Bordesley Station (Birmingham) - How to revive its fortunes?

[adrock1976]

From how I remember things, Bordesley station at one time had trains calling every 10 minutes in both directions - every 20 minutes to Shirley (60 minute extensions to Stratford upon Avon) and every 20 minutes to Dorridge (60 minute extensions to Leamington Spa).

Round about 1989 or 1990, the Leamington and Stratford trains omitted calling here (as well as Small Heath and Tyseley). Understandable as both Leamington and Stratford were the furthest points of the former Regional Railways Central routes out of Snow Hill.

A few years later, Bordesley had the number of trains calling there drastically reduced - possibly 2 in each direction, one for each of Shirley and Solihull although there would be extra calls on matchdays. In the years after the reinstated link to Stourbridge in 1995 and to the present day, there is one train that calls on a Saturday in the Stourbridge direction only (I looked during a random week in April 2021).

Is there anything that could be done to revive the fortunes of this station, as according to passenger data, Bordesley is the least used station within the West Midlands PTE (or even the former European Parliament Region), which is not surprising due to the legally bare minimum service it receives? Bordesley is not far from the Irish Quarter, and would be slightly easier for passengers who are transferring to or from Digbeth Coach Station as there are no steep hills to navigate compared with New Street or Moor Street, and it is close to the Middleway Ring Road (similar to Jewellery Quarter) which may make a reasonable park and ride station for passengers travelling out to Solihull or Stratford or wherever in that direction. Perhaps experiment with trains calling there on request to begin with? Any other possibilities?

Being as the area out towards Solihull and Shirley tends to be predominantly Bluenoses and with me being a supporter of the far mightier and far superior side that plays in claret and blue (and knows exactly what the top flight division trophy and also a replica of the European Cup looks like), I would not suggest permanent closure as I would have them raging at me. I'll leave that to somebody else to suggest that.

 

[a_c_skinner]

Easy, stop more trains. Put on a remotely useful service. I'm a bit sore about this as I tried to travel there for work a few years ago. I was staying near the football ground and doing a day's work at the footy ground. (Football grounds are perfect places to interview doctors for training schemes.) A walk from Small Heath I found unsettling, though accept this is irrational.

 

[zwk500]

Easy, stop more trains. Put on a remotely useful service. I'm a bit sore about this as I tried to travel there for work a few years ago. I was staying near the football ground and doing a day's work at the footy ground. (Football grounds are perfect places to interview doctors for training schemes.) A walk from Small Heath I found unsettling, though accept this is irrational.

Can't stop more trains without reducing the total number of trains to Moor Street and Chiltern & West Mids Trains would be, to put it mildly, somewhat miffed at that suggestion. Only other way to make it work would be to 4-track the approaches to Moor Street but then you run into the following problems:
1. Conflicts between trains on the reliefs trying to access Snow Hill and trains on the Mains trying to access the Bay platforms (assuming the Mains stay where they are at Tyseley-Small Heath). Terminating the addtional Relief line trains in the bays is a potential solution but you lose out on cross-city connectivity.
2. Potential loss of Stabling facilites for Chiltern's London-B'ham trains at Moor St. The Viaduct is fairly wide at this point so they may be able to be kept but at the expense of a tighter curve.

 

[BeijingDave]

Villa vs Blues arguments always strike me as two bald men fighting over a comb.

Almost cute/funny to someone who grew up in the North West.

 

[Mojo]

I'm not quite sure if there's any worth in doing so. It's just the grotty end of the City Centre, and only a little over 15 Min walk from Moor Street station.

In any case, enabling works for the Eastside Tram extension have already started as far as I'm aware, and this would surely absorb a lot of the customers, as the terminus of the Tramway is going to be about 650m from the railway station.

 

[172345]

It's earmarked for closure. So I can't see it ever getting a decent service

 

[adrock1976]

Can't stop more trains without reducing the total number of trains to Moor Street and Chiltern & West Mids Trains would be, to put it mildly, somewhat miffed at that suggestion. Only other way to make it work would be to 4-track the approaches to Moor Street but then you run into the following problems:
1. Conflicts between trains on the reliefs trying to access Snow Hill and trains on the Mains trying to access the Bay platforms (assuming the Mains stay where they are at Tyseley-Small Heath). Terminating the addtional Relief line trains in the bays is a potential solution but you lose out on cross-city connectivity.
2. Potential loss of Stabling facilites for Chiltern's London-B'ham trains at Moor St. The Viaduct is fairly wide at this point so they may be able to be kept but at the expense of a tighter curve.

Something that I did not mention in the opening post was the construction of the Derby and Gloucester curves so as to connect the original bay platforms at Moor Street with the ex Midland line that crosses above between Bordesley and Small Heath stations, which would enable local trains from Camp Hill and Tamworth/Burton to use Moor Street instead of New Street. Perhaps those trains could call at Bordesley?

It's earmarked for closure. So I can't see it ever getting a decent service

Has that appeared in any railway publications/reports, or even the local rag? It is news to me.

 

[The Planner]

Has that appeared in any railway publications/reports, or even the local rag? It is news to me.

It isn't official, but I don't think it has long left to be honest.

 

[Sprinter107]

From how I remember things, Bordesley station at one time had trains calling every 10 minutes in both directions - every 20 minutes to Shirley (60 minute extensions to Stratford upon Avon) and every 20 minutes to Dorridge (60 minute extensions to Leamington Spa).

Round about 1989 or 1990, the Leamington and Stratford trains omitted calling here (as well as Small Heath and Tyseley). Understandable as both Leamington and Stratford were the furthest points of the former Regional Railways Central routes out of Snow Hill.

A few years later, Bordesley had the number of trains calling there drastically reduced - possibly 2 in each direction, one for each of Shirley and Solihull although there would be extra calls on matchdays. In the years after the reinstated link to Stourbridge in 1995 and to the present day, there is one train that calls on a Saturday in the Stourbridge direction only (I looked during a random week in April 2021).

Is there anything that could be done to revive the fortunes of this station, as according to passenger data, Bordesley is the least used station within the West Midlands PTE (or even the former European Parliament Region), which is not surprising due to the legally bare minimum service it receives? Bordesley is not far from the Irish Quarter, and would be slightly easier for passengers who are transferring to or from Digbeth Coach Station as there are no steep hills to navigate compared with New Street or Moor Street, and it is close to the Middleway Ring Road (similar to Jewellery Quarter) which may make a reasonable park and ride station for passengers travelling out to Solihull or Stratford or wherever in that direction. Perhaps experiment with trains calling there on request to begin with? Any other possibilities?

Being as the area out towards Solihull and Shirley tends to be predominantly Bluenoses and with me being a supporter of the far mightier and far superior side that plays in claret and blue (and knows exactly what the top flight division trophy and also a replica of the European Cup looks like), I would not suggest permanent closure as I would have them raging at me. I'll leave that to somebody else to suggest that.

Bordesley never had that many trains. Even in the 1970s the off peak service was on the Shirley line. The Dorridge and Leamington trains only called in the peak. It used to close about 18 30 - 19.00 ish. Off peak, it was very rare anyone got on or off there, during the peaks it could be quite busy.

 

[172345]

Something that I did not mention in the opening post was the construction of the Derby and Gloucester curves so as to connect the original bay platforms at Moor Street with the ex Midland line that crosses above between Bordesley and Small Heath stations, which would enable local trains from Camp Hill and Tamworth/Burton to use Moor Street instead of New Street. Perhaps those trains could call at Bordesley?



Has that appeared in any railway publications/reports, or even the local rag? It is news to me.

Nope it's something I've just plucked out of thin air.

 

[chris_in_salop]

It's a basket case, and it would make more sense to close it, especially if the Midland Metro ever gets extended to Digbeth/Deritend. The current situation of a few more stoppers on a Saturday before a Blues game is OK. I'm sure there are more deserving cases for spending the equivalent amount of investment somewhere else the West Midlands region. Perhaps a bigger car park at Rowley Regis?

 

[172345]

It's a basket case, and it would make more sense to close it, especially if the Midland Metro ever gets extended to Digbeth/Deritend. The current situation of a few more stoppers on a Saturday before a Blues game is OK. I'm sure there are more deserving cases for spending the equivalent amount of investment somewhere else the West Midlands region. Perhaps a bigger car park at Rowley Regis?

The plan to close the station is part of a big investment in Moor Street. Bordesley is set to close to give way for the new chords onto the Camp Hill line. The current Chiltern sidings would also close with the sidings being used as a line to joing Camp Hill towards Kings Norton.

 

[zwk500]

Something that I did not mention in the opening post was the construction of the Derby and Gloucester curves so as to connect the original bay platforms at Moor Street with the ex Midland line that crosses above between Bordesley and Small Heath

This document suggests the Camp Hill Chords would be the final blow for Bordesley. FWIW, there's a planning application made in January 2020 here for hotels and flats opposite Moor Street which only shows the southern curve, so they're far from a sure thing at this stage.

As mentioned above, given Bordesley is only 1 mile from Moor Street, the Tram would seem to offer a far more attractive set of journey options than a 1-stop hop to Moor Street.

 

[172345]

It's also worth pointing out that Bordesley has a ridiculous amount of buses stopping at its stop which is directly at the bottom of the station entrance. You have the 17, 60, X1 and X2. If that's isn't enough on the B4100 stop which is no more than a minute walk from the station you have the 2, 3, 4, 4A, 5, 6 and 34 buses all going to town making Bordesley arguably one of the best connected stations by bus with a massive 11 bus routes connecting to it from town. It's no wonder there's no train service...

 

[Bald Rick]

Something that I did not mention in the opening post was the construction of the Derby and Gloucester curves so as to connect the original bay platforms at Moor Street with the ex Midland line that crosses above between Bordesley and Small Heath stations, which would enable local trains from Camp Hill and Tamworth/Burton to use Moor Street instead of New Street. Perhaps those trains could call at Bordesley?

Construction of these curves requires closure of Bordesley.

It's a basket case, and it would make more sense to close it, especially if the Midland Metro ever gets extended to Digbeth/Deritend.

Construction has started, opens 2023.

 

[adrock1976]

Construction of these curves requires closure of Bordesley.



Construction has started, opens 2023.

Thanks for the clarification.

The curves will put the final nail in its coffin. Let's hope that the formal closure is mentioned in the relevant Act that has authorised construction, unlike the situation back in 1995 with the former Smethwick West when somebody forgot to mention that Galton Bridge would be its replacement.

Also, will the Moor Street - Camp Hill have its own pair of specially dedicated tracks so as to avoid getting in the way of the Snow Hill trains?

 

[Bald Rick]

Thanks for the clarification.

The curves will put the final nail in its coffin. Let's hope that the formal closure is mentioned in the relevant Act that has authorised construction, unlike the situation back in 1995 with the former Smethwick West when somebody forgot to mention that Galton Bridge would be its replacement.

Also, will the Moor Street - Camp Hill have its own pair of specially dedicated tracks so as to avoid getting in the way of the Snow Hill trains?

Yes there will be 4 tracks to Moor St.

It will be an order unde4 the Transport & Works Act, rather than an Act of Parliament, though. And it has yet to be prepared, let alone submitted or decided. Some way off (and needs cash).

 

[Sprinter107]

Train Departures from Bordesley 1970 - 1971
To Moor Street at :
06.42
07.14
07.18
07.28
07.43
07.48
08.03
08.13
08.21
08.33
08.43
09.14
11.27
13.27
15.27
15.46
17.01
17.14
17.46
18.04
18.08
19.03
Southbound
06.38 Stratford via Shirley
07.13 Henley in Arden
07.27 Stratford via Shirley
08.03 Leamington Spa
08.18 Stratford via Shirley
08.50 Knowle
09.43 Henley in Arden
11.43 Henley in Arden
13.43 Henley in Arden
16.13 Stratford via Shirley
16.18 Leamington Spa
16.48 Knowle
17.03 Stratford via Shirley
17.13 Knowle
17.18 Henley in Arden
17.31 Knowle
17.43 Stratford via Shirley (Ltd stop)
17.48 Stratford via Shirley
17.56 Leamington Spa
18.09 Henley in Arden
18.43 Stratford via Shirley

This was when there was more industry around there and more people used it. By the end of the 70s, early 80s it had an hourly off peak train, all from the Shirley line, no off peak Dorridge trains called, but when the off peak trains stopped there, it was very rare for anyone to ever get on or off. It was no surprise when they made it rush hours only. I'm all for stations having regular trains, as another poster said, people can't use trains if they don't run, but i think that if Bordesley was given a regular service, I would be surprised if anyone used it. Its only busy on match days.

 

[Inthewest]

It's earmarked for closure. So I can't see it ever getting a decent service

Which is very difficult to do... hence Polesworth and it's 96 passengers still getting some sort of service and still being open.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

There's not much drawing passengers to Bordesley station these days. Presumably the area surrounding the station was full of homes and buildings once upon a time but the construction of the Middleway in the 70s and 80s has reduced it to a tiny patch of land completely surrounded by fast and busy roads. Football traffic, which as has been stated already would be much better served by a tram is really all it gets these days. Anybody who lives on the town side of the station in Digbeth is just going to use Moor Street anyway. I can't see any way to bring it back to any kind of former glory without knocking down the ring road and building a load of houses where the road used to be and that isn't going to happen. Bring on the chords from the Camp Hill line, maybe reopen a station at Camp Hill/Balsall Heath and when the tram terminates in Deritend then it's not really any further from St Andrews than the current Bordesley station is.

 

[Sprinter107]

I think there was much more industry around there years ago. I can only remember trains calling in the 80s, but was curious as to what the service was like in the fifties, which was well before my time, and in 1958 the peak service was literally every few minutes. Off peak was about hourly, but strangely, the Sunday off peak frequency was 2 per hour. Judging by the very frequent rush hour service, Bordesley mustve served workers and industry rather than residential.

 

[adrock1976]

I think there was much more industry around there years ago. I can only remember trains calling in the 80s, but was curious as to what the service was like in the fifties, which was well before my time, and in 1958 the peak service was literally every few minutes. Off peak was about hourly, but strangely, the Sunday off peak frequency was 2 per hour. Judging by the very frequent rush hour service, Bordesley mustve served workers and industry rather than residential.

Regarding 1980s Sunday services, I can remember that there were trains every 30 minutes that ran from Moor Street (1987 platforms, as Snow Hill was closed on Sundays), with one every 60 minutes to Leamington and the other train running to Shirley.

There was the famous "No Sunday Service" between Shirley and Stratford, nor late evening Monday - Saturday after around 2000. Perhaps due to having an additional shift to man the signal boxes beyond Shirley after that time?

In 1995 when Snow Hill to Smethwick reopened, I think that the frequency at that time from Stourbridge/Worcester/Great Malvern was every 30 minutes then to either Leamington or Shirley, but ran via New Street as Snow Hill was still closed on Sundays, and the Midland Metro was still being constructed. Within a few years, the Sunday service eventually switched to running via Snow Hill. (Caveat: My memory may be a bit fuzzy here as it was so long ago and I do not have the timetables for that period).

 

[Sprinter107]

Regarding 1980s Sunday services, I can remember that there were trains every 30 minutes that ran from Moor Street (1987 platforms, as Snow Hill was closed on Sundays), with one every 60 minutes to Leamington and the other train running to Shirley.

There was the famous "No Sunday Service" between Shirley and Stratford, nor late evening Monday - Saturday after around 2000. Perhaps due to having an additional shift to man the signal boxes beyond Shirley after that time?

In 1995 when Snow Hill to Smethwick reopened, I think that the frequency at that time from Stourbridge/Worcester/Great Malvern was every 30 minutes then to either Leamington or Shirley, but ran via New Street as Snow Hill was still closed on Sundays, and the Midland Metro was still being constructed. Within a few years, the Sunday service eventually switched to running via Snow Hill. (Caveat: My memory may be a bit fuzzy here as it was so long ago and I do not have the timetables for that period).

You remember correctly. The evening service on the North Warwickshire line finished after the 18.40 from Moor Street. That was the last train. Then around about 1980 ish they put on an experimental service between Moor Street and Earlswood, using just one unit shuttling back and forth. I remember there being yellow flyers in the racks at Shirley station advertising it. Don't think it was even a year before it was cut back from Earlswood to spin at Shirley instead. But from then on it had an evening service as far as Shirley. In the last few years, those trains have extended to Stratford, and on mid week match nights all call at Bordesley. The Sunday service from Worcester to Stratford did used to run via New Street instead of Snow Hill until about 2003 ish, but by then a Sunday service was restored on the Dorridge line which ran via Snow Hill. Up until the late 1990s, Snow Hill was closed on Sundays, and the few trains running via that route passed through without stopping down to Moor Street

 

[Mikey C]

The football traffic is I assume mainly home supporters who live on that line, and thus can get off at Bordesley instead of Moor Street or Small Heath, rather than people actually taking a train one stop from Moor Street to Bordesley. I've certainly never done that, and judging from the large crowds of people who walk from New Street/Moor Street to St Andrews, I'm not alone

Geoff Marshall visited Bordesley in his latest video, taking the parliamentary train to get there

 

[RobShipway]

The football traffic is I assume mainly home supporters who live on that line, and thus can get off at Bordesley instead of Moor Street or Small Heath, rather than people actually taking a train one stop from Moor Street to Bordesley. I've certainly never done that, and judging from the large crowds of people who walk from New Street/Moor Street to St Andrews, I'm not alone

Geoff Marshall visited Bordesley in his latest video, taking the parliamentary train to get there

Whilst I feel sad that Bordesley station is the least used station in the West Midlands, I am not surprised. It is one of those stations that is too close to the city centre, where the public can get better and cheaper bus services.

The bus tickets I believe can be used in conjunction with the Metro and vice versa.

I do think it is a shame that the West Midlands Metro(WMM) is not extended to Moor Street and on to Bordesley, with either stops on he road underneath the bridge for the station or the station itself being used in some way by the WMM.

https://westmidlandsmetro.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/MetroExpansion.pdf

 

[SargeNpton]

This document suggests the Camp Hill Chords would be the final blow for Bordesley. FWIW, there's a planning application made in January 2020 here for hotels and flats opposite Moor Street which only shows the southern curve, so they're far from a sure thing at this stage.

As mentioned above, given Bordesley is only 1 mile from Moor Street, the Tram would seem to offer a far more attractive set of journey options than a 1-stop hop to Moor Street.

That document says: "Bordesley station would be closed (or relocated) to free up the required space for the chord."

 

[zwk500]

That document says: "Bordesley station would be closed (or relocated) to free up the required space for the chord."

I can't see the case being made very enthusiastically for relocation. It's put in the document as an option to avoid awkward questions about the reality of the situation. If it goes further north there's the viaduct, and if it goes further south there's Small Heath station.

 

[Ianno87]

That document says: "Bordesley station would be closed (or relocated) to free up the required space for the chord."

I can't see the case being made very enthusiastically for relocation. It's put in the document as an option to avoid awkward questions about the reality of the situation. If it goes further north there's the viaduct, and if it goes further south there's Small Heath station.

I'd guess the wording is just not to present closure as a foregone conclusion.