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Solihull railway station

Coordinates: 52°24′53″N 1°47′20″W / 52.41472°N 1.78889°W / 52.41472; -1.78889
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52°24′53″N 1°47′20″W / 52.41472°N 1.78889°W / 52.41472; -1.78889

Solihull
National Rail
General information
LocationSolihull, Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
England
Grid referenceSP144796
Managed byChiltern Railways
Transit authorityTransport for West Midlands
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeSOL
Fare zone4
ClassificationDfT category D
History
Opened1852
Passengers
2018/19Increase 2.040 million
 Interchange  Increase 39,892
2019/20Decrease 2.033 million
 Interchange Decrease 36,572
2020/21Decrease 0.408 million
 Interchange Decrease 5,441
2021/22Increase 1.038 million
 Interchange Increase 17,541
2022/23Increase 1.341 million
 Interchange  Increase 20,130
Location
Map
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Solihull railway station serves the market 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.

The station booking office is located in a ground level building at the front of the station, from here there is a subway where footsteps and a lift lead up to the island platform. Services are operated by Chiltern Railways to London Marylebone via High Wycombe, West Midlands Trains to Dorridge, with some services extending to Leamington Spa in the evening peak. The vast majority of Chiltern Railways services terminate at Birmingham Snow Hill or Birmingham Moor Street, with extensions to Kidderminster at peak times. West Midlands Trains operate services to Stourbridge Junction on a 30-minute frequency.

History

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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

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The ticket office is staffed 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]

Most bus services to Solihull town centre terminate or call at stops outside the station building.

Services

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West Midlands Railway:

West Midlands Trains run local services every 30 minutes as part of the Snow Hill lines:[4][5]

The off-peak service pattern Mondays to Saturdays is as follows:

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

Chiltern Railways:[6]

Chiltern run half-hourly services between Birmingham and London on the Chiltern Main Line. Service patterns Mondays to Saturdays off-peak are as follows:

Sunday Chiltern services are hourly off-peak running between Moor Street and Marylebone, with additional services to London in the morning peak and two additional services in the evening terminating at Stourbridge Junction.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Birmingham Moor Street   Chiltern Railways
Birmingham-London
  Dorridge
  Chiltern Railways
Birmingham-Leamington
 
Olton   West Midlands Railway
Worcester-Birmingham-Dorridge-Stratford
Snow Hill Lines
  Widney Manor
  West Midlands Railway
Worcester-Leamington
 

References

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  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. ^ "Train timetables and schedules | Solihull". West Midlands Railway.
  5. ^ "Train times | Snow Hill Lines - Worcester to Birmingham Snow Hill, Solihull and Stratford upon Avon | 21 May until 9 December 2023". West Midlands Railway.
  6. ^ "Timetable - 21 May 2023 - December 2023: London to High Wycombe, Bicester, Oxford, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Birmingham". Chiltern Railways.
  7. ^ MP at launch of London train Worcester News 30 September 2002
  8. ^ Passengers advised new train timetables imminent BBC News 5 May 2023
  9. ^ Balancing enhancements with efficiency Modern Railways issue 896 May 2023 page 63
  10. ^ Chiltern re-times trains to retain extra midweek peak capacity Rail issue 983 17 May 2023 page 10
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