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West Coast Mainline through Birmingham
The Core Route of the West Coast Mainline runs for 401 miles between London Euston and Motherwell in Scotland.
A series of loops run off the main core, linking the surrounding areas to the West Coast Mainline. These include the Birmingham Loop, which departs from the Main Core at Rugby, runs through Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton and rejoins the Main Core at Stafford.
The Birmingham Loop runs for roughly 12 miles through Birmingham from Bickenhill on the east side of the city to Smethwick on the north-west side.
There are six stations in Birmingham: Birmingham International, Marston Green, Lea Hall, Stechford, Adderley Park and New Street.
Map of West Coast Mainline through Birmingham (Top Menu)
Trains travelling on the Birmingham Loop of the West Coast Mainline from Birmingham International on the east side of Birmingham to Smethwick on the west side will pass the following landmarks:
Birmingham International Railway Station (Top Menu)
Birmingham International Station serves the National Exhibition Centre and Birmingham International Airport which are both located at Bickenhill on the eastern fringe of Birmingham.
The station, which has an annual passenger usage of 2.6 million, is connected by walkways, escalators and travelators to the National Exhibition Centre, and by an elevated cable-hauled people mover to the passenger terminals at Birmingham International Airport.
The station facilities include shops, eateries, bureaux de change, cycle storage, a taxi rank, coach and bus interchange and a car park with 2225 spaces.
Bus routes 38, 58, 73, 676, 900 and 966 stop at Birmingham International; buses heading for central Birmingham generally terminate at Moor Street Station.
Birmingham International is served by direct intercity trains from Aberystwyth, Bournemouth, Chester, Holyhead, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston.
The station also receives regional services from Birmingham New Street, Coventry, Northampton and Wolverhampton, some of which also stop at Marston Green, Lea Hall, Stechford and Adderley Park.
Tel: 08457 484950 Address: Bickenhill Lane B40 1PA
Links: National Rail Enquiries
Birmingham International Airport (Top Menu)
From Birmingham International, the West Coast Mainline heads north-westwards beneath Bickenhill Lane and alongside the airport terminals before passing through a linear belt of suburban housing centred on Elmdon Lane which runs roughly parallel to the airport runway.
The line then enters Marston Green Station at the north-western end of the runway.
Marston Green Railway Station (Top Menu)
Marston Green Station on the West Coast Mainline opened in 1838 and was rebuilt in the 1970's. The station has an annual passenger footfall of around 180,000; the facilities include two platforms, a waiting room, seated area and 96-space car park
.There are generally six services per hour: three to Birmingham New Street, one to Coventry, one to Northampton and one to London Euston. Services may be less frequent during the evenings and at weekends.
Main Destinations: Birmingham New Street, Coventry, Northampton, London Euston
Tel: 08457484950 Address: Holly Lane B37 7AB
Links: National Rail Enquiries
Sheldon Country Park (Top Menu)
Heading north-westwards from Marston Green, the West Coast Mainline travels on an embankment above Hatchford Brook and skirts the northern side of Sheldon Country Park before crossing above the Radleys and Mackadown Lane.
Links:
SheldonKitts Green Industrial Estate (Top Menu)
From Mackadown Lane, the West Coast Mainline continues north-westwards through the Kitts Green Industrial Estate; it then runs beneath the Meadway and arrives at Lea Hall Station.
Links:
Kitts GreenLea Hall Railway Station (Top Menu)
Lea Hall Station on the West Coast Mainline opened in 1939; it has an annual passenger usage of around 147,000.
The facilities include CCTV, two platforms, sheltered cycle storage and a car park with 28 free spaces for railway users. There is no taxi rank, but bus route 13 passes nearby on Lea Hall Road and bus routes 14, 14A and 689 on Kitts Green Road.
There are generally two trains per hour in each direction during weekdays and on Saturdays. Services are less frequent in the evenings and at weekends.
Eastbound trains generally terminate at Birmingham International and westbound trains at Birmingham New Street. However, the station also receives some intercity services.
Average journey times are 8 minutes to Birmingham International and 9 minutes to Birmingham New Street.
Main Destinations: Coventry, Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street; occasional inter-city services stop at stations to Crewe, Wolverhampton, Stafford and Liverpool Lime Street.
Tel: 08457484950 Address: Lea Hall B33 8JU
Links: Kitts Green National Rail Enquiries
Heading north-westwards from Lea Hall Station, the West Coast Mainline bridges Crossfield Road and runs beneath Church Road and Hill House Lane before passing Stechford Retail Park and arriving at Stechford Station beneath Station Road on the Outer Circle (A4040).
Stechford Railway Station (Top Menu)
Stechford Station on the West Coast Mainline opened in 1844; it has an annual passenger usage of around 125,000. The facilities include CCTV, waiting shelters and three platforms. There is no taxi rank or car park, but bus routes 11A, 11C and 663 pass nearby.
There are generally two passenger trains per hour in each direction during weekdays and on Saturdays. Services are less frequent in the evenings and on Sunday. Eastbound trains generally terminate at Birmingham International and westbound trains at Birmingham New Street.
The average journey time is 10 minutes to Birmingham International and 8 minutes to Birmingham New Street.
Main Destinations: Coventry, Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street; occasional inter-city services stop at stations to Crewe, Wolverhampton, Stafford and Liverpool Lime Street.
Tel: 08457484950 Address: Victoria Road B33 8AJ
Links: Stechford National Rail Enquiries
Heading north-westwards from Stechford Station, the West Coast Mainline arrives at Stechford Junction, roughly 100 metres from the station platforms.
The Stechford Avoiding Line joins the West Coast Mainline at Stechford Junction. Freight Trains travelling to the Black Country may use the Stechford Avoiding Line in order to cross Birmingham without having to travel through New Street.
There was a busy freight yard at Stechford Junction until the mid-1980's.
Links: Stechford
Heading westwards from Stechford Junction, the West Coast Mainline bridges Albert Road and the River Cole before reaching Alum Rock where it runs on an embankment, roughly parallel to Caldwell Road, crossing above Eastfield Road and then beneath Belchers Lane.
Links: Alum Rock
From Belchers Lane, the line continues westwards, past Saltley Community Leisure Centre, alongside Whitacre Road and beneath Bridge Lane before reaching Adderley Park Station which sits in a cutting beneath Bordesley Green Road.
Links: Saltley
Adderley Park Railway Station (Top Menu)
Adderley Park Station on the West Coast Mainline opened in 1860; it has an annual passenger usage of only 24,000 and has been earmarked for closure. However, the station will become a major transport link if the City of Birmingham Stadium is built on the site of the adjoining Wheels Leisure Park.
The station has CCTV, waiting shelters and two platforms. There is no taxi rank or car park but inner circle bus routes 8A and 8C pass nearby on Bordesley Green Road.
There is generally one train per hour in each direction at weekdays and on Saturdays, but services are less frequent in the evenings and on Sundays.
Eastbound trains generally terminate at Birmingham International and westbound trains at Birmingham New Street. The average journey time is 11 minutes to Birmingham International and 5 minutes to Birmingham New Street.
Main Destinations: Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International
Tel: 08457484950 Address: Bordesley Green Road B9 4TG
Links: Saltley National Rail Enquiries
Heading westwards from Adderley Park Station, the West Coast Mainline runs alongside Landor Street, passes the Wheels Adventure Park, crosses above the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Branch Canal and arrives at Proof House Junction
.Links: Bordesley
Proof House Junction (Top Menu)
The Camp Hill Freight Line and the Birmingham-Peterborough Line meet the West Coast Mainline at Proof House Junction.
Services from East Anglia, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the north-east and Scotland will switch to the West Coast Mainline at Proof House Junction in order to reach New Street Station.
The junction is named after a former firing range next to the tracks that was used by the Gun Barrels Proof House in order to test firearms.
Links: Bordesley
Heading westwards from Proof House Junction, the West Coast Mainline runs between Garrison Street and Landor Street before travelling on a viaduct above Landor Street and Lawley Middleway (A4540).
Links: Bordesley
Curzon Street Junction (Top Menu)
From Lawley Middleway, the West Coast Mainline continues westwards above Montague Street before reaching Curzon Street Junction, next to the monumental disused Curzon Street Station (1837): the original terminus of the Birmingham-London Euston Line.
The northern section of the Cross City Line joins the West Coast Mainline at Curzon Street Junction.
Services from Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield and north Birmingham will switch to the West Coast Mainline at Curzon Street in order to reach New Street Station.
The Digbeth Branch Canal runs through a tunnel beneath the junction.
Links:
EastsideGun Barrels Proof House (Top Menu)
Heading south-westwards from Curzon Street Junction, the West Coast Mainline passes the Gun Barrels Proof House, and then runs on a viaduct above Banbury Street, Andover Street, New Canal Street and Fazeley Street.
Links: Eastside
Moor Street Ringway (Top Menu)
From Fazeley Street, the West Coast Mainline continues in a south-westerly direction, travelling in a cutting beneath Park Street before entering a tunnel that carries it beneath the Leamington-Worcester Line, Moor Street Ringway and Rotunda Square.
Although the West Coast Mainline passes within 30 metres of Moor Street Station, it runs on a different track alignment and so trains do not stop there.
Links: Retail Quarter
Having emerged from the Moor Street Tunnel, the West Coast Mainline enters the eastern side of New Street Station whose approach is dominated by the Rotunda and the New Street Odeon.
Links: Retail Quarter
Sponsored Links (Top Menu)
Birmingham New Street is the busiest railway station in the UK outside London with an annual footfall of over 40 million.
For its history, layout, location, facilities and train services, read more about New Street Station
Tel: 08457484950 Address: New Street B2 4ND
Links: Southside National Rail Enquiries
New Street Station Signal Box (Top Menu)
From New Street Station, the West Coast Mainline heads westwards under Navigation Street and Hill Street, past this grade-two-listed signal box (1964).
Links: Secular Architecture City Centre Southside
New Street Junction (Top Menu)
Heading westwards from Hill Street, the West Coast Mainline enters the Stour Valley Tunnel and arrives at New Street Junction where it is met by the Cross City Line.
Services for south Birmingham, the south-west, South Wales and the Welsh Borders will switch to the Cross City Line at New Street Junction.
Links: Southside
Stour Valley Tunnel (Top Menu)
From New Street Junction, the line continues in a north-westerly direction through the 772-metre Stour Valley Tunnel which was built as part of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway in 1847.
The Stour Valley Tunnel carries the West Coast Mainline beneath Suffolk Street Queensway, Broad Street, Centenary Square, the International Convention Centre, the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal and the National Indoor Arena; the line emerges at St Vincent Street in Ladywood.
Links: Convention Quarter Ladywood
Heading north-westwards from St Vincent Street, the West Coast Mainline runs alongside Lighthorne Avenue and passes beneath Ladywood Middleway before arriving at the former site of Monument Lane Railway Station.
Links: Ladywood
Monument Lane was a junction station that opened in 1854 and closed in 1958. The Harborne Branch joined the West Coast Mainline at Monument Lane.
There were five stations on the Harborne Branch: Icknield Port Road, Rotton Park Road, Cape Hill Brewery, Hagley Road and Harborne; they all closed in the 1930's. The line itself closed in 1963; part has been preserved as the Harborne Walkway.
Links: Ladywood
Heading north-westwards from Monument Lane, the West Coast Mainline runs alongside the Birmingham-Wolverhampton Canal, passing above the eastern entrance to the Soho Loop before entering Winson Green and travelling beneath Dudley Road (A457).
Links: Ladywood Winson Green
From Dudley Road, the West Coast Mainline continues north-westwards, alongside the Birmingham-Wolverhampton Canal; it then skirts the City Hospital and travels beneath Winson Green Road, next to the former site of Winson Green Railway Station which opened in 1876 and closed in 1957.
Links: Winson Green
Winson Green Prison (Top Menu)
Heading north-westwards from Winson Green Road, the West Coast Mainline continues alongside the Birmingham & Wolverhampton Canal, travelling above the western entrance to the Soho Canal Loop, next to Winson Green Prison.
Links: Winson Green
From Winson Green Prison, the West Coast Mainline heads north-westwards to Soho Junction where it meets the Handsworth Linking Line.
Trains travelling between Coventry and Wolverhampton and Coventry and Walsall can switch between the West Coast Mainline and the Handsworth Linking Line in order to avoid New Street Station.
Trains heading between Birmingham New Street and Walsall can also switch between the West Coast Mainline and the Handsworth Linking Line in order to avoid the congested eastern entrance to New Street Station.
From Soho Junction, the West Coast Mainline curves westwards, crossing the city boundary into Smethwick.
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