise subdivided into London Northwestern Railway (including Euston – New Street stopping trains and New Street – Liverpool services) and West Midlands Railway (operating local services). 2018 Control of signalling between New Street and Wolverhampton (G.J.R and Stour routes) transferred from New Street signal box to West Midlands Signalling Centre, Saltley. Control of New Steet to Birmingham International followed in May, leaving only New Street station itself controlled by New Street signal box. Electric service to Bromsgrove commenced. (This was a Sunday). Most trains formerly terminating at Longbridge were extended to Bromsgrove which thus gained a service mostly operating thrice-hourly.
			2019
May 19		WMT	Electric services Walsall – Rugeley T.V. commenced, with most trains running through from Euston via Birmingham New Street. Because of operational problems through working south of New Street was curtailed from 15^th December 2019.
Dec 11		Metro	Services extended from Grand Central to Library (Centenary Square) using battery operation. (Opening deferred from Dec 8^th). New stops: Town Hall (in Paradise Street by Victoria Square) Library (in Broad Street, by Centenary Square)
			2020 The international Covid Pandemic and consequent ‘lockdown’ led to significant service cuts throughout the whole national rail network, commencing in March 2020. Some services were completely withdrawn, albeit on a temporary basis. Gradual reinstatement commenced, mostly during summer 2021 but on certain lines reduced services continued into 2023. 2021

Jul 17 Metro Line opened from Library to Edgbaston Village (using battery

operation). The following stops opened P:

Brindley Place

Five Ways

Edgbaston Village (situated in Hagley Road)

(Technical problems with trams subsequently caused suspension

of services, not fully reinstated until June 2022).

2022

Dec 24 N.R. Birmingham New Street signal box taken out of use after

departure of last train. Control transferred to WMSC at

Saltley.

The two other parts of this Chronology may be found at:

RAILWAYS of W. MIDLANDS pt 1. (1954-1974)

RAILWAYS of W. MIDLANDS pt 2. (1975-1993)

If anyone notices an error or an omission, I shall be grateful to hear from them.

I may be contacted at robertdarlaston[at]btinternet.com (replacing [at] with @ ).

Abbreviations

ABP Associated British Ports

ATW Arriva Trains Wales

B.R.B. British Railways Board

B.T.C. British Transport Commission

Cen. Central Trains Limited

DB-S Deutsche Bahn Schenker

EWS English, Welsh and Scottish Railway Limited

FL Freightliner Limited

LM London Midland

L.M.R. British Railways London Midland Region

Metro Midland Metro

N.R. Network Rail

N.S.E. British Railways Network Southeast

RES Rail Express Systems

R.F. Rail Freight

R.R. British Railways – Regional Railways

RT Railtrack plc

Silver North London Railways, trading as “Silverlink”

TfWM Transport for the West Midlands

V.T. Virgin Trains

VXC Virgin Trains – Cross Country

W&SR Wrexham & Shropshire Railway

WCML West Coast Main Line

WMPTA West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority

WMPTE West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (later trading as “Centro”)

WMT West Midland Trains

W.R. British Railways Western Region

XC Cross Country Trains

Sources:

AA Automobile Association

B John Boynton: Century of Railways around Birmingham (and other publications).

B&H I. Baxter and R. Harper: Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham Moor Street (2 vols).

BEM Contemporary issue of Birmingham Evening Mail

BP Contemporary issue of Birmingham Post

BR Contemporary British Railways publications, handbills and staff notices

C C.R. Clinker and J.M. Firth: Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots

CC Corrections to Col. M.H. Cobb Historical Atlas

Chr R. Christiansen: Forgotten Railways of West Midlands

Cooke Track Layout Diagrams of GWR and BR WR

F&S R. Freeman & J. Shaw: All Change: British Railway Privatisation

G1 T.R. Gourvish: British Railways 1948-73

G2 -do- British Railways 1974-97

HMSO Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (Accident Reports)

MA-W Motorway Archive web page

NAO papers published by National Audit Office

P Personal notes/observations

PC Paul Collins: Birmingham Corporation Transport (Ian Allan 1999)

PT Contemporary Public Timetables

Q Michael Quick: Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain

RC Railway Codes web site

RCTS-W Railway Correspondence and Travel Society web page

RM Contemporary issue of Railway Magazine

RoW Railways of Warwickshire web site

SB Signal Box web site

SLS Contemporary issue of S.L.S. Journal

SRS Signalling Record Society website

TfWM Transport for West Midlands - announcement

WT Contemporary Working Timetable