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Moseley Kings Heath Line

The Transport Secretary visited Moseley a few days ago.

https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/ne...rayling-absolutely-committed-moseley-14387978

Transport secretary Chris Grayling has said he is "absolutely committed" to getting passenger trains running on the Camp Hill line again.

Speaking after a meeting with rail and transport chiefs in Moseley, the Conservative Cabinet minister also promised to help restore the much-needed rail service as soon as possible.

He spent yesterday in the West Midlands viewing progress on the Brierley Hill metro extension, examining the case to restore passenger trains on the Walsall to Wolverhampton line and popping into Moor Street station in Birmingham for a briefing before heading to Moseley.
 
The article above shows several stations on the line. One looks like thy'd be re-opening the old Camp Hill station as well as King's Heath and Moseley. That should irritate the people that campaigned for a "Balsall Heath" station. Then again, if they're going to call it the Camp Hill line...
Further down the page there's something from new Mayor Andy Street. "He has previously spoken in favour of introducing a congestion charge for Birmingham city centre, last year saying it was something the city would have to do."
Has this guy ever been to Birmingham City Centre? You've got the Ringway which seems to have survived the continuous diversions without any major blockages and everything inside that is closed to traffic. What congestion? It gets worse on Moseley Road or Stratford Road.
 
The repaired bridge on Vicarage Road in Kings Heath. Metal fences either side. Could be a good side for a new Hazelwell Station (if there is room?).



Map below from Google Maps. Trees line the section near the top of Fordhouse Lane.

Vicarage Rd Kings Heath.jpg
 
It would be lovely to have this line reinstated. We have friends near the cricket club and at the moment we take the train and then the bus. The traffic in Kings Heath High Street is a nightmare at most times of the day and I wouldn't dream of trying to drive there.
 
Glad to hear it. the minister's visit will also probably explain the tidying up of Duddeston station which a member commented on recently on another thread, as Duddeston would presumably feature in the new connection to Kings Heath and will possibly have been visited by him
 
Seems there is progress, see tfwm web site, I can't get it to copy, apparently planning permission for station at Kings Heath has been granted.
Screenshot (219).png
 
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Yes, there was a trial using a train stopping at the station locations on Monday 16th 2020 as confirmed by the Rail Advent site.
 
I presume it was the train which left New Street at 09.09 and arrived at Bromsgrove one minute late at 09.40. Not bad being one minute late as it was clocked at 4 minutes late at Lifford East Junction. However it made up the time as it was scheduled to stand for 5 minutes at Kings Norton but did not stop that long. It was shown as an unadvertised ordinary passenger train.

Although trailed at the start of the 6.00pm ITV news last night they ran out of time.

As for the Rail Advent website heading 'First Passenger Train in 80 Years', I have travelled that line a few times as it is used regularly by Cross Country trains and I think there is one West Midlands Railways train which does that route on Saturday afternoons for train crews to keep up their route knowledge.
 
If anyone wants to see the Camp Hill Line in action then the 1008 and 1608 trains on Saturdays from Bromsgrove both go that way. You will need to catch a diesel train not an electric train and it should show non stop to Birmingham New Street.

Sorry bus passes not valid on this route.
 
I remmember in the 1970s the route would be used on a sunday, when track work was being carried out
 
Moseley Tunnel from Woodbridge Road.



Last week West Midlands Railway had a stopping Class 170 train at Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell (even though the new stations haven't been built yet).
 
Last week West Midlands Railway had a stopping Class 170 train at Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell (even though the new stations haven't been built yet).

Timetable testing? Driver route learning? Searching for reasons not to do it? (Cynical? Moi?!)
 
Timetable testing? Driver route learning? Searching for reasons not to do it? (Cynical? Moi?!)

I think it was just a publicity stunt. (I have edited out a sentence here as I was making a mistake over the dates).

Route learning would not be required yet as Worcester drivers and guards already sign for that route. I am not sure about Tyesley drivers.

The biggest problem that I see is that at the moment the plan is to divert the New Street to Worcester/Malvern trains on that route which will be a train every 30 minutes and I foresee an eventual requirement for a 10 minute service as on the cross city line and New Street cannot cope with that. This will mean that commuters from south of Bromsgrove will have crowded trains and will lose direct trains to University if they work at the QE or the university. The possibility of taking these trains into Moor Street is an aspiration rather than a detailed plan.
 
Yes, I agree with the wrong "Rail Advent" description, I have traveled on passenger trains along the route. Some, if I recall in BR days were diversions, and there were also the steam hauled special trains.

92220 is seen crossing the Birmingham & Warwick Junction Canal.


182095.jpg

The route was once busy with freight services and in steam days had additional engines attached at Saltley as far as Kings Heath.
 
Just read the response of the Moseley Society/Moseley Forum to the planning application. Looks set to be a right ding-dong about it. Official application wants a junction with traffic lights controlling Wake Green Rd/Oxford Rd/station entrance area. Moseley Society/Moseley Forum prefere a new traffic island.

Traffic island might be visually more attractive but I suspect would cause problems at peak time. Traffic lights might be ugly but might keep traffic flowing better.

As there is no parking at the station and as it is intended to encourage people to use public transport does it really need a complex road junction at all?
 
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