Rail travellers are warned over 4-day line closure
TRAVELLERS who use a number of stations in Solihull and Warwickshire are being warned of major works being carried out next month which will see services disrupted when a busy stretch of railway is closed for four days.
Key parts of the railway are being replaced over a four-day railway closure as part of the preparations for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The work is taking place between Birmingham Moor Street and Solihull railway stations but will hit Chiltern Railways services between Birmingham and London which also stop at Warwick, Warwick Parkway and Leamington.
Network Rail is investing £3m to overhaul switches and crossings - moving parts of track which allow trains from the Tyseley maintenance depot to get on and off the rail network.
It is a key site for three key train operators - West Midlands Railway, Crosscountry and Chiltern Railways. Any issues at the depot during the Commonwealth Games could cause major delays across the region, including risking overcrowding at key stations serving sports venues.
Network Rail says replacing the complex equipment now will help train services run smoothly during this summer’s Commonwealth Games, which are expected to see more than one million extra passenger journeys across the West Midlands rail network.
The essential upgrades will mean there will be no through train services between Solihull, Birmingham Moor Street and Snow Hill between Monday June 20 and Thursday June 23.
Rail replacement buses will be in operation and people are advised to plan ahead at www.nationalrail.co.uk. It is the first time in a generation this part of the Chiltern main line will be completely shut for large scale work.
Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s central route director, said: “We know there’s never an ideal time to close the railway and a midweek closure for work like this is rare, but post-pandemic passenger numbers show weekdays are now the least disruptive time to close the railway for vital work. This programme of upgrades will improve the network not only at Tyseley but across the wider West Midlands, providing passengers with a cleaner, fresher, more reliable railway throughout our major summer of sport.
“It will also help to reduce the risk of platforms becoming overcrowded as a result of the predicted one million extra passenger journeys during the Commonwealth Games.”
Eleni Jordan, commercial & customer strategy director for Chiltern Railways, said: “Network Rail’s crucial track replacement work between Monday 20 and Thursday June 23 will ensure that we can continue to provide a safe and reliable service for our customers across what is expected to be a busy summer on the railways in the West Midlands. We will be regularly communicating plans for rail replacement transport in and out of Birmingham.
“We advise that customers travelling during the closure check their journey on the Chiltern website or app before travelling.”
Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Railway customer experience director, said: “These essential works will make a real, long-term difference to passengers by improving access to Tyseley depot where trains are cared for and refuelled. I would like to thank our customers for their patience while this work is carried out and I urge passengers travelling during this period to plan their journeys carefully as revised timetables and rail replacement buses will be in operation.”
Engineers and planners will make the most of the four-day railway closure to carry out a host of work, including:
Installing new rails, sleepers and ballast (railway foundation stone).
Stressing rails to cope better with hot weather.
Removing overgrown plants and graffiti.
Carrying out a deep clean of Birmingham Moor Street station.
Network Rail says doing this work will reduce future disruption to passengers and provides a more reliable rail network not only during the Commonwealth Games but for many years to come.
It’s taken a while, but the Ineos Grenadier, right, is at last available to order from May 18. To refresh your memory it’s a backtobasics 4x4 that will fill a gap in the market left when the old Land Rover Defender went out of production.
The new Defender is a great machine but it’s gone upmarket and doesn’t have the simplicity of the original. differential and a two-speed transfer case. Ineos will launch it with two-seat Utility and five-seat Station Wagon versions – starting at £49,000.
The Utility is certified as a commercial vehicle and can take a standard Euro pallet. It comes with a five year/unlimited miles warranty. I think many 4x4 fans will fall for its simple yet rugged appeal.