The future of Barlaston / Norton Bridge / Wedgwood railway stations.

[Deafdoggie]

There pretty much is one, the canal towpath.

You wouldn’t want to be using that on your way to work at 5am on a winters morning!

 

[vlad]

However, once the slow lines were moved there was no chance of serving it as you aren't going to stop on the fasts for it.

The current island serves the up fast and the bidirectional line between Yarnfield and Norton Bridge Junctions (the one that used to be the main line from Stone to Stafford). If they reopened the station all the trains could use the latter.

I did say "if" - I don't expect this would ever happen!

 

[DenmarkRail]

Some notes from my railway weekend around Norton Bridge, Barlaston, Stafford, and Wedgewood:

1) Wedgewood platforms aren't as bad as I thought... They're rotten, but they aren't in a hugely bad state. They could be repaired if someone wanted to part with a little bit of money.
2) Barlaston is in a virtually ready to go state - All that needs to change is signage, and even that isn't a must. I would have thought it could be ready to go once the guys at Network Rail, and WMT press the button.
3) Stone is orange now... Why?
4) Norton Bridge is a lost cause in the old form, but I quite like the idea of an Eccleshall parkway, a little closer to Eccleshall.
5) Why don't we have a Crewe to Birmingham Stopper? Crewe, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Longport, Stoke, Wedgewood, Barlaston, Norton Bridge (maybe not that one), Stafford, Penkridge, Cosely, Smetwick Golton Bridge, Birmingham New Street (sorry for the bad spellings there!)
6) When can they build a new Stafford station

 

[Deafdoggie]

Some notes from my railway weekend around Norton Bridge, Barlaston, Stafford, and Wedgewood:

1) Wedgewood platforms aren't as bad as I thought... They're rotten, but they aren't in a hugely bad state. They could be repaired if someone wanted to part with a little bit of money.
2) Barlaston is in a virtually ready to go state - All that needs to change is signage, and even that isn't a must. I would have thought it could be ready to go once the guys at Network Rail, and WMT press the button.
3) Stone is orange now... Why?
4) Norton Bridge is a lost cause in the old form, but I quite like the idea of an Eccleshall parkway, a little closer to Eccleshall.
5) Why don't we have a Crewe to Birmingham Stopper? Crewe, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Longport, Stoke, Wedgewood, Barlaston, Norton Bridge (maybe not that one), Stafford, Penkridge, Cosely, Smetwick Golton Bridge, Birmingham New Street (sorry for the bad spellings there!)
6) When can they build a new Stafford station

Have you tried standing on Wedgwood platform? Very very rotten. Would need complete replacement. Not cheap at all.

WMT is the new franchisee and Orange is the new colour.

Crewe-Birmingham stoppers via Stone due to start Dec 2018 timetable change...till that was cancelled last week! Now expected May 2019. No Longport or Norton Bridge calls though. And only one of Wedgwood or Barlaston. Norton Bridge is officially closed now. The other of Wedgwood or Barlaston will officially close too. This train replaces the Crewe-Euston which will go direct Crewe—Stafford. For the pedants there is already one train each way Crewe-Birmingham via Stoke doing those calls (near enough!)

They’ll be no new Stafford station. In fairness there are far worse stations.

 

[DenmarkRail]

Have you tried standing on Wedgwood platform? Very very rotten. Would need complete replacement. Not cheap at all.

WMT is the new franchisee and Orange is the new colour.

Crewe-Birmingham stoppers via Stone due to start Dec 2018 timetable change...till that was cancelled last week! Now expected May 2019. No Longport or Norton Bridge calls though. And only one of Wedgwood or Barlaston. Norton Bridge is officially closed now. The other of Wedgwood or Barlaston will officially close too. This train replaces the Crewe-Euston which will go direct Crewe—Stafford. For the pedants there is already one train each way Crewe-Birmingham via Stoke doing those calls (near enough!)

They’ll be no new Stafford station. In fairness there are far worse stations.

Surely they should be painted into LNWR green, not WMT orange? I did read that Stafford will get a new station, but it must have been killed off then.

Back to topic: Has it been confirmed that either Barlaston or Wedgewood will reopen in May 2019?

 

[vlad]

6) When can they build a new Stafford station

What's wrong with Stafford? It could do with a café and a few more trains but apart from that....

 

[DenmarkRail]

What's wrong with Stafford? It could do with a café and a few more trains but apart from that....

To be fair they have 3 cafes, but more trains... 1000% yes

 

[Aictos]

Surely they should be painted into LNWR green, not WMT orange?

Because eventually West Midlands Trains will be spun off from DfT control and placed under the control of West Midlands themselves who will then be responsible for issuing the franchise/concession much like Merseytravel is responsible for Merseyrail and TfL is responsible for London Overground etc

 

[Deafdoggie]

Surely they should be painted into LNWR green, not WMT orange? I did read that Stafford will get a new station, but it must have been killed off then.

Back to topic: Has it been confirmed that either Barlaston or Wedgewood will reopen in May 2019?

The franchise is WMT, so painted orange. LNWR and WMR are just brand names of WMT.

Not confirmed which station. But given the work that’s taken place at Barlaston, that’s the expected one to open.

 

[DenmarkRail]

Because eventually West Midlands Trains will be spun off from DfT control and placed under the control of West Midlands themselves who will then be responsible for issuing the franchise/concession much like Merseytravel is responsible for Merseyrail and TfL is responsible for London Overground etc

The franchise is WMT, so painted orange. LNWR and WMR are just brand names of WMT.

Not confirmed which station. But given the work that’s taken place at Barlaston, that’s the expected one to open.

Staffordshire isn't a part of the control group of WMT... They only report to the West Midlands Combined authority. I see no real reason why these stations should be painted orange.

On a side note - Barlaston will likely be the first station to receive LNWR signage if they keep the station brands separate.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I don’t believe there’s any plans to sign the stations by brand, as Stone has proved.

 

[Intercity 225]

Not confirmed which station. But given the work that’s taken place at Barlaston, that’s the expected one to open.

That’s interesting, what work has been carried out at Barlaston recently?

 

[Deafdoggie]

They have reinstated the platform edge, and other platform surfacing work. They have also cleared the car park.

 

[The_Train]

Slightly off-topic but don't think it's worthy of a new thread, why is there still a bus service between Stafford station and Stone station when there is now a hourly train service?

 

[furnessvale]

Slightly off-topic but don't think it's worthy of a new thread, why is there still a bus service between Stafford station and Stone station when there is now a hourly train service?

If you are referring to the Stafford-Stone-Hanley bus it serves more locations than Stafford station to Stone station. The bus actually stops a fair distance away from Stone station.

I myself use this bus regularly on a journey from Stockport (change at Stoke) to the north end of Stone by using the train through to Stafford and catching the bus back to Fillybrooks even though the train stops at Stone.

 

[The_Train]

If you are referring to the Stafford-Stone-Hanley bus it serves more locations than Stafford station to Stone station. The bus actually stops a fair distance away from Stone station.

I myself use this bus regularly on a journey from Stockport (change at Stoke) to the north end of Stone by using the train through to Stafford and catching the bus back to Fillybrooks even though the train stops at Stone.

I've just found an example of it on RTT - http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P89717/2018/07/23/advanced

It also stops at Norton Bridge which will explain why it is still running

 

[furnessvale]

I've just found an example of it on RTT - http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P89717/2018/07/23/advanced

It also stops at Norton Bridge which will explain why it is still running

I see. You are referring to the rail replacement bus rather than the service bus that I use.

 

[The_Train]

I see. You are referring to the rail replacement bus rather than the service bus that I use.

Yeah sorry for the confusion. I was confused as to why it was still running but didn't realise it stopped at Norton Bridge

 

[DenmarkRail]

So I reached out to LNWR press relations today, explaining about my new grassroots railway news and updates site, and they're going to get back to me with some detail about Barlaston, so I can write my piece on my site. Hopefully some news soon

 

[DenmarkRail]

December 2020 / May 2021 for Barlaston - LNWR estimate.

 

[Bletchleyite]

December 2020 / May 2021 for Barlaston - LNWR estimate.

So that's confirmation that it is Barlaston that will reopen. Makes sense to me.

Can they sort out Polesworth while they're at it? (Either a new bridge/road access or just close it properly).

 

[Esker-pades]

So that's confirmation that it is Barlaston that will reopen. Makes sense to me.

Can they sort out Polesworth while they're at it? (Either a new bridge/road access or just close it properly).

A path from the disused platform to the road would be easy and cheap.

 

[Philip]

Is it still officially named Barlaston and Tittensor?

 

[Bletchleyite]

A path from the disused platform to the road would be easy and cheap.

I agree, though I believe there’s an issue with a lack of pavement.

 

[Esker-pades]

I agree, though I believe there’s an issue with a lack of pavement.

There is pavement on the other side of the road bridge.

 

[philthetube]

if you were to turn up at Barleston to start a journey, what would you do about a ticket?

 

[DenmarkRail]

if you were to turn up at Barleston to start a journey, what would you do about a ticket?

I’m guessing infrastructure would be put in place before opening

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

if you were to turn up at Barleston to start a journey, what would you do about a ticket?

If there are no facilities yet installed at the station, buy on the train of course, at the same rate you would have paid had you been able to buy a ticket at the station directly before boarding (i.e. Advance tickets aren't available for sale on-board but pretty much most other tickets are fair game, including Railcard or Groupsave discounts).

 

[causton]

if you were to turn up at Barleston to start a journey, what would you do about a ticket?

Same as at Altnabreac, and hundreds (maybe more) of stations with no ticketing facilities! You get on and purchase at the first available opportunity.

 

[gazr]

There is pavement on the other side of the road bridge.

Visited this morning and can confirm a small width to walk across marked by a white line. Once you get the part where the bridge crosses the railway, there is a section on the opposite side that is safer. There is room on the station side of the bridge to make it safe with barriers, concrete path, etc but who's gonna pay? If not for the one guy that uses this service every morning, I don't think anyone would miss this station.

Caught the Arriva 785 in to Tamworth, which being school summer holiday was very lightly loaded all the way to Tamworth. Goes up a crazy step hill and around the houses.