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University (Birmingham) railway station
Encyclopedia
University railway station is a railway station serving the University of Birmingham
and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
in the West Midlands
of England
. It is situated on the Cross-City Line which runs from Redditch
to Lichfield
via Birmingham New Street
. Most services are operated by London Midland
who manage the station, with some services also operated by CrossCountry
.
, University station was built in 1978 as part of the upgrade of the Cross-City line. Although this was the first station on the site, it is located a short distance away from the former Somerset Road Station
which was closed in the 1930s due to poor patronage. The Cross-City Line was electrified in 1993 and the current Class 323
electric multiple units were introduced on local services.
is a designated Park and Ride
station. The station is also situated alongside the Worcester and Birmingham Canal
, a popular cycling
and jogging
route. Access is at street level as there is a fence between Platform 2 and the towpath
.
The station is the only main line railway station in Great Britain
built specifically to serve a university
. There is a shop on Platform 1 towards Birmingham, selling drinks and snacks, and a covered waiting room
on Platform 2. There are also two automated ticket machines on the concourse and two windowed ticket booths, manned all day Monday to Saturday and from 9:20 on Sundays. There is lift access down to both platforms from the entrance. Fare control is enforced by a line of automatic ticket barriers installed in April 2009, as at Five Ways.
with local Cross-City Line services operated by 3- or 6-car Class 323
electrical multiple units. London Midland's longer-distance services to Hereford
and CrossCountry
services to Cardiff
and Nottingham are operated by air-conditioned Turbostar diesel multiple unit
s.
University station is the sixth busiest station in the Network West Midlands region in terms of passenger numbers, and the busiest without a direct link to London. Just over two million tickets were sold to and from the station in the year 2009-10.
Typical off-peak weekday service is as follows, in trains per hour (tph):
with an average journey time of 8 minutes.
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham is an NHS hospital in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, situated very close to the University of Birmingham. The hospital, which cost £545 million to construct, opened in June 2010 replacing the previous Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Selly Oak Hospital...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated on the Cross-City Line which runs from Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
to Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
via Birmingham New Street
Birmingham New Street Station
Birmingham New Street is the main railway station serving Birmingham, England, located in the city centre. It is an important hub for the British railway system, being served by a number of important long-distance and cross-country lines, including the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line,...
. Most services are operated by London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
who manage the station, with some services also operated by CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
.
History
Located on the former Birmingham West Suburban RailwayBirmingham West Suburban Railway
The Birmingham West Suburban Railway was a suburban railway built by the Midland Railway company. Opened in 1876, it allowed both the opening of development of central southwest suburban Birmingham south into Worcestershire, and the by-passing of railway traffic via the Birmingham and Gloucester...
, University station was built in 1978 as part of the upgrade of the Cross-City line. Although this was the first station on the site, it is located a short distance away from the former Somerset Road Station
Somerset Road railway station
Somerset Road railway station was a railway station in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, on the Midland Railway's Birmingham West Suburban Railway. The station had two platforms and was located in a cutting...
which was closed in the 1930s due to poor patronage. The Cross-City Line was electrified in 1993 and the current Class 323
British Rail Class 323
The British Rail Class 323 electric multiple units were built by Hunslet TPL from 1992-93. Forty-three 3-car units were built for inner-suburban services around Birmingham and Manchester...
electric multiple units were introduced on local services.
Facilities
Pedestrian access is via University Road West, close to the Medical School and bus interchange - around 300 metres uphill from University Square. Due to the station's campus location on a service road there is no car parking, although nearby Selly Oak stationSelly Oak railway station
Selly Oak railway station is a railway station in Selly Oak in Birmingham, England on the Cross-City Line between Redditch, Birmingham and Lichfield....
is a designated Park and Ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
station. The station is also situated alongside the Worcester and Birmingham Canal
Worcester and Birmingham Canal
The Worcester and Birmingham Canal is a canal linking Birmingham and Worcester in England. It starts in Worcester, as an 'offshoot' of the River Severn and ends in Gas Street Basin in Birmingham. It is long....
, a popular cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and jogging
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
route. Access is at street level as there is a fence between Platform 2 and the towpath
Towpath
A towpath is a road or trail on the bank of a river, canal, or other inland waterway. The purpose of a towpath is to allow a land vehicle, beasts of burden, or a team of human pullers to tow a boat, often a barge...
.
The station is the only main line railway station in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
built specifically to serve a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. There is a shop on Platform 1 towards Birmingham, selling drinks and snacks, and a covered waiting room
Waiting room
A waiting room is a building, or more commonly a part of a building where people sit or stand until the event they are waiting for occurs.There are generally two types of waiting room. One is where individuals leave one at a time, for instance at a doctor's office or a hospital, or outside a school...
on Platform 2. There are also two automated ticket machines on the concourse and two windowed ticket booths, manned all day Monday to Saturday and from 9:20 on Sundays. There is lift access down to both platforms from the entrance. Fare control is enforced by a line of automatic ticket barriers installed in April 2009, as at Five Ways.
Services
The station is served by London MidlandLondon Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
with local Cross-City Line services operated by 3- or 6-car Class 323
British Rail Class 323
The British Rail Class 323 electric multiple units were built by Hunslet TPL from 1992-93. Forty-three 3-car units were built for inner-suburban services around Birmingham and Manchester...
electrical multiple units. London Midland's longer-distance services to Hereford
Hereford railway station
Hereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, England. Managed by Arriva Trains Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny and is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line.The station has four platforms...
and CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
services to Cardiff
Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
and Nottingham are operated by air-conditioned Turbostar diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s.
University station is the sixth busiest station in the Network West Midlands region in terms of passenger numbers, and the busiest without a direct link to London. Just over two million tickets were sold to and from the station in the year 2009-10.
Typical off-peak weekday service is as follows, in trains per hour (tph):
Platform 1 (Northbound)
All services from Platform 1 stop at Birmingham New StreetBirmingham New Street Station
Birmingham New Street is the main railway station serving Birmingham, England, located in the city centre. It is an important hub for the British railway system, being served by a number of important long-distance and cross-country lines, including the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line,...
with an average journey time of 8 minutes.
- 2tph to Four OaksFour Oaks railway stationFour Oaks railway station serves the Four Oaks area of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England. It is situated on the Cross-City Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland.-History:...
, calling at all stations except DuddestonDuddeston railway stationDuddeston railway station is a railway station serving the Duddeston area of Birmingham. It is situated on the Redditch-Birmingham New Street-Lichfield Cross-City Line, and also on the Walsall line. Services on both lines are usually operated by Class 323 electrical multiple units...
, operated by London Midland. - 2tph to Lichfield CityLichfield City railway stationLichfield City railway station serves the city of Lichfield, in Staffordshire, England. It is situated towards the northern end of the Cross-City Line 28 km north east of Birmingham New Street...
, calling at all stations, operated by London Midland. - 2tph to Lichfield Trent ValleyLichfield Trent Valley railway stationLichfield Trent Valley is a split-level railway station on the outskirts of the city of Lichfield in Staffordshire, England. It is one of two stations in Lichfield, the other being in the city-centre.-History:...
, calling at all stations except ShenstoneShenstone railway stationShenstone railway station is a railway station on Station Road, in the village of Shenstone, in Staffordshire, England. It is situated on the Cross-City Line between Redditch and Lichfield via Birmingham.-History:...
and Duddeston, operated by London Midland. - 1tph to Birmingham New StreetBirmingham New Street StationBirmingham New Street is the main railway station serving Birmingham, England, located in the city centre. It is an important hub for the British railway system, being served by a number of important long-distance and cross-country lines, including the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line,...
only, operated by London Midland. - 1tph to Nottingham, operated by CrossCountryCrossCountryCrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
.
Platform 2 (Southbound)
- 4tph to LongbridgeLongbridge railway stationLongbridge railway station serves the Longbridge area in the south-west of Birmingham, England. It is on the Cross City Line. The station and all trains calling there are operated by London Midland.-History:...
, calling at all stations, operated by London Midland. - 2tph to RedditchRedditch railway stationRedditch railway station serves the town of Redditch, Worcestershire, England. It is the southern terminus of the Cross-City Line 23 km south of Birmingham New Street...
, calling at all stations, operated by London Midland. - 1tph to HerefordHereford railway stationHereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, England. Managed by Arriva Trains Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny and is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line.The station has four platforms...
, calling at BromsgroveBromsgrove railway stationBromsgrove railway station serves the town of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. It is located at the foot of the two-mile Lickey Incline which ascends at a gradient of 1-in-37.7 towards Barnt Green on the line between Birmingham and Worcester. The station opened as part of the Birmingham and Gloucester...
, Droitwich SpaDroitwich Spa railway stationDroitwich Spa railway station serves the town of Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire. It is located just to the south-west of Droitwich Spa Junction of the Worcester to Leamington Spa Line and the Worcester to Birmingham New Street Line...
, Worcester Foregate StreetWorcester Foregate Street railway stationWorcester Foregate Street railway station, opened by the Great Western Railway in 1860, is situated in the centre of the city of Worcester, in Worcestershire, England. It is physically the smaller of the two stations serving the city, but is more centrally located...
and then all stations to Hereford, operated by London Midland. Two of these services also stop at Barnt GreenBarnt Green railway stationBarnt Green railway station serves the village of Barnt Green, Worcestershire, England. It is situated at the junction of the Cross-City Line and the Cross Country Route 9½ miles south west of Birmingham New Street... - 1tph to Cardiff CentralCardiff Central railway stationCardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
, calling at Cheltenham SpaCheltenham Spa railway stationCheltenham Spa railway station is in Gloucestershire, England, on the Bristol-Birmingham main line. It is managed by First Great Western and is about one mile from the town centre.-History:...
, GloucesterGloucester railway stationGloucester railway station serves the city of Gloucester in England. The station was originally built as the terminus of the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway in 1840, but the arrival of the Bristol and Gloucester Railway and Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in 1844, and then conversion...
, NewportNewport railway stationNewport railway station is the 3rd busiest railway station in Wales , situated in Newport city centre. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although First Great Western and CrossCountry also provide services...
and Cardiff CentralCardiff Central railway stationCardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
, operated by CrossCountry. Sometimes these trains also call at BromsgroveBromsgrove railway stationBromsgrove railway station serves the town of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. It is located at the foot of the two-mile Lickey Incline which ascends at a gradient of 1-in-37.7 towards Barnt Green on the line between Birmingham and Worcester. The station opened as part of the Birmingham and Gloucester...
and Ashchurch for TewkesburyAshchurch for Tewkesbury railway stationAshchurch for Tewkesbury is a railway station serving the village of Ashchurch near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, England. The station is located on the main Bristol–Birmingham main line 12 km north of Cheltenham Spa and was opened on 1 June 1997...
.