Solihull railway station

Solihull railway station serves the town of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. The station is served by West Midlands Trains and Chiltern Railways. CrossCountry serve the station occasionally to replace stops at Coventry and Birmingham International during engineering work. Solihull used to have a regular Virgin CrossCountry service to Manchester Piccadilly, Blackpool North and Portsmouth Harbour until 2004, when all services through the station were made to run non-stop between Birmingham and Leamington Spa.

Solihull
Location
PlaceSolihull
Local authorityMetropolitan Borough of Solihull
Grid referenceSP144796
Operations
Station codeSOL
Managed byChiltern Railways
Number of platforms2
DfT categoryD
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2014/15 1.742 million
2015/16 1.834 million
2016/17 1.884 million
2017/18 1.904 million
2018/19 2.040 million
– Interchange 39,892
Passenger Transport Executive
PTETransport for West Midlands
Zone4
History
Key datesOpened 1852 (1852)
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Solihull from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.

The station booking office is under the trackbed, in a subway where footsteps lead up to the island platform. Services are operated by Chiltern Railways to London Marylebone via High Wycombe, West Midlands Trains to Dorridge, extending to Leamington Spa at peak times. The vast majority of Chiltern Railways services terminate at Birmingham Snow Hill, with extensions to Kidderminster at peak times. West Midlands Trains operate services to Stourbridge Junction on a 20-minute frequency.

History

The original Solihull station was opened in 1852, by the Great Western Railway on their London Paddington to Birmingham and Birkenhead main line. In the early 1930s, the line between Olton and Lapworth was quadrupled, and the station was rebuilt slightly south of the original. The rebuilt station had two island platforms.[1]

The station's remaining island platform and building. The disused island platform is to the left.

The line and station underwent significant rationalisation in the 1960s and 70s. One island platform was taken out of use when the line was reduced back to double track, the overgrown remains of the disused platform can still be seen. The station also lost its original canopies, and platform buildings, being reduced to a single platform building. Platform canopies were constructed once again in 2007-08, but not to the former GWR scale.

Until 1967 the former GWR London Paddington - Birkenhead Woodside train services passed through the station but few stopped there; these services ceased with the electrification of the former LMS line from London Euston to Birmingham New Street.

Recent investment by Chiltern Railways has seen rail times into London reduced to under 90 minutes - trains now travel along the line at 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).[2] Some recent renovations under the auspices of Chiltern Railways has seen the replacement of the station signage with gilt signage inspired by that used by the Great Western Railway.

Facilities

The ticket office is manned throughout the day, seven days per week whilst a self-service ticket machine is also provided on the concourse (this can be used to collect pre-paid tickets). A coffee shop, waiting room and toilets are located at platform level, with the platform and subway connected by stairs and lift (the station is therefore fully accessible for disabled passengers). Train running information is offered via a help point, CIS screens, automated announcements and timetable posters.[3]

Services

West Midlands Trains run local services as part of the Snow Hill Lines:[4]

On Sundays, there is an hourly service between Dorridge & Stourbridge Junction.

Chiltern Railways (including Sundays):[5]

  • 2 trains per hour to either Birmingham Moor Street or Birmingham Snow Hill. On weekday peak hours some services continue to Kidderminster.
  • 2 trains per hour to London Marylebone.
  • A two-hourly local service between Birmingham Moor Street and Leamington Spa.
Preceding station National Rail Following station
Olton   Chiltern Railways
London-Birmingham		   Widney Manor
Birmingham Moor Street   Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Main Line fast services		   Dorridge
Olton   West Midlands Railway
Leamington-Worcester		   Widney Manor
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References
  1. "Warwickshire Railways - Solihull station"
  2. "Chiltern Railways bosses expect to poach customers for Birmingham to London route". Birmingham Mail. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  3. Solihull station facilities National Rail Enquiries
  4. Table 71 National Rail timetable, May 2017
  5. Table 115 National Rail timetable, May 2017
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