Lichfield TV Platform 3 Closure

[brick60000]

Not seen a thread on this yet (apologies if I’ve missed!) - there are currently no trains between Lichfield City and Trent Valley due to urgent repair work being required to the platform at Trent Valley.

 

[Halish Railway]

Supposedly there’s a bus service running between platforms 1 and 2 due to the long alternative route between the two platforms as a result of the overbridge being closed.

 

[brick60000]

Supposedly there’s a bus service running between platforms 1 and 2 due to the long alternative route between the two platforms as a result of the overbridge being closed.

Yes! I wonder if there’s ever been a platform to platform (same station) bus before? Maybe one for a trivia thread

 

[steamybrian]

Yes! I wonder if there’s ever been a platform to platform (same station) bus before? Maybe one for a trivia thread

Yes- last year at Eridge station for about a month whilst the footbridge was being replaced between the GTR (Southern) platform and the Spa Valley Railway platform. A minibus operated from outside the temporary entrance on the up side to take passengers to the car park alongside the Spa Valley Railway platform on the down side.

 

[The exile]

Yes! I wonder if there’s ever been a platform to platform (same station) bus before? Maybe one for a trivia thread

Newport had taxis to/from the new platform for a while, I believe.

 

[MikeWM]

Not seen a thread on this yet (apologies if I’ve missed!) - there are currently no trains between Lichfield City and Trent Valley due to urgent repair work being required to the platform at Trent Valley.

Oh dear - that's the entire validity of my annual season ticket now bus-tituted

 

[Ashley Hill]

Yes! I wonder if there’s ever been a platform to platform (same station) bus before? Maybe one for a trivia thread

Totnes in 1987 when a PW crane jib hit the footbridge which was then demolished the same day.

 

[Revilo]

In summer there’s a bus service between platforms at St Erth, because of the large number of people transferring to the St Ives branch platform with luggage, and the footbridge is not step free.

 

[Efini92]

Bromley cross had a shuttle service between platforms when the crossing was upgraded.

 

[L+Y]

As an aside, when was LTV high level reduced from 2 to 1 platform?

 

[Bald Rick]

As an aside, when was LTV high level reduced from 2 to 1 platform?

it’s been 1 platform for as long as I’ve known it, nearly 30 years.

 

[P Binnersley]

Both high level platforms were closed when the line north of Lichfield City was closed in 1965. Only one platform (platform 3) was brought back into use when the Cross City line was extended to Trent Valley station in 1988. The trains reverse in the platform.

 

[leytongabriel]

Supposedly there’s a bus service running between platforms 1 and 2 due to the long alternative route between the two platforms as a result of the overbridge being closed.

I was there yesterday - chaos! Not announced or signposted that you cannot get over the footbridge to platform 2 from platform 1 as they are working on the high level platform. So people turn up at the station, are dropped off, arrive by public transport or bike and find they can't get onto platform 2 for southbound trains to Tamworth and London.
I got there 15 minutes before departure time yesterday and was told by a Network Rail man in the car park ' Oh no, you'll have to go to London via Birmingham!'. Didn't quite believe this and saw a fella in a high -viz working his butt off getting people and their bags onto a coach. Turned out there were several of us in the same predicament and he asked the driver if he'd make an extra stop at car park 2 for us. He agreed but wasn't in any hurry - it was 2002 and with the train due at 2010 and a good few minutes drive round the blood pressure was rising. Eventually got on the platform with about 2min to spare.
Three cheers for the guy in the high viz BUT no warnings on the trains or email/messages, no signs anyway at the car parks or the station entrance and no indication where the buses in the car park were going - this was important as there was a replacement bus service to Tamworth as well as Lichfield City yesterday. So ad hoc, really not the way to do things.

 

[jp4712]

Both high level platforms were closed when the line north of Lichfield City was closed in 1965. Only one platform (platform 3) was brought back into use when the Cross City line was extended to Trent Valley station in 1988. The trains reverse in the platform.

No, not true I’m afraid. When the high level was reopened both platforms were used as the crossover was north of the station, but in preparation for electrification a new crossover was installed a couple of hundred yards south of the station and platform 4 was closed. In the (desirable but unlikely) event that services get extended to the mooted National Arboretum station, I would assume it would be opened again.

1990-09-04 51859 Lichfield Trent Valley by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[satisnek]

Supposedly there’s a bus service running between platforms 1 and 2 due to the long alternative route between the two platforms as a result of the overbridge being closed.

Never knew that there was road access to Platform 2 - looking at an aerial view it's presumably the car park off the Old Burton Road. Yes, that would be a long walk!

No, not true I’m afraid. When the high level was reopened both platforms were used as the crossover was north of the station, but in preparation for electrification a new crossover was installed a couple of hundred yards south of the station and platform 4 was closed. In the (desirable but unlikely) event that services get extended to the mooted National Arboretum station, I would assume it would be opened again.

1990-09-04 51859 Lichfield Trent Valley by John Carter, on Flickr

Just a small part of Platform 4, on the bridge itself, remains. I've been through here on XC diversions far too often in recent times...

 

[304033]

Does anyone actually know what the issue is??
It's not track related because the 5xxx's to Central Rivers are still running past...

 

[Watershed]

Does anyone actually know what the issue is??
It's not track related because the 5xxx's to Central Rivers are still running past...

The platform has been condemned.

 

[mrcheek]

The platform has been condemned.

it has? Then I too would like to jump on the bandwagon and condemn the disgraceful actions of the platform! Completely unacceptable!

 

[onlinespotting]

The platform has been condemned.

A different thread suggests it’s the same type of platform at Teesside Airport leading to its temp closure

 

[Class 170101]

The platform has been condemned.

But how long will it take to fix it? Or a closure by default?

 

[Watershed]

But how long will it take to fix it? Or a closure by default?

I very much doubt it will be a permanent closure - whilst probably not as well used as the Low Level platforms, nearly 10% of passengers at Lichfield interchange (i.e. between High and Low Level) and in any case, it serves as the connection between the north and south sides of the station.

 

[station_road]

It's not a permanent closure - WMR say the platform was due to be replaced next year anyway but are looking to do that sooner following a temporary repair. This link suggests it will be closed for weeks, although I have separately seen something saying it will be available again from tomorrow...

Network Rail is working on plans to reopen the platform by installing a temporary support structure. It is expected this will take several weeks to install. The platform was due to be replaced in 2023 and plans are now being reviewed to bring that work forward.

https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co....y-disruption-due-ongoing-platform-repair-work

 

[shipbiulder101]

It's not a permanent closure - WMR say the platform was due to be replaced next year anyway but are looking to do that sooner following a temporary repair. This link suggests it will be closed for weeks, although I have separately seen something saying it will be available again from tomorrow...


https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co....y-disruption-due-ongoing-platform-repair-work

What should happen is that the platform is repaired to a point where it can be used as a foot bridge between the low level platforms and then reopened in that capacity until replacement can occur. Not a big issue that trains aren't running as there is Lichfield City and the bus replacement can continue but opening up the platform as a footbridge should be the priority. Also why couldn't the platform have been replaced when the lifts were installed a few years back?

 

[12guard4]

Noticed the most recent update expects it to be closed until 5th June.

 

[185143]

I very much doubt it will be a permanent closure - whilst probably not as well used as the Low Level platforms, nearly 10% of passengers at Lichfield interchange (i.e. between High and Low Level) and in any case, it serves as the connection between the north and south sides of the station.

I'd have good money on passenger numbers being far higher than officially reported. I'd be willing to bet a not insignificant amount of people have booked cheap advances eg to London from Trent Valley and just jump on the local Cross City train without paying.

 

[Kite159]

I'd have good money on passenger numbers being far higher than officially reported. I'd be willing to bet a not insignificant amount of people have booked cheap advances eg to London from Trent Valley and just jump on the local Cross City train without paying.

Agreed, the Cross City line is a bit like Merseyrail in that some passengers only pay when challenged, if they are travelling between stations without barriers (and from memory only Birmingham New Street, Five Ways & University have barriers on that route).

(And chances are a lot of the traffic on the Trent Valley stoppers are from pay when challenged as well, especially if they are between Nuneaton & Stafford, ticket checks on that route are quite rare in my experience)

 

[Mordac]

Agreed, the Cross City line is a bit like Merseyrail in that some passengers only pay when challenged, if they are travelling between stations without barriers (and from memory only Birmingham New Street, Five Ways & University have barriers on that route).

(And chances are a lot of the traffic on the Trent Valley stoppers are from pay when challenged as well, especially if they are between Nuneaton & Stafford, ticket checks on that route are quite rare in my experience)

Even worse, because I know tons of people just buy tickets from Five Ways to New Street and use it to open the barriers at the latter, regardless of where they're actually starting from.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

I'd have good money on passenger numbers being far higher than officially reported. I'd be willing to bet a not insignificant amount of people have booked cheap advances eg to London from Trent Valley and just jump on the local Cross City train without paying.

Especially given it's cheaper to buy a Four Oaks to Euston ticket than LTV, it's a fairly busy station especially at weekends

 

[D6975]

How about Coventry when the lifts were being renewed? Not a bus, but a train between platforms for anyone who couldn't use the steps.

 

[Class800]

Totnes in 1987 when a PW crane jib hit the footbridge which was then demolished the same day.

Surprising - as it's not too far via the road, and 1987 was before the days people would think so much about wheelchairs and pushchairs access

How about Coventry when the lifts were being renewed? Not a bus, but a train between platforms for anyone who couldn't use the steps.

That's interesting - how was it advertised? Did it just go out of the station and reverse back in via points or a siding?