Place Solihull Station code SOL DfT category D Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference SP144796 Managed by Chiltern Railways 2011/12 1.424 million | |
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Address Solihull B91 1LE, United Kingdom Pte Transport for West Midlands Similar Birmingham Moor Street railway st, Dorridge railway station, Leamington Spa railway st, Birmingham Snow Hill station, Olton railway station | ||
Trains at solihull railway station 16 4 15
Solihull railway station serves the town of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. The station is served by London Midland and Chiltern Railways. CrossCountry serve the station occasionally, when replacing stops at Coventry and Birmingham International during engineering work. Solihull used to have a regular Virgin Trains 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.
Contents
The station booking office is located underneath 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, London Midland 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. London Midland 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.
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). 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.
Services
London Midland run local services as part of the Snow Hill Lines:
On Sundays, there is an hourly service between Dorridge & Stourbridge Junction.
Chiltern Railways (including Sundays):