New stations - Willenhall and Darlaston (between Wolverhampton and Bescot Stadium)

[All Line Rover]

According to page 7 of this West Midlands Trains track access application, Willenhall and Darlaston stations are to re-open / be re-built. I've not seen any mention of this on this forum. Is this the first time, since the withdrawal of non-stop Wolverhampton to Walsall services, that passenger trains not running non-stop to central Birmingham will run on this line?

 

[Smethwickian]

For all practical purposes, since the withdrawal of the hourly daily shuttle between Wolverhampton and Walsall, yes.
Technically, no, as the solitary 0638 Saturdays only direct from Wolverhampton to Walsall is retained presumably for route knowledge and possibly as a Parliamentary service over the Portobello Junction to Darlaston Junction curve. However, this train often seems to be cancelled for engineering works or diverted via the Stour Valley and Soho.

 

[The Planner]

The stations arent funded AFAIK.

 

[bluenoxid]

In the same place as the Camp Hill Line. Nice ideas, in all the plans but needing money. I hope that the mayor can assist with pushing them forward.

 

[Jamm]

I believe the funding for those stations has been confirmed back in March and it was stated that the funding comes out of the HS2 local connectivity package.

To be honest, I'm surprised this gets more priority than camp hill chord.

 

[Marvin]

To be honest, I'm surprised this gets more priority than camp hill chord.

It's considerably easier to achieve, given that it only requires two new stations. Camp Hill requires three or four new stations, a new platform at Moor Street and an entirely new connection into Moor Street over land the railway doesn't own.

 

[Kite159]

The relevant quote from that document in case it disappears:

An additional hourly service will be provided between Birmingham New St and Shrewsbury, from 07:00 to 19:49 (general departure pattern for WMT services from New St to Shrewsbury will be departures at xx.49 and xx.00). One of these two services per hour will be routed via the Derby lines / Proof House Jn and through Aston, Bescot, Portobello Jn to Wolverhampton. This is to permit future calls at new stations at Willenhall and Darlaston upon their opening.


In the opposite direction two WMT services per hour will depart from Shrewsbury to Birmingham New St at xx:15 and xx:41. Again, one of these services per hour will be routed via Bescot to permit future calls at Willenhall and Darlaston.

So basically the 2nd New Street - Shrewsbury service will be routed via Bescot instead of going via Sandwell, two more stations "under the wires" which sounds like they will be mostly served by diesels.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This doesn't seem a sensible way to do it, as it means the service is still only effectively hourly as the two trains from New St are too close together in time.

 

[edwin_m]

This doesn't seem a sensible way to do it, as it means the service is still only effectively hourly as the two trains from New St are too close together in time.

Does the Wales service fill the gap?

 

[thenorthern]

Reopening Willenhall station was an aspiration for Centro before the services were withdrawn in 2008.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does the Wales service fill the gap?

It might do, but wasn't one of the aims of going half hourly to drop stops from that and stop it being crowded out with English passengers?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

It might do, but wasn't one of the aims of going half hourly to drop stops from that and stop it being crowded out with English passengers?

Which stops would you remove from the ATW service though? Smethwick Galton Bridge is a debatable one but you can't drop Wolves or Telford. Presumably though the new Sunday WMT service alluded to in the pdf sees the end of the 2-hourly ATW all-stations shuttle though.

Edit - I got the impression this new service was to up the service to half-hourly at the likes of Codsall and Shifnal (and presumably Bilbrook and perhaps Albrighton) and give Telford the third train an hour it desperately deserves.

 

[Class 170101]

I'm surprised that West Midlands Trains don't just reverse the Walsall terminators and head to Wolverhampton to cover these stations with Electric Trains. The 2/3 carriage DMUs will be overloaded with passengers from Shrewsbury etc.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Which stops would you remove from the ATW service though? Smethwick Galton Bridge is a debatable one but you can't drop Wolves or Telford.

I reckon you could drop Telford, or make it u/s (so only for travelling to/from Wales).

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I reckon you could drop Telford, or make it u/s (so only for travelling to/from Wales).

You see I would disagree: one of the biggest towns in England with a reasonable catchment area and nearing a million passengers deserves much more than it gets at present, and not some awkward and pointless restricted calls on a Welsh service. If one of the 'local' calls should go it would be Wellington all day long before you even considered Telford. Absolute madness for it not to benefit in any meaningful way from this new service.

 

[B&I]

I'm surprised that West Midlands Trains don't just reverse the Walsall terminators and head to Wolverhampton to cover these stations with Electric Trains. The 2/3 carriage DMUs will be overloaded with passengers from Shrewsbury etc.

Yes, the operational inconvenience of reversing at Walsall would surely be outweighed by the benefits of a direct connection to it from Wolverhampton and the new stations

 

[tomuk]

Does the Wales service fill the gap?

Unless the ATW service is retimed. The departures would be as follows:

Birmingham to Shrewsbury
xx.00 - WMT - Sandwell & Dudley, Wolverhampton, Codsall, Shifnal, Telford Central, Wellington
xx.25 - ATW - Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, Telford Central, Wellington
xx.49 - WMT - Bescot?, Darlaston, Willenhall, Wolverhampton, Bilbrook, Codsall, Albrighton, Cosford, Shifnal, Telford Central, Oakengates, Wellington


Shrewsbury to Birmingham
xx.15 - WMT - Wellington, Telford Central, Shifnal, Codsall, Wolverhampton, Willenhall, Darlaston, Bescot?
xx.33 - ATW - Wellington, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Smethwick Galton Bridge
xx.41 - WMT - Wellington, Oakengates , Telford Central, Shifnal, Cosford, Albrighton, Codsall, Bilbrook, Wolverhampton, Sandwell & Dudley

I think that the stops are right so that the services don't get stuck behind each other.

 

[The Planner]

That xx.00 isn't going to be far behind the xx.49 and the xx.33 will still be a better option than the xx.15. Why would they miss out Wolves? they have to go through there anyway and Crane St and the station is 15mph.

 

[tomuk]

That xx.00 isn't going to be far behind the xx.49 and the xx.33 will still be a better option than the xx.15. Why would they miss out Wolves? they have to go through there anyway and Crane St and the station is 15mph.

Sorry my mistake all services stop at Wolverhampton. I see what you mean about the xx.00. There are issues now with the xx.05 slow being caught up by the xx.25 at Telford.

 

[Kite159]

Sorry my mistake all services stop at Wolverhampton. I see what you mean about the xx.00. There are issues now with the xx.05 slow being caught up by the xx.25 at Telford.

Crazy idea, have the XX:00 terminate into the bay at Wellington allowing the XX:25 to overtake

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

An extra train to Shrewsbury sounded like good news, but sending it round the Grand Junction houses rather defeats the idea.
Maybe it allows Shrewsbury trains to run in a circle through New St to save reversals.

Somewhat off topic, but what's the major work going on at Telford Central?
Is it for something useful like a platform loop?

 

[The Planner]

New footbridge. Not sure why Telford would need a loop.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

New footbridge. Not sure why Telford would need a loop.

Well it's too small for its usage, while all the flexibility (space, loops, bay platforms) is down the road at the much quieter Wellington.
Maybe not a loop to park stoppers, but a station upgrade is needed.
It's rather like a smaller version of Bristol Parkway, inadequate from the day it was built.
Maybe the new footbridge is part of this.

 

[tomuk]

Apologies for resurrecting this old thread but this interesting article in Express and Star has appeared. It states that the the new stations will be served half hourly
1tph diverting Crewe - Stoke - Birmingham onto the Wolverhampton to Walsall line and then to New Street via Tame Bridge
1tph Wolverhampton - Walsall shuttle.

Rail bosses have agreed a timetable for the Walsall to Wolverhampton line, which could open in 2022 and will include stops at new stations in Willenhall and Darlaston.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport/2020/06/13/timetable-agreed-for-new-rail-route/

 

[djpontrack]

That’s good news. I always thought it was ridiculous going via New St when there is a direct line there that is up to passenger standards as it is used for diversions. Two new stations is good for locals as it will open up more travel opportunities and two more shacks for me to visit.

 

[py_megapixel]

New services and new stations for Walsall to Wolverhampton line - RailInsider

Plans are proceeding for the reopening of the line between Walsall and Wolverhampton, last used for passenger services in 2008 but kept open since then for freight. New stations will be opened at Willenhall and Darlaston – both of which were closed in 1965. There will be two trains an hour...

www.railinsider.co.uk

This article suggests that a new Wolverhampton to Walsall service will be introduced running via the new stations, with the other hourly service provided by diverting a Crewe to Birmingham (though I thought all the Crewe services now went through to Liverpool).

Rumours are circulating that the former will be operated by the 9 323s that aren't going to Northern.

I assume this line is already electrified?

 

[The Planner]

New services and new stations for Walsall to Wolverhampton line - RailInsider

Plans are proceeding for the reopening of the line between Walsall and Wolverhampton, last used for passenger services in 2008 but kept open since then for freight. New stations will be opened at Willenhall and Darlaston – both of which were closed in 1965. There will be two trains an hour...

www.railinsider.co.uk

This article suggests that a new Wolverhampton to Walsall service will be introduced running via the new stations, with the other hourly service provided by diverting a Crewe to Birmingham (though I thought all the Crewe services now went through to Liverpool).

Rumours are circulating that the former will be operated by the 9 323s that aren't going to Northern.

I assume this line is already electrified?

Yes, its electrified. It contradicts some of what I have heard in that it would be a diverted Shrewsbury serving the stations.

 

[Mollman]

New services and new stations for Walsall to Wolverhampton line - RailInsider

Plans are proceeding for the reopening of the line between Walsall and Wolverhampton, last used for passenger services in 2008 but kept open since then for freight. New stations will be opened at Willenhall and Darlaston – both of which were closed in 1965. There will be two trains an hour...

www.railinsider.co.uk

This article suggests that a new Wolverhampton to Walsall service will be introduced running via the new stations, with the other hourly service provided by diverting a Crewe to Birmingham (though I thought all the Crewe services now went through to Liverpool).

Rumours are circulating that the former will be operated by the 9 323s that aren't going to Northern.

I assume this line is already electrified?

I think it is meant to be the (Euston) - Birmingham - Crewe train which was a new service between Birmingham and Wolverhampton and runs via Stoke to replace the Trent Valley stopper.

 

[thecrofter]

There’s a major challenge awaiting the station designers in getting the required overhead line to platform clearances given both proposed stations are adjacent to road overbridges!