Place Kenilworth Station code KNW | Grid reference SP291716 Number of platforms 2 | |
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Key dates Opened 9 December 1844 (9 December 1844) Pre-grouping London and North Western Railway Post-grouping London Midland and Scottish Railway Original company London and Birmingham Railway Similar Thornhill (Dumfries) railway st, Chipping Sodbury railway st, Marsh Barton railway st, Long Ashton railway st, Caerleon railway station | ||
Kenilworth railway station was a railway station in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England on the Coventry to Leamington Line. In 2013 it was announced that the station would reopen in 2016, but this was later revised to August 2017 and then December 2017.
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Historic station
It first opened in 1844, with both the line and the station then being closed to passengers in 1965 as a result of the Reshaping of British Railways report. Passenger services over the line were restarted in the 1980s but the station was not reopened. What remains of the double track includes a passing loop, and the approaches to Coventry and Leamington Spa stations.
Proposals for reopening
Proposals for reopening the station have existed for many years. In 2008, CrossCountry and Warwickshire County Council supported the reopening and started to prepare a business case. It was included in 2008–09 Warwickshire Local Transport Plan.
In July 2009 it was announced that John Laing plc had been awarded a 20-year contract to design, build, and operate the new station, due to open in 2013. Planning permission was granted in April 2011 but funding was refused. In late 2011, John Laing successfully asked to withdraw from the contract as there was no funding available for the station construction to go ahead in the immediate future.
In November 2011 the upgrading of the Coventry to Nuneaton route was approved, renewing new hope for regeneration of the line through Kenilworth. In February 2013, Warwickshire County Council made a £5 million funding bid to the new fund the government had created to construct or renovate stations.
In June 2013 the Department for Transport approved funding for the new station. Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin identified a potential opening date of 2016. In December 2013 the DfT reannounced its grant of £5 million toward the station's £11.3 million total cost, and gave the opening date as December 2016. On 4 October 2014 test runs were made between Leamington and Coventry to check timings along the route.
In early summer 2016 Graham Construction Ltd was awarded the contract to build the station. The official start of work on site took place on 29 July 2016 when Jeremy Wright ceremonially broke ground.
Opening of new station
Although the initial completion date was August 2017, which will still be delivered on time by the County Council, the actual service date is now 10 December 2017 owing to a delay in track and signaling work by Network Rail. The heritage style station building will incorporate a booking hall and cafe with a decent carpark. Also some artefacts from the old station, including a stained glass window.