A West Midlands passenger service which was withdrawn as a wartime economy measure in January 1941 is running again. Although the closure of the Camp Hill line in Birmingham was originally said to be temporary, it was confirmed by the LMS in 1946. The line itself has continued to be used by through traffic.
Three stations have been built at Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road on the sites of some of the former stations, although Pineapple Road was known as Hazelwell until it closed, and was given its new name after a public vote.
For the time being the new service will be run by the West Midlands Railway division of West Midlands Trains, which was renationalised at the start of February and will become part of Great British Railways in due course.
Trains started running every half hour to Birmingham New Street yesterday, although when new chords have been built as part of the West Midlands Rail Hub trains may run instead to Birmingham Moor Street and possibly on from there to Snow Hill.
Timetable, 1922
WMR customer experience director Johnny Wiseman said: ‘With services as fast as ten minutes from Moseley to New Street, we know this will be a real gamechanger for local residents, whether they’re commuting, visiting family and friends, or travelling for leisure. We are delighted to welcome passengers on board from today.’
Transport for West Midlands executive director Sandeep Shingadia added: ‘These vibrant neighbourhoods of Moseley, Kings Heath and Stirchley have waited 85 years for a direct rail link to the heart of Birmingham – today, that has changed.
‘Restoring passenger services to the Camp Hill line isn’t just about shorter journey times. It’s about easing congestion on our roads, cutting carbon emissions and opening up new economic opportunities across the region.’
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