A new passenger assistance app is due to be rolled out across the rail industry from autumn 2019. London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railways are two of four train operators currently trialling the new system. The app will make it easier for customers to book help at stations and will give staff the tools they need to deliver a consistent and reliable service.
West Midlands Railway is introducing a new leaf fall timetable on the Cross City line this year, aimed at reducing disruption for commuters travelling to and from Birmingham city centre. The autumn timetable will operate from Monday 15 October until Friday 7 December 2018, affecting services from Lichfield, through Birmingham New Street, to Redditch and Bromsgrove.
Plans for three new Birmingham rail stations have today been unveiled as the reopening of the Camp Hill Line to passenger services takes another step forward. Under the proposals the line, reopened to passenger services for the first time since the Second World War, would initially have three stations at Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell.
Railway staff who speak multiple languages will be more identifiable across the London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway networks from this week. Over 25 different languages are represented by staff in a range of roles, including French, Urdu, Arabic and British Sign Language (BSL).
Northampton station will be hosting a special choral celebration later this week, as part of this year’s BBC Music Day. Northampton Male Voice Choir will be performing at the station as part of the nationwide ‘Platform to Perform' themed spectacle.
Railway enthusiasts heading to the ‘Tyseley at 50’ weekend can enjoy half price rail travel on West Midlands Railway services to and from the event. On Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 September, Vintage Trains will be opening the doors of their restoration depot at Tyseley for the 50th year in a row.
Milton Keynes station will be alive with the sound of an a cappella chorus next week, to mark this year’s BBC Music Day. Local choir, Junction 14 Ladies A Cappella, will be performing a special set at the station as part of the nationwide ‘Platform to Perform' themed spectacle.
There is disruption to train services this evening (18 Sept) due to an evacuation of the signalling centre at Rugby. There are currently no trains to or from London Euston and trains are also affected between Liverpool Lime Street and Birmingham New Street.
London Northwestern Railway has been celebrating 180 years of history this morning (Monday 17 September) by marking the anniversary of the very first train to operate between London and Birmingham. On 17 September 1838, the company known as London and Northwestern Railway, operated the first departure from London Euston.
Passengers travelling through Kenilworth station can enjoy some poetry in the station’s community cafe over the next three weeks. Matt Black, who is from nearby Leamington Spa, will be visiting the station at various times to entertain customers. He will be performing until the start of Kenilworth Arts Festival on Thursday 20 September.
Station adopters at Widney Manor are celebrating the centenary of the Suffragette movement with a themed display on the station platform. The group, who are all members of Soroptimist International Solihull & District Club, have created new planters with flowers and foliage in Suffragette colours, purple, white and green
Smethwick Rolfe Street station will be welcoming visitors this weekend as part of this year’s Heritage Opens Days. West Midlands Railway operates the station, and will be marking the occasion between 1000 and 1600 on Saturday 15 September.
There will be disruption to trains on all routes via Birmingham Snow Hill this evening. This is due to a number of issues on the route today.
West Midlands Trains is supporting a group of aspiring artists from Chelmsley Wood, as they complete an exciting summer school programme in the city. The train operator is providing free travel for a group of young people between Marston Green and Birmingham New Street on Saturday 8th and Saturday 15th September.
Benches at Nuneaton station are due a colourful transformation later this month as part of a project run by local art group, Art Alert. The collective, which has used space at the station for exhibitions since 2017, is dedicated to getting local people involved in arts and crafts.
On Sunday 9 September, Stone station will be helping to celebrate 100 years of the Royal Air Force. Members of the local Stone and Stafford branches of the Royal Air Force Association (RAFA) will pass over a commemorative RAF token as it travels across the country. The token will eventually arrive at the Birmingham Military Tattoo on 24 November.
This autumn, families and rail users are invited to a behind-the-scenes tour of Kings Heath Traincare depot and the National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR) in Northampton. On Saturday 13 October, the two facilities will open their doors to the public as part of Rail Week 2018 and Government initiative ‘Year of Engineering’.
West Coast main line train passengers are being urged not to travel to and from London this weekend when Euston station will be closed for the final stage of work to replace North Wembley junction. Customers are instead being advised to plan their journeys on dates other than 1-2 September – or risk far longer, busier and less comfortable journeys than normal.
The Albion Foundation's Education Department will go in to the next academic year full steam ahead, thanks to a sponsorship deal with West Midlands Railway. The train operator will be sponsoring Albion's charity arm, with a particular focus on education in the local community.
An aspiring artist from Norton, near Long Buckby, is featuring in a unique exhibition celebrating the freedom of train travel for those facing a range of accessibility challenges. Emma Johns is one of a group of artists who have produced pieces for the National Rail 'No Boundaries' display.
