West Midlands Trains

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West Midlands Trains
Overview
Franchise(s)West Midlands
10 December 2017 – March 2026
Main region(s)West Midlands
Greater London
Other region(s)North West
East Midlands
Fleet sizeWest Midlands Railway

London Northwestern Railway

Stations called at178
Stations operated146
Route km operated867.4
Parent companyAbellio (70%)
JR East (15%)
Mitsui (15%)
Websitewww.wmtrains.co.uk
Route map
Route map

West Midlands Trains (WMT) is a train operating company in the United Kingdom that operates passenger trains on the West Midlands franchise between London and stations in the English Midlands. It is owned by a consortium of three companies: Abellio, JR East and Mitsui.

West Midlands Trains took over the franchise on 10 December 2017 and operates trains under two brand names, London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway.

History[edit]

Passenger journeys on the West Midlands rail franchise from 2010-11 to 2018-19

In April 2016, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced the shortlist of bidders for the West Midlands franchise, comprising the incumbent operator Govia, MTR Corporation, and West Midlands Trains: a consortium of Abellio (70%), JR East (15%) and Mitsui (15%). In July 2016, MTR Corporation withdrew from the bidding process.

The invitation to tender was issued in August 2016. In August 2017, the West Midlands Trains consortium was awarded the franchise. It took over from London Midland on 10 December 2017. The franchise is scheduled to run until March 2026.

Management[edit]

Unlike the previous London Midland franchise, which was solely accountable to the DfT, West Midlands will also be accountable for services that operate wholly within the West Midlands region to West Midlands Rail Executive, a group of 16 local authorities. However, the DfT will still need to approve any changes West Midlands Rail wish to make until the franchise is relet, by which time West Midlands Rail will award the future franchise for services wholly within the West Midlands region.

Branding[edit]

WMT services are split into two businesses which operate under two distinct sub-brands. Longer-distance train services running on the West Coast Main Line, including those running to/from London Euston, Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe operate under the London Northwestern Railway brand. This name was chosen in tribute to the former London & North Western Railway (LNWR), the company that operated services on the route between 1846 and 1922. Branding of trains and associated publicity use a green colour scheme with a logo composed of the letters L, N and W.

Services running in Birmingham and the West Midlands region — previously operated by under the London Midland City brand — are operated by WMT under the West Midlands Railway brand. These services bear an orange and grey colour scheme and are branded with a hexagonal "WM" monogram. WMT have chosen to operate these services as a distinct business unit in order to facilitate a possible future devolution of these services from the national DfT to the West Midlands Combined Authority.The hexagonal "WM" logo has been adopted as part of a shared branding initiative under Transport for West Midlands, in which other transport modes in the West Midlands have been branded with a common identity to emphasise integrated transport. Each mode bears a coloured variant of the "WM" logo: trams of the West Midlands Metro system bear a blue logo, cycling initiatives are branded with a green logo, West Midlands Trains bears an orange logo, and the West Midlands Rail Executive in turquoise.

Services[edit]

350 372 in the Full LNWR livery at Rugby, May 2019
Overview
National Rail abbreviationLN
Websitelondonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

West Midlands Trains operate all train services previously run by London Midland. Trains operate under one of the company's two brand names depending on route.

London Northwestern Railway[edit]

WMT's medium- and long-distance services along the West Coast main line rail corridor are operated under the London Northwestern Railway brand. These services include:.

  • suburban and regional services out of London Euston;
  • services between Birmingham and Liverpool;
  • services on rural lines that branch off the West Coast main line.

Oyster card and contactless card payments can be used on London Northwestern Railway at Watford Junction, Bushey, Harrow & Wealdstone, Wembley Central and Euston stations.

As of 19 May 2019, the typical off-peak weekday London Northwestern Railway service pattern, with frequencies in trains per hour (tph), include:

London suburban routes
Route tph Calling at  Stock
London Euston to Tring 2 Wembley Central (1tph), Harrow & Wealdstone, Bushey, Watford Junction, Kings Langley, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted 319 or 350
London Euston to Milton Keynes Central 1 Watford Junction, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring (London-bound only), Cheddington (London-bound only), Leighton Buzzard, Bletchley 319 or 350
Mainline (via Northampton and Birmingham New Street)
Route tph Calling at Service  Stock
London Euston to Birmingham New Street via Northampton 1 Watford Junction, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring (Birmingham-bound only), Cheddington (Birmingham-bound only), Leighton Buzzard, Bletchley, Milton Keynes Central, Wolverton, Northampton, Long Buckby, Rugby, Coventry, Canley, Tile Hill, Berkswell, Hampton-in-Arden (Birmingham-bound only), Birmingham International, Marston Green
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see below).
I
350
1 Leighton Buzzard, Bletchley, Milton Keynes Central, Wolverton, Northampton, Long Buckby, Rugby, Coventry, Canley (London-bound only), Tile Hill, Berkswell (London-bound only), Hampton-in-Arden, Birmingham International, Marston Green, Lea Hall (London-bound only), Stechford (London-bound only)
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see below).
II
350
1 Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Long Buckby, Rugby, Coventry, Canley (Birmingham-bound only), Tile Hill, Berkswell (Birmingham-bound only), Hampton-in-Arden (London-bound only), Birmingham International, Marston Green, Lea Hall (Birmingham-bound only), Stechford (Birmingham-bound only)
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see below).
III
350
Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street 1 Lea Hall, Stechford, Adderley Park
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see below).
IV
350

Services running to/from Birmingham New Street are combined, which gives through services between London (as above) and Rugeley/Liverpool/Crewe (as below).

Birmingham New Street to Rugeley Trent Valley 1 Tame Bridge Parkway, Bescot Stadium, Walsall, Bloxwich, Bloxwich North, Landywood, Cannock, Hednesford, Rugeley Town
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see above).
A
350
1 Tame Bridge Parkway, Walsall, Bloxwich, Bloxwich North, Landywood, Cannock, Hednesford, Rugeley Town
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see above).
B
350
Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street 1 Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, Penkridge, Stafford, Crewe, Winsford (Liverpool-bound only), Hartford, Acton Bridge (limited service), Runcorn, Liverpool South Parkway
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see above).
C
350
1 Coseley, Wolverhampton, Penkridge, Stafford, Crewe, Winsford (Birmingham-bound only), Hartford, Acton Bridge (limited service), Runcorn, Liverpool South Parkway
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see above).
D
350
Birmingham New Street to Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent 1 Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Stone, Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove, Alsager
Trains continue beyond Birmingham New Street (see above).
E
350
Mainline (Trent Valley)
Route tph Calling at Stock
London Euston to Crewe via Tamworth 1 Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Polesworth (limited service), Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Rugeley Trent Valley, Stafford 350
Branch lines
Route tph Calling at Stock
Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey Watford North, Garston, Bricket Wood, How Wood, Park Street
Irregular service; approximately every 45 minutes.
319
Bletchley to Bedford 1 Fenny Stratford, Bow Brickhill, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Ridgmont, Lidlington, Millbrook, Stewartby, Kempston Hardwick, Bedford St Johns 230

West Midlands Railway[edit]

Class 172 in West Midlands Railway livery at Birmingham Moor Street in 2019.
Overview
National Rail abbreviationWM
Websitewestmidlandsrailway.co.uk

In the West Midlands region, WMT's train services are operated under the West Midlands Railway brand. These services include:

Services on the short Stourbridge Town branch line are run by the independent operator Pre Metro Operations, who operate services on behalf of WMT under the West Midlands Railway brand name.

As of 19 May 2018, the typical off-peak weekday West Midlands Railway services, with frequencies in trains per hour (tph), include:

Birmingham regional
Route tph Calling at  Stock
Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury 1 Wolverhampton, Codsall, Shifnal, Telford Central, Wellington 170
1 Sandwell & Dudley, Wolverhampton, Bilbrook, Codsall, Albrighton, Cosford, Shifnal, Telford Central, Oakengates, Wellington 170
Birmingham New Street to Hereford 1 University, Barnt Green (limited) Bromsgrove, Droitwich Spa, Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern Link, Great Malvern, Colwall, Ledbury 153
or 170
or 172
Cross City line
Route tph Calling at  Stock
Lichfield Trent Valley to Redditch 1 Lichfield City, Blake Street, Butlers Lane, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, Wylde Green, Chester Road, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Aston, Birmingham New Street, Five Ways, University, Selly Oak, Bournville, Kings Norton, Northfield, Longbridge, Barnt Green, Alvechurch 323
1 Lichfield City, Shenstone, Blake Street, Butlers Lane, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, Wylde Green, Chester Road, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Aston, Birmingham New Street, Five Ways, University, Selly Oak, Bournville, Kings Norton, Northfield, Longbridge, Barnt Green, Alvechurch 323
Four Oaks to Redditch 1 Sutton Coldfield, Wylde Green, Chester Road, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Aston, Duddeston, Birmingham New Street, Five Ways, University, Selly Oak, Bournville, Kings Norton, Northfield, Longbridge, Barnt Green, Alvechurch 323
Lichfield Trent Valley to Bromsgrove 1 Lichfield City, Blake Street, Butlers Lane, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, Wylde Green, Chester Road, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Aston, Birmingham New Street, Five Ways, University, Selly Oak, Bournville, Kings Norton, Northfield, Longbridge, Barnt Green (Bromsgrove-bound only) 323
1 Lichfield City, Shenstone, Blake Street, Butlers Lane, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, Wylde Green, Chester Road, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Aston, Birmingham New Street, Five Ways, University, Selly Oak, Bournville, Kings Norton, Northfield, Longbridge, Barnt Green (Lichfield-bound only) 323
Four Oaks to Bromsgrove 1 Sutton Coldfield, Wylde Green, Chester Road, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Aston, Duddeston, Birmingham New Street, Five Ways, University, Selly Oak, Bournville, Kings Norton, Northfield, Longbridge 323
Walsall line
Route tph Calling at Stock
Walsall to Wolverhampton via Aston 2 Bescot Stadium, Tame Bridge Parkway, Hamstead, Perry Barr, Witton, Aston, Duddeston, Birmingham New Street, Smethwick Rolfe Street, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Sandwell and Dudley, Dudley Port, Tipton, Coseley 323
or 350
Snow Hill lines
Route tph Calling at Stock
Stratford-upon-Avon to Stourbridge Junction via Dorridge 1 Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway, Dorridge, Widney Manor, Solihull, Olton, Acocks Green, Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Jewellery Quarter, The Hawthorns, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Langley Green, Rowley Regis, Old Hill, Cradley Heath, Lye 153
or 170
or 172
Dorridge to Kidderminster 1 Widney Manor, Solihull, Olton, Acocks Green, Tyseley (Dorridge-bound only), Small Heath (Dorridge-bound only), Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Jewellery Quarter, The Hawthorns, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Rowley Regis, Cradley Heath, Stourbridge Junction, Hagley, Blakedown 153
or 170
or 172
Dorridge to Worcester Shrub Hill or Worcester Foregate Street[N 1] 1 Widney Manor, Solihull, Olton, Acocks Green, Tyseley (Worcester-bound only), Small Heath (Worcester-bound only), Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Jewellery Quarter, The Hawthorns, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Rowley Regis, Cradley Heath, Stourbridge Junction, Hagley (Dorridge-bound only), Kidderminster, Hartlebury, Droitwich Spa 153
or 170
or 172
Stratford-upon-Avon to Stourbridge Junction via Whitlocks End 1 Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway, Wilmcote, Wootton Wawen,[N 2] Henley-in-Arden, Danzey,[N 2] Wood End,[N 2] The Lakes,[N 2] Earlswood, Wythall, Whitlocks End, Shirley, Yardley Wood, Hall Green, Spring Road, Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Jewellery Quarter, The Hawthorns, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Langley Green, Rowley Regis, Old Hill, Cradley Heath, Lye 153
or 170
or 172
Whitlocks End to Kidderminster 1 Shirley, Yardley Wood, Hall Green, Spring Road, Tyseley (Whitlocks End-bound only), Small Heath (Whitlocks End-bound only), Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Jewellery Quarter, The Hawthorns, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Rowley Regis, Cradley Heath, Stourbridge Junction, Hagley, Blakedown 153
or 170
or 172
Whitlocks End to Worcester Shrub Hill or Worcester Foregate Street[N 1] 1 Shirley, Yardley Wood, Hall Green, Spring Road, Tyseley (Worcester-bound only), Small Heath (Worcester-bound only), Bordesley (limited service), Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Jewellery Quarter, The Hawthorns, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Rowley Regis, Cradley Heath, Stourbridge Junction, Hagley (Worcester-bound only), Kidderminster, Droitwich Spa 153
or 170
or 172
Branch lines
Route tph Calling at Stock
Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town 6 shuttle service 139
Leamington Spa to Nuneaton 1 Kenilworth, Coventry, Coventry Arena, Bedworth, Bermuda Park 172
  1. 1.0 1.1 There is no regular off-peak pattern for how Worcester is served. Some services start/terminate at Shrub Hill; some do so at Foregate Street; some trains serve both stations by running to/from Foregate Street via Shrub Hill, where trains reverse before continuing.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Request stop

Future[edit]

Map of the Birmingham & the West Midlands rail network (2017)

Future changes include:

  • introduction of a half hourly service between Northampton and Crewe via Tamworth and Stafford.
  • extension of the Birmingham to Wolverhampton service to Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent. This will replace the London Euston to Crewe service via Stoke-on-Trent that will operate directly from Stafford to Crewe via the West Coast Main Line. The change of this service has angered councillors in Staffordshire as to the loss of the direct service (although Virgin Trains West Coast will continue to operate a London-bound service through Stoke-on-Trent). The change of service is necessitated by West Midlands Trains increasing the number of carriages up to twelve in peak hours, which makes stopping at Alsager, Stone and Kidsgrove impossible due to their platform lengths being unable to take 12-car trains. West Midlands Rail have since stated these stations will retain a direct service to London taking a slower route via Birmingham and Northampton.
  • reintroduction of calls at Barlaston and therefore closure of Wedgwood. This will mean the end of the long-standing Rail Replacement Bus service.From 10 December 2017, the Stafford – Stoke-on-Trent Rail Replacement Bus was cut back to run only between Stoke-on-Trent & Norton Bridge, via Wedgwood, Barlaston and Stone.

Rolling stock[edit]

Current fleet[edit]

Future fleet[edit]

Past fleet[edit]

See also[edit]

Template:Commonscat

  • Central Trains – Former West Midlands franchise operator (1997-2007).
  • London Midland – Former West Midlands franchise operator (2007-2017).

External links[edit]

Preceded by
London Midland
West Midlands franchise
Operator of West Midlands franchise
2017–2026
Succeeded by
incumbent

Template:Transport in London Template:Abellio Template:JR