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Perry Barr railway station

Coordinates: 52°30′58″N 1°54′07″W / 52.516°N 1.902°W / 52.516; -1.902
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Perry Barr
National Rail
The redeveloped station building in 2022
General information
LocationPerry Barr, Birmingham
England
Coordinates52°30′58″N 1°54′07″W / 52.516°N 1.902°W / 52.516; -1.902
Grid referenceSP066909
Managed byWest Midlands Railway
Transit authorityTransport for West Midlands
Platforms2
Other information
Station codePRY
Fare zone2
ClassificationDfT category E
Key dates
4 July 1837Opened by Grand Junction Railway
Passengers
2018/19Increase 0.694 million
2019/20Decrease 0.648 million
2020/21Decrease 46,830
2021/22Decrease 30,362
2022/23Increase 0.139 million
Location
Map
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Perry Barr Railway Station is a railway station in Perry Barr, Birmingham, England, and is one of the oldest continuously operated railway station sites in the world, having first opened in 1837. The station has been rebuilt several times, including electrification of the line in the 1960s, and most recently in 2021-2022.

History

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The original station was built by the Grand Junction Railway in 1837, and so the station is the oldest one on its original site in the city, and one of the oldest continuously operated station sites in the world.[1] The Grand Junction became part of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR), thence the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), and each owned the station in turn. Together with the rest of Britain's railways it was nationalised in 1948.

1960s redevelopment

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The 1960s station entrance in 2009

The station was rebuilt when the line was electrified in 1966 as part of the London Midland Region's electrification programme.[2] The actual energization of the line from Coventry to Walsall through Aston took place on 15 August 1966.[3]

2020s redevelopment

[edit]
The part-complete new station building, 8 November 2021

In 2019, the West Midlands Rail Executive and Transport for West Midlands put forward proposals to redevelop Perry Barr station, along with a new bus interchange, in time for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.[4] Proposed designs were revealed in September 2020.[5] Further revisions were proposed in December.[6] The designs were approved and the station was closed on 10 May 2021 for redevelopment, with the station reopened on 29 May 2022.[7][8][9] The new building has a bronze-coloured frieze depicting athletes.[10]

Features

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The pedestrian entrance is on the A34 Walsall Road. The station has two side platforms, one each side of the two operating lines, with no points or sidings. The ticket office is on a bridge over the tracks, which are below street level. Both platforms have step-free access, lifts replacing the former ramps. It is staffed on a part-time basis throughout the week, and has a self-service ticket and Permit to Travel machine for use when the ticket office is closed. Waiting shelters and bench seating are provided at platform level, along with customer help points. Service information is given on information displays and by automated announcements.[11]

As well as local residents, shops and businesses, it serves:

Services

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The typical daytime service on weekdays and Saturdays has two trains per hour in each direction between Walsall and Birmingham New Street (and onwards to Wolverhampton via the Stour Valley Line) that are operated by Class 350 EMUs. Services are reduced to hourly on Sundays. There are a small number of services that extend past Walsall to Rugeley Trent Valley. On Mondays to Saturdays one early morning train starts from Rugeley Trent Valley.[12][13][14]

The line also sees occasional use for diverted passenger trains between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton (and destinations further north), usually when the Stour Valley Line is closed for engineering work.

Incidents

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  • On 22 December 1859 one passenger jumped from a Walsall to Birmingham train and was killed, and others were injured, due to the train, using South Staffordshire Railway rolling stock, being derailed by one of its carriages shedding a tyre.[15]
  • On 22 December 1895, Mark Robins, a LNWR guard, was killed while his goods train was waiting in a siding at the station for a faster football excursion train from Liverpool to Birmingham to pass. Due to fog, he did not see the approaching train, and was struck by it.[16][17]

References

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  1. ^ Perry Barr Station Rails Around Birmingham
  2. ^ Nock, O.S. (1966). Britain's New Railway. London: Ian Allan. pp. 147–159.
  3. ^ Gillham, J.C. (1988). The Age of the Electric Train - Electric trains in Britain since 1883. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 169.
  4. ^ "Plans to transform One Stop Shopping Centre bus interchange and Perry Barr railway station". Birmingham Mail. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  5. ^ "New designs for Perry Barr Railway Station unveiled". West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Designs for new Perry Barr railway station revised following feedback". West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Designs for new Perry Barr railway station revised following feedback". West Midlands Rail Executive. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  8. ^ Anjum, Husna (27 April 2021). "Alternative travel routes ahead of Perry Barr station closure". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Perry Barr station to open to passengers after rebuild". BBC News. 29 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  10. ^ Smith, Roger (14 March 2022). "Frieze depicting athletes added as Perry Barr station nears completion". RailAdvent. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  11. ^ Perry Barr station facilitiesNational Rail Enquiries
  12. ^ "Train timetables and schedules | Perry Barr". West Midlands Railway.
  13. ^ "Train times | 10 December until 1 June 2024 | Rugeley to Birmingham New Street via Walsall". West Midlands Railway.
  14. ^ "Train times | 10 December 2023 until 1 June 2024 | Wolverhampton to Birmingham via Smethwick". West Midlands Railway.
  15. ^ Col. W. Yolland (R.E.) (16 January 1860). Accident Returns: Extract for the Accident at Perry Barr on 28th [SIC] December 1859 (PDF). Board of Trade. pp. 102–103.
  16. ^ "A Guard Killed at Perry Barr". Birmingham Mail. 23 December 1895.; see File:Two press clippings - death of Mark Robins at Perry Barr Station - December 1895.jpg
  17. ^ "The Fatal Accident to a Guard". Birmingham Mail. 24 December 1895.
[edit]
British Rail ticket - Perry Barr to Walsall


Preceding station   National Rail National Rail   Following station
West Midlands Railway
West Midlands Railway
Historical railways
Line and station open
London and North Western Railway
Line open, station closed
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