WELCOME TO S.L.U.G. NEWS PAGE

We hope that you will find this page informative. It will be updated on a regular basis and will include articles supplied by the train companies and transport authorities with the appropriate links for detail. This is where you will find reports from S.L.U.G. officers and information on the Group’s activities including notice of meetings.

The scope of news coverage will be any matter relating to Stourbridge Line stations, trains and performance and also bus links to the line. We will comment on events and developments and offer constructive criticism where appropriate.

If you have any news material to share or if you want to comment on any of the news stories published here e-mail: newseditor@stourbridgelineusergroup.info

News Page Updated 1 February 2010

1 February 2010

The Key

The Stourbridge Line User Group is pleased to report that the Stourbridge Line (or at least a section of it) has been chosen to test a new type of electronic ticket. Generically known as a “smart card” and officially branded as “The Key”, this ticket is being trialled between four railway stations, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Droitwich Spa and Kidderminster

London Midland claim to be the first train operating company to embrace this technology and are providing a small group of season ticket holders with “The Key” which can be charged and recharged repeatedly with credit. “The Key” will be available for purchase online and can be collected at manned stations. It can also be topped up on the home computer and replaces the various paper tickets.

To quote Rachel Webster, Head of Communications with London Midland:-

“Other benefits are extra security for passengers, as tickets can be quickly cancelled if lost or stolen, it will save time at stations with passengers quickly ‘swiping’ themselves through ticket gates.

“In future, users of The Key will quickly benefit from new products and the opportunity to use integrated transport...”

The last statement is interesting because it alludes to a universal travel card which is already in use in London. The “Oyster Card” which is popular with commuters in the Capital is even more customer-friendly because all bus and train operators are subscribed to the scheme. In one swoop, the disadvantages of the private, competitive element in public transport could be eliminated. As SLUG understands it, the fares structure within the “Oyster Card” has been fashioned to allow unlimited extra journeys once a contracted level has been reached. This makes it excellent value for money and more versatile than what is being trialled.

SLUG will be following trials in Worcestershire with interest and will press for the additional benefits built into the London version of smart card.

For more information on The Key, please e-mail comms@londonmidland.com, or write to them –
c/o The Communications Department, London Midland, PO Box 4323, Birmingham, B2 4JB.

Alternatively, there is more information on the London Midland website at www.londonmidland.com/tickets-and-fares/the-key/

27 January 2010

Welsh Bargain Fares from Smethwick Galton Bridge

If you are 55 or older, take a Stourbridge Line train to Smethwick Galton Bridge. You can then take the Arriva Trains Wales service from platform 3 at about 30 minutes past the hour to any station in Wales for just £15 return. If you have a Senior Railcard, it’s only £13.

It’s a CLUB 55 ticket, available until 19 March. You can buy it at the station, or in advance on the web [arrivatrainswales.co.uk] or ring 0870 9000 773. If you buy in advance, you can reserve your seat for free.

Trains go directly from Galton Bridge in alternate hours to Aberystwyth/Pwllheli and to Holyhead, but change of train is permitted to reach other stations. So if you want to go Betws-y -Coed, leave Galton Bridge at 07.28, change at Llandudno Junction and arrive at 11.00, for example. [Return at 15.19 and arrive back at Smethwick Galton Bridge at 19.20.]

If you live near the Worcester end of our line, you could start your CLUB 55 journey from Cheltenham and explore south and west Wales. It can be used on other train companies’ trains along ATW routes, such as First Great Western in South Wales and Virgin in North Wales too.

It does not just allow day trips. Return can be up to a month, providing you are back by 19 March.

If you use it, let us know at SLUG how you fared!

30 December 2009

A Brave New Year: Work commences on Kidderminster station.

The year 2009 has been notable for improvements to the Stourbridge Line. At first glance they may seem minor but even so; our stations have not only improved visually with London Midland-colour paint but have acquired equipment that is of practical benefit to passengers. Real time information screens and ticket vending machines have been installed at many locations as the modernisation programme has rolled out.

Granted, day to day timekeeping and reliability of trains has not always been optimum but 2010 will be the year of the 172 class train which should bring considerable improvements to the both timekeeping and timetable on our line.

As a campaigning Rail User Group, we have learned to be patient because the very nature of rail planning is lengthy and the industry is interdependent, despite being private and competitive.

It is heart-warming to see a long-standing campaign in progress and near fruition. So it is with SLUG’s request for a brand new station building at Kidderminster. The plan for Kidderminster Railway Station is a £3,575,000 project to upgrade the facilities to the standards rail travelers expect in the 21st Century. The County Council is working in partnership with Network Rail, the Severn Valley Railway, Kidderminster Railway Museum, bus and rail operating companies and Wyre Forest District Council. The product of this collaboration will be not just a railway station but an interchange – a coordinated transport hub.

There are four parts to the project.

1. A new station building and improved passenger facilities
2. A new layout on the station forecourt with improved facilities for bus services
3. An improved walking connection from the new station building to the Severn Valley Railway station building
4. Changes to the entrance junction to the railway station from the A448 Comberton Hill

Work has already started on the forecourt and this work will continue until Christmas 2010. The station building itself will be constructed in 2011. The finer detail of the station was discussed in November and SLUG understands that consideration has been given to complementing the heritage appearance of the Severn Valley Railway site. The meeting in November also covered practical issues such as number of ticket vending points required.

SLUG will monitor progress of the new station and the travelling public can see for themselves through the website link
http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/transport-and-streets/transport/rail/kidderminster-station.aspx

17 October 2009

Green and Black

SLUG has already submitted its official response to the West Midlands Region Rail Development Plan produced by Centro in conjunction with Worcestershire County Council. (Our response can be found in the form of a downloadable document on the right hand side of this web page). There is a certain amount of overlap of ideas contained in the SLUG response to the WMRRDP and those of the Birmingham Friends of the Earth response. A copy of the BFoE document has been forwarded to SLUG and we have examined its content and presentation.

Birmingham Friends of the Earth is an organisation motivated by its concerns for the environment. Its approach to public transport is that this is the responsible way to travel, in order to reduce carbon emissions. SLUG is not a political group but it broadly agrees with the principle that the construction of a better public transport network must precede any campaign to discourage wasteful journeys made by one person in one car. SLUG will readily support “green” public transport (e.g. it has promoted the Parry People Mover railcar on the Stourbridge Town branch line). Thankfully, the Train Operating Companies too are keen to be environmentally-friendly and it is no coincidence that London Midland and its predecessor, Central Trains, chose a partly green livery for their fleet.

SLUG and the BFoE are aware of the vast amount of freight-only lines, diversionary lines and mothballed railways in the West Midlands and surrounding areas. These are the key to enlarging the rail network, creating better connections and making rail travel more attractive: SLUG continues to campaign for a re-opened Stourbridge to Dudley line and the potential of journeys being available to Walsall, Lichfield and beyond. In some respects, the Group is at odds with Centro and its ambition to run Metro trams along the Dudley to Brierley Hill route. However, the recession and the unwillingness of government to fund the Metro scheme presents new opportunities. Centro are now evaluating tram/train track sharing, and at the same time Railfreight are lobbying for a restoration of track to divert trains via Dudley. If all of these elements come together, a passenger service is perfectly possible.

Birmingham Friends of the Earth share SLUG’s support for the Bordesley Chords and a re-opened Camp Hill line. These two schemes are essential to create capacity in the Birmingham area.

Also within the BFoE response is an interesting idea – the Benson Road Curve, which could form a Birmingham to Walsall link via Handsworth. This is not a new idea but has resurfaced in light of other “fashionable” schemes. BFoE have set out a well-reasoned argument for the curve and researched the route and engineering involved (all fully illustrated).The creation of such a link would require the diversion of Midland Metro on-street to make available the track bed for heavy rail. The cost of diversion would have to be weighed against the benefit of freeing up platforms in Birmingham New Street. To put this into context, the Birmingham “Gateway” project, which will cost millions of pounds, will not free up a single platform or create room for more train services into New Street. The planners have to look at Birmingham Snow Hill and Moor Street to resolve the issues of catering for growing demand.

SLUG has never denied that that it is ambitious. Birmingham Friends of the Earth may be even more so. The UK may be in a recession but rail travel is defying the trend. Do we need to wait until the country is in the “black” before we invest?

“Green” solutions should override short-term economy measures. Wouldn’t it be nice to see our green and black trains taking us to new destinations?

17 October 2009

Missing news

Has there really been no news since July? Of course there has. Have we stopped updating our website? No, of course not. The fact is a lot of information is out there already on other websites and we would rather use our pages to report developments concerning our line and our Group. Moreover, SLUG officers have been extremely busy trying to prevent news – the bad sort, that is.

Had things turned out differently, we could have reported the curtailment by Chiltern Railways of a Kidderminster to London Marylebone service and the curtailment at Snow Hill of the very last train of the day to Stourbridge Junction: Chiltern Railways has consulted the Group about a proposal to withdraw the Kidderminster to Birmingham portion of the 07.30 morning peak journey. This is a very popular through service to the capital and would cause inconvenience and hardship to passengers. SLUG was quick to respond by contacting Chiltern with a letter listing the adverse effects – not least the impact on the following train. We then enlisted the support of CENTRO, Worcestershire County Council, Bromsgrove Rail User Group, West Midlands Campaign for Better Transport and RailFuture. All sent individual letters of complaint. Don Barton, our Secretary and Liaison Officer, also pressed our case with individual Chiltern Railways senior staff. SLUG also prepared a critical press release to highlight the service cuts and to enlist public support. It was held back and never released because our initial action produced the right result: the evidence from Chiltern’s website and that of National Rail Enquiries is that the service will continue to run in the winter timetable.

We would have liked to report an improvement in the number of trains calling at Hartlebury station. London Midland has indicated a willingness to upgrade the service when it takes delivery of the Class 172 trains on order from Bombardier. These trains have selective door opening and can cope with the safety problems associated with short-length platforms. Sadly, the delivery of 172s has been delayed and the winter timetable for our line gains no more services to or from Hartlebury.

The good news concerning Hartlebury is that SLUG officer John Rutherford has submitted a plan for the station that would solve all problems of access by rail and road. Fundamental to the objective is to eliminate the level crossing and replace it with a new road bridge and access road. His collection of initiatives suggested to Worcestershire County Council and London Midland have received a favourable response, although Hartlebury Parish Council are luke-warm to the idea of a “Stourport Parkway” facility replacing the present station. SLUG feels that Hartlebury could be a very useful railhead for the area and could alleviate car parking problems elsewhere on the line. For that reason we shall follow the progress of John’s scheme and see it through to a logical conclusion.

SLUG is a responsible Group and always operates through the correct channels before resorting to using the publicity tool as a defensive weapon. Publicity is a two-edged sword and can sometimes bring about the opposite result to the one required. SLUG shares detailed information with its members through its exclusive newsletter and we hope to report more exciting developments in our late autumn newsletter.

15 July 2009

Introducing WRUGA

On Wednesday July 8th, four SLUG officers (Rob Hebron, Don Barton, John Rutherford and Mike Hanson) attended a meeting called by David Balme, Rail Planning Officer for Worcestershire County Council. It was the second occasion on which representatives of Worcestershire Rail User Groups were seated at the same table to discuss the provision of train services in the county. Following on from a meeting in February, SLUG, together with the Bromsgrove Line User Group and the Shakespeare Line Promotion Group raised issues about the present service and ideas connected with the newly published West Midlands Rail Development Strategy (W.M.R.D.S.).

SLUG has already submitted its response to the W.M.R.D.S. The response was based on the original draft in October and the final version contains no material which changes our constructive criticism. Our document is split into two sections – West Midlands and Worcestershire – and the latter section takes into account joint opinions formed with the other User Groups at the February meeting.

The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group, whose Wythall station lies in Worcestershire, noted that the Honeybourne to Stratford route had been omitted from the suggested railway re-openings in the W.M.R.D.S. All Groups present consider this line to be a very useful strategic line because it would offer the chance to introduce a circular rail route i.e. Stourbridge-Worcester-Stratford-Stourbridge and vice versa. (Interestingly, a platform for the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway will be incorporated into the redeveloped Honeybourne station when work is undertaken). Regardless of infrastructure improvements, the Rail Groups felt that Honeybourne, along with Evesham and Pershore, were deserving of a direct Birmingham service and were the only three stations in the county not to have such a link.

Looking again at the detail of the W.M.R.D.S, David Balme confirmed his support for SLUG’s ambition to restore passenger services from Stourbridge to Dudley and beyond. David recognised the need to access the heart of the Black Country from Worcestershire and wanted to re-open this corridor. Unfortunately, the W.M.R.D.S. focuses on freight utilising this re-opened line and campaigning Rail User Groups need to be aware that the increase in freight movements might jeopardise a lot of new passenger service ambitions. Where freight is diverted, it will benefit passenger services on one line to the detriment of another. Capacity for freight or passenger trains will be soaked up as quickly as it is created.

The W.M.R.D.S. has been compiled by Centro (the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority and its Executive). However, much consideration has been given to cross-county links such as Bromsgrove to Birmingham which will be attached to the Redditch to Lichfield Cross-City service. It is envisaged that the Barnt Green to Bromsgrove line will be electrified and a twenty-minute service provided. The Bromsgrove Line User group raised the question as to whether services would run cross-city to Four Oaks or elsewhere (via Aston?) All Groups favour cross-city patterns where there is a natural passenger demand. The idea of a Malvern to Birmingham International train service was debated at length and considered to be worthy of business case evaluation.

Returning to the subject of Bromsgrove, its station is to be completely rebuilt. Funding of £11m has now been secured and agreement has been reached with Network Rail that Worcester County will be responsible for the rebuild using the module design work prepared for the Worcester Parkway project. A project meeting will take place in August. There is still some uncertainty regarding track layouts and platform positions because there is a basic requirement to separate local rail traffic from main line inter-city operations.

Plans for the new Kidderminster station are being re-drawn to take into account its geographical relationship with the heritage Severn Valley Railway. Like the Bromsgrove project mentioned in the previous paragraph the responsibility for the rebuild has been taken over by the County Council and the module design work prepared for the Worcester Parkway project will be used as the basis for the work. The new design is likely to be more tasteful than the modern modular design which was intended as the replacement a few months ago. SLUG Chairman Rob Hebron asked whether the new station, which will be a bus-rail interchange, would benefit from a wider range of bus destinations, such as Bridgnorth. David Balme has no objections, in principle, to more bus services pulling into the rail station. Don Barton drew attention to the wishes of Kidderminster Civic Society to be able to comment on the design prior to the formal planning application.

Moving on in the agenda, the Rail User Groups were invited to raise issues under “Any other business”. Mike Hanson for SLUG identified the need for better connections between London Midland and First Great Western trains at Worcester Shrub Hill. His personal experience led him to believe that train operators discouraged connections with bad timetable planning. Worcestershire County Council has been actively pursuing better integration of services and will press for more co-operation between train operators.

The meeting produced more than enough ideas and feedback for David Balme and it is a useful forum. The next logical stage was to formalise the collective Rail Groups (which will include the Cotswold Line Promotion Group) with a suitable name. We are now the Worcestershire Rail User Groups Alliance (W.R.G.U.A.) and our members can expect to see the newly-titled W.R.G.U.A. in the press and electronic media in the coming months.

29 June 2009

Enlarging the Network

The Stourbridge Line User Group warmly welcomes a new report by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) which was published on the 15th June 2009. In the report, “Connecting Communities”, ATOC calls for the routes involved to be safeguarded, and for further detailed planning with Network Rail and local authorities to prioritise investment. The suggested rail links, which might be built within a five to ten year timescale, would serve the following highly populated towns and cities:

Cranleigh (Surrey)

Bordon, Hythe and Ringwood (Hampshire)

Churston for Brixham (Devon)

Aldridge and Brownhills (West Midlands)

Wisbech (Cambridgeshire).

Leicester to Burton (Derbyshire)

Fleetwood, Rawtenstall and Skelmersdale (Lancashire)

Washington (Tyne and Wear)

Ashington & Blyth (Northumberland)

ATOC can build a business case for these re-openings and takes into account the economic benefit and environmental advantage of taking passenger traffic off roads.

While SLUG appreciates the importance and advantages of all the proposed re-openings, it is most interested in the identification of a Walsall to Brownhills or Lichfield service. This corridor is being considered for inclusion in the West Midlands Rail Utilisation Strategy. The restoration of the Walsall-Brownhills-Lichfield line for freight is proposed by Centro in its strategic plan, to release capacity on other routes serving Birmingham. Longer term, the Brownhills route could form part of an interurban service from Birmingham to Walsall, Brownhills, Lichfield, Burton and Derby.

Naturally, SLUG sees an opportunity to demand a passenger service from Stourbridge to Walsall and beyond. In fact this route is listed in the appendix of the report under “Other Potential Link Lines”. ATOC has evaluated the Stourbridge-Dudley-Walsall line as physically achievable but not sought to make the business case. SLUG feels that if a business case for Midland Metro Line Two has been made, then the data and statistics also apply for a heavy rail service.

SLUG has traditionally supported Midland Metro with the proviso that a parallel heavy rail link would follow at a later date. The current situation is that Metro has a £250m shortfall of funds and government funding will not be forthcoming without the introduction of road congestion charges across the West Midlands. Tolls are deeply unpopular with local politicians, so a position of stalemate hinders progress. Centro is looking at tram/train track-sharing schemes and this may be the way forward. However, the government must take the train-operating companies seriously because the system is experiencing growth and capacity needs to be built in to cater for future demand. Surely a traditional diesel train operation from Stourbridge to Walsall would be easier and cheaper to put in place than a Metro tram system? Once it was established, the service could be evaluated for electrification.

25 May 2009

A place in history

The second week of May secured a place for Stourbridge Town in the pages of transport history. Already recorded as the shortest branch line in the United Kingdom, the railway from Stourbridge Town to Stourbridge Junction became the first to be operated by the unique Parry People Mover (PPM) railcar, entering service in the week which commenced May 11th 2009.

Although the vehicle was intended to be introduced in the last London Midland timetable, the whole project was delayed, as reported on our website and in our newsletter. In the absence of the rail shuttle, a coach service was substituted.

At our Public Meeting held on May 6th, Mike Haigh, Business Strategy Director for London Midland, explained that his company had responded to customer complaints about the replacement coach service and restored the class 153 to enable better connections. The implication was that customers would have drifted away if the coach had continued to provide the shuttle.

Mike explained the reasons for the delayed introduction of the Parry People Mover vehicle. Although the commencement date of the service had been planned in good faith, no one could have foreseen the problems involved. A multitude of factors had compounded to prevent a smooth changeover; sub-contracting of parts manufacture, additional modifications to meet rigorous specifications and stringent tests. The intricacies of introducing a new generation of railcar have now been realised and the class 139 will be phased in gradually. (During the phasing-in period, a back-up class 153 will be stabled in sidings at Stourbridge Junction in case of vehicle failure).

SLUG has not witnessed all of the various ongoing processes which preceded the decisions. To put the various aspects into context, we can now report facts which were denied to us earlier this year:-

The innovation has been successful both in vehicle type and operating procedures.

Vehicle 139 002 has been fully approved for passenger operation and has demonstrated how well the PPM 60 type fits the operation of the Stourbridge Town branch

Pre Metro Operations has operated passenger services using 139 002 and over 1,500 passenger journeys have already been made on this unit during the week commencing 11th May

The partner of the 139 002 (139 001) was delivered to Stourbridge on 17th May and is now being prepared for full acceptance and approval for passenger operation

Preparations for full passenger service are now in the final stages.
At the time of going to press, it is expected that one PPM 60 unit will be providing the branch service on either/or weekdays/weekends, in between the regular diesel railcar. The times of operation may be subject to revision.

30 April 2009

SLUG sets targets for the next two decades.

In response to a new West Midlands Region Rail Development Plan, the Stourbridge Line User Group has drafted a reply encompassing all its suggested improvements for a local and intercity service. The W.M.R.D.P. covers the next two decades and promises major investment in trains and railway infrastructure.

The Group believes that it has a duty to bring more national destinations within easy reach of Stourbridge Line stations. The two options which SLUG will explore are more through services and more one-change connections at interchange stations. The Group recognises that Stourbridge Line passengers have adapted to their trains serving Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham Moor Street. Their loyalty will be rewarded with more destinations such as Leicester and others in the East of England, being available at these Birmingham stations.

Unlike previous Rail Development Plans, the W.M.R.R.D.P. includes rail services that run through to Worcestershire and some lines that have no stations within the political boundary of the West Midlands County. Commenting on this aspect, SLUG Chairman Rob Hebron said:-

“The Stourbridge Line User Group is pleased that this Rail Development Plan recognises travel-to-work patterns which are cross county. It also takes into account regeneration in towns outside the West Midlands County. Economic growth and regeneration will change the pattern of travel and our railways will need to conform.

He continued:-

“The Group has set out its response in two parts; one relating to its stations in the West Midlands County, the other to those in Worcestershire. The latter section will be used as a basis for a joint response with other Worcestershire Rail User Groups”.

The Stourbridge Line User Group believes that the W.M.R.R.D.P. will be the main topic at its Public Meeting and A.G.M. which is being held at Kidderminster (Severn Valley Railway) station on Wednesday May 6th, commencing at 7:30pm.

The Group expects a good turn-out from members and the general public who can put questions to guests from London Midland, Chiltern Railways, Centro and Worcestershire County Council.

3rd March 2009

Stourbridge – reversing the decline

In the last article, S.L.U.G. Chairman, Rob Hebron expressed his disappointment at delays to Stourbridge public transport improvements. His mood changed back to one of optimism when he was invited to a public meeting to debate the decline of Stourbridge Town Centre. The event was organised by Stourbridge resident, David Cox under the banner “One Heart, One Way”. The meeting, chaired by Stourbridge MP, Lynda Waltho brought together shoppers, traders, property developers, councillors and representatives of public transport organisations.

The agenda set out to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the town and members of the audience were invited to air their views or to submit ideas on a pre-printed form. The prevailing feeling was that arrival in Stourbridge by car, bus or train was not an enjoyable experience. The swathes of derelict land, out of date bus station and dirty subways create a bad first impression. This is unfortunate when Stourbridge High Street actually has many fine buildings with outstanding architectural features. The town also supports an array of independent specialist shops which are often overlooked because they are in Lower High Street.

Guest speaker, John Parry of Parry People Movers offered some solutions to transport problems. He brought with him a scale model of Stourbridge Town Station showing how the area could benefit from landscaping. The forthcoming light railcar vehicle will transform the branch line into a tramway and the station could easily become open-plan so as to proudly display the fine station building which has an almost “Swiss” style appearance. The model is not far removed from our Chairman’s vision of an integrated train and bus station which actually looks integrated.

Mr Parry has greater ambitions to take the tramway into Stourbridge Town Centre. There is no endorsement, at present, from Centro but the P.T.E. seems to be very interested. From comments made by the Centro spokesman and local Councillors, it would appear that the re-opening of the Stourbridge to Walsall passenger railway line may very well depend on the success of the new railcar on the Stourbridge Town branch line. However, our Chairman witnessed a sign of commitment to the Walsall Line re-opening albeit long-term.

The meeting lasted for a duration of two hours and many more issues were raised which were not transport related. Our representative missed his chance to speak on the delayed bus station. Reasons for delay were given which confirmed that the re-design was for the benefit of rail passengers as well as bus customers.

Our Chairman submitted his official SLUG ideas at the meeting and passed on his personal views by e-mail. He has promised to remain involved with the new Stourbridge action group and will report on any interesting developments.

3rd March 2009

Stourbridge – delays and disappointments.

Back in November, the Stourbridge Line User Group was optimistic and upbeat about the future of public transport in Stourbridge. We reported the strategy of Centro to evaluate tram/train track sharing and the implied intention of the Authority to include Stourbridge in the Metro extension. Our optimism was short lived as Geoff Hoon, Secretary of State for Transport, poured cold water on plans to secure government funding. When interviewed earlier this year, Mr Hoon made it quite clear that funding through the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) was subject to congestion charges being levied in the region. The “Green Deal” as we call it, was rejected outright in Manchester despite offering billions of pounds for public transport improvements. There is no political will to introduce road charging in the West Midlands as it is a certain vote loser. This leaves the Council Tax payer and the Private Sector to find the shortfall which the government should have provided. Does anyone seriously think that Metro will be up and running before 2015? The tragedy is that in this current recession, construction projects are vital to kick start the economy and provide employment. Regeneration is the key to recovery. This Group thinks it is time to look at alternative options based on existing tracks and available rolling stock. At least Dudley could be linked to the national rail network at Stourbridge Junction without electrification. The tram/train idea could be incorporated later.

As if Metro delay is not bad enough, Stourbridge commuters will have to wait another year for their new bus/rail interchange. The reason given is that the original plan is to be revised to include benefits gained through “Transforming Bus Travel” funds and initiatives. Whilst this Group applauds the improved walkways and integration with Stourbridge Town station, we cannot help thinking that construction at Stourbridge has been delayed in favour of redeveloping Wolverhampton and Dudley interchanges. (We hope that we are mistaken).

The much-hailed Dudley Bus Review last year, has not increased the range of destinations available from Stourbridge Town interchange. In fact, many evening services have been cut back. The frequency of the new railcar service to Stourbridge Town offered the chance to make good connections by bus but the opportunity has been missed.

1st February 2009

The Complete Alliance

The Stourbridge Line User Group has forged new links with the two Transport Authorities in whose counties the railway operates. In addition to the main train companies, London Midland and Chiltern Railways, the Group is now consulting with Centro and Worcestershire County Council at its bi-monthly meetings. The alliance of stakeholders around the table will produce a completely representative forum for improvements on the line.

Individual passenger journeys do not fit snugly into one man’s department. Sometimes problems originate in one area but need to be resolved by work carried out in another. Centro has previously financed work outside its boundary for the common good (The re-opening of the Chase Line). Now there is evidence of two-way co-operation with Worcestershire and the result could be less private traffic on congested roads.

S.L.U.G. has been invited to provide input for the 2010 timetable by both London Midland and Chiltern. We will put forward to London Midland suggestions based on the greater flexibility of the new Class 172 trains. At last there is an opportunity that improvements can be made to the service at Hartlebury and we will press for off-peak services and the chance to develop Hartlebury as a rail head for Stourport.

The willingness of London Midland to run trains to Cheltenham and Gloucester is an opportunity to request a through service to and from the Stourbridge Line. At the very least, Stourbridge Line passengers need better connections to the South of England to compensate for those lost when trains were diverted from Birmingham New Street to Birmingham Snow Hill.

With the improved acceleration of the Class 168 trains to be run by Chiltern we must also seek improved journey times from Kidderminster, Stourbridge Junction and Cradley Heath to London.

The 2010 timetable is a golden opportunity for us to put forward our case for improved co-operation between the two companies particularly in relation to the very poor evening service from Birmingham to Worcester with two trains to Kidderminster an hour but both within 10 minutes of one another and no service for the next 50 minutes.

The Group is developing communications both externally and internally. Following the meeting, Chairman Rob Hebron was quoted as saying -

“S.L.U.G. needs to be active and interactive. We are willing to hold “surgeries” in between meetings to keep abreast of members travel experiences and their expectations.

He continued –

“Now is the time to re-evaluate our campaigns to consider what we have achieved and what is achievable. The alliance of stakeholders will help us to do just that. I am convinced that we share one vision and that is for a superlative service on and around the Stourbridge Line”.

(Details of our first “Complete Alliance” meeting on Tuesday January 20th will be released in the next S.L.U.G. newsletter which will be published in April.)

8th December 2008

The winter timetable: Journey opportunities and missed opportunities

Having published details of more trains serving Smethwick Galton Bridge (trains bound for Crewe, Liverpool, Chester, Aberystwyth and Birmingham International) the Stourbridge Line User Group is pleased to report other improvements in the London Midland winter timetable. These changes will widen travel opportunity on our line and from it. Most noteworthy is an enhanced frequency of trains to Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturdays. The through service from Stourbridge Junction is now two per hour instead of hourly. Better still; some trains originate in Kidderminster so as to give that town a regular service to Stratford which it has been deprived of before. Even better still; Sunday trains to and from Stratford commence or terminate at Kidderminster so as to make a two-way tourist destination route with Kidderminster Town providing the scenic Severn Valley Railway connection.

From Worcester Shrub Hill London Midland are running a two-hourly service to Gloucester which fills in the gaps of the Great Western timetable to make an hourly service. Connections are not ideal but there is now more scope for avoiding a journey via Birmingham.

On the downside, there is once again no attempt to boost the number of trains stopping at Hartlebury: The Kidderminster to Stratford service realises the Sunday tourist potential but nobody at London Midland has picked up on similar potential by stopping Sunday trains at Hartlebury for the County Museum. Though it is a considerable walk from the station, the County Museum is a hidden gem in Worcestershire.

London Midlands publicity department has produced a poster which summarise the main changes on each of its lines. This Group feels that they have not fully exploited the media to convey the journey opportunities now available. Could it be that they do not want to promote the services of other operators? Could they produce more destination-specific tourism posters? We are happy to publish details of “bargain days out” on our website and we feel sure that the County Councils would welcome more visitors to their attractions arriving by train.

Thank you London Midland. More of the same please!

30th November 2008

Change for Bewdley?

If this Group is guilty of opportunism, then so be it! Opportunity has a habit of slipping away. One such opportunity we cannot waste is the renewed call for a commuter train service from Kidderminster to Bewdley. The single track railway line from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth via Bewdley is owned and operated by the Severn Valley Railway Company and is a private venture run largely by volunteers. Wyre Forest District Council and local Liberal Democrats are in negotiation with the Severn Valley management to supplement their tourist based operation with a commercial commuter service using railcars.

S.L.U.G. officers have raised the issue of Kidderminster to Bewdley trains on previous occasions at meetings with Central Trains, London Midland and Chiltern Railways. The obstacle always seems to be who provides the infrastructure and staff.

S.L.U.G. Chairman, Rob Hebron can remember earlier proposals for a Foley Park “parkway” type station on the Stourport Road but this was at a time before the Severn Valley Railway came back into Kidderminster. A Foley Park station has been suggested again to serve a new business park but how this would fit into a “heritage” railway appearance is unclear. Rob says:-

“If this aspiration can actually be turned into practice then it would enhance the service on the main line. We are currently trying to re-open the Stourbridge to Dudley line and the two re-openings together could greatly increase travel opportunity. We have called for the reinstatement of the necessary points and this would allow a through service by joining the branch to the main line. On its merits alone, a regular Bewdley train service could take much traffic off the road and fits in well with the Group’s promotion of integrated public transport. What better way to develop the Kidderminster station site than to reintroduce a train service it so rightly deserves. The Stourbridge Line User Group will support this scheme all the way”

We have three players in the picture (including the Stourbridge Line User Group). We must now bring in Worcestershire County Council and Kidderminster Member of Parliament, Dr Richard Taylor. If we all pull together, we can make this happen.

19th November 2008

Re-launched, re-activated and revitalised

The Stourbridge Line User Group was officially re-launched on Tuesday 11th November at the General Meeting held at Kidderminster (S.V.R.) station. An impressive turnout gave its campaigners the encouragement they needed to reactivate the Group which had unintentionally lain dormant throughout the summer. Those present from the old Committee were willing to resume their former roles and were re-elected en bloc. Sadly, ex Chairman Nigel Tolley and Integration Officer, Phil Tonks have both had to stand down owing to personal difficulties and pressing commitments elsewhere. In place of Nigel, Rob Hebron has come forth as Acting Chairman. Phil’s role will be absorbed but we expect new Secretary Peter Price will be able to advise the Group on matters relating to bus and tram interchange. As an added bonus we now have two more Committee officers – John Rutherford and Mike Hanson who will play a supporting role. The healthy mix of old and new officers is sure to revitalise the Group and we are all eager to get back to business straight away.

It became clear from the audience at the General Meeting that two issues continue to be of concern, namely poor connections at interchange stations and the lack of a passenger service on the railway line from Stourbridge to Dudley.

S.L.U.G. officers Caspar Lucas and Keith Flinders addressed the audience in turn to elaborate on the matters raised:-

• Caspar informed the audience of developments which offer more connections at Smethwick Galton Bridge. The winter timetable enables one-change connections at Smethwick.G.B. for Crewe, Liverpool, Chester, Aberystwyth and Birmingham International for the airport. Caspar raised the issue of security at the interchange station and it was agreed that the Group should pursue a campaign to make Smethwick G.B. a more passenger-friendly station. We will raise this matter with London Midland in the near future. Concerns were also raised about connections at Worcester stations (details supplied by Keith Flinders). Those concerns were noted by Mr David Balme who is a transport planning officer for Worcestershire and who had come to the meeting as an interested member of the general public.

• The S.L.U.G. campaign to re-open the Stourbridge to Dudley railway line for passengers has recently gained momentum. Keith Flinders explained Tram/Train track sharing which is under evaluation in Sheffield. He also referred to rail freight company ambitions and commented on the state of track and infrastructure at the Dudley to Walsall end of the line. This is an ongoing campaign and now is the best time ever that S.L.U.G. can push for reinstatement of a service.

In the coming months the Group will be revisiting its campaigns and will prioritise them, taking in to account developments on the line which have fulfilled our ambitions. We will continue regular liaison with London Midland and Chiltern Railways so that day to day train running issues are dealt with effectively.

4th November 2008

Tram/train track sharing offers hope for Stourbridge to Dudley service

West Midlands Passenger Transport authority (Centro) is currently considering a revolutionary scheme which could drastically cut the cost of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension. The practice of tram/train track sharing is already commonplace in Germany and the Netherlands and delegates from Centro have been to see the systems operating while studying the technology which allows the dual usage. The delegation was sufficiently impressed with the possible economies of using solely standard gauge rail tracks that they have indicated the possibility of an extension of Metro Line Two from Brierley Hill to Stourbridge Junction.

For the Stourbridge Line User Group, this is an important development, particularly as the Group’s support for Metro Line Two had recently been waning due to the delay in commencing the project. Our attention had turned to reinstating a heavy rail passenger service but this puts matters in a different light. If Centro is serious about a modified Metro then this is the most exciting news for years and it opens up the possibility that Dudley and Brierley Hill can be connected to the national rail network at Stourbridge Junction.

Of course nothing is certain and the whole idea is dependent on the whole length of the freight line from Stourbridge to Walsall being put back in use. Furthermore, Centro is to base its decision on a trial tram/train system in Sheffield which will not be under appraisal until 2010 at the earliest.

Nevertheless, tram/train track sharing is the best chance we will ever get to re-open the Dudley line to passengers. The type of rail vehicle employed is of secondary importance to the actual restoration of service. Frequency and capacity can be addressed by the appropriate mode.

Stourbridge MP Lynda Waltho has kept us abreast of developments and will continue to do so. As we learn more detail about “roll out” of the current Metro project, we will inform interested parties through this website.

7th October 2008

Important notice of meeting

Nearly four months have elapsed since the S.L.U.G. contacted members about the future of the Group. The response was encouraging and a decision was taken by the outgoing committee to continue as a campaigning body. However, three officers of the old committee were incapacitated by injury or personal circumstances and though willing to accept nomination and continue in their former roles, were unable to do so. Along with Gary Adams, Nigel Tolley and Rob Hebron form the administrative arm of S.L.U.G. and their unavoidable absence effectively disabled the Group for the summer period.

The good news is that S.L.U.G. now has a new recruit willing to stand as Secretary and the Group has been able to continue its liaison role thanks to Don Barton, Keith Flinders and Phil Tonks. Their input has enabled a limited output of news to circulate through our website. Now we feel that the time is right to call all interested parties together to consider formally reconvening S.L.U.G. by means of a General Meeting. The General Meeting will be at

the Severn Valley Railway Station (booking hall), Comberton Hill Kidderminster on Tuesday 11th November.

Proceedings will commence at 7.30 pm so as to allow visitors by train to arrive at 7.20 pm from the Birmingham direction and 7.10 pm from the Worcester direction. The duration is expected to be no more than ninety minutes, so as to facilitate early departure by return trains.

We cannot stress enough how we need a good attendance on the night so we can consider the future of the Group and if appropriate, elect a new committee. It will not be purely a head hunting exercise, as some officers of the old committee are willing to accept nomination again. More importantly the membership will need to focus on how the Group operates and its priority campaigns.

18th August 2008

More trains for Smethwick Galton Bridge

Following last week's exciting news of trains to and from Shrewsbury (and beyond) calling at Smethwick Galton Bridge enabling Stourbridge Line passengers to travel onwards with just one change of train, SLUG has now learned that trains to Liverpool will also be calling hourly at Smethwick G.B. The service provided by London Midland from December will facilitate easy journeys to Stafford etc. As a result of the actions of Arriva Trains Wales and London Midland, two airports (Birmingham International and Liverpool John Lennon) will be accessible by a two-leg train journey. This will not only fulfil a S.L.U.G. campaign but could potentially take many cars and taxis off the road and thereby reduce carbon emissions. This is a truly win-win situation.

We cannot possibly hope for every city in the United Kingdom to be accessible from Smethwick Galton Bridge but it is encouraging that key destinations have been identified and “plugged in”. If only the Stourbridge to Walsall passenger line were re-opened then the potential for rail journeys North East via Lichfield and Derby could be realised. If other non passenger railways such as the Sutton Park line are worthy of a business case study then surely the Stourbridge – Walsall line is too. It really is that simple.

18th August 2008

One-change connection.

The Stourbridge Line User Group has made it clear to its members and Centro that it is pursuing a credible alternative to a Birmingham New Street terminus so as to give Stourbridge Line passengers a one-change connection to the national rail network.

Stourbridge Member of Parliament, Lynda Waltho has been lobbying on our behalf to introduce one-change connections with the network at Smethwick Galton Bridge. Correspondence forwarded to the Group from Tim Bell, Managing Director of Arriva Trains Wales contains exciting news: We are pleased to report that from December, their two-hourly Aberystwyth to Birmingham New Street service will call at Smethwick Galton Bridge and likewise, the two hourly Chester to Birmingham service. Better still; Arriva Trains Wales have extended the link so it stops at Birmingham International. Stourbridge Line Users now have a connection point for Birmingham Airport. Significantly, as a result of the two new links our own line gains a one-change service to lots of places westwards, like Telford, Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Chester.

Sadly, Lynda’s correspondence with Andrew Cooper, Managing Director of CrossCountry has indicated that their company has no plans to serve Smethwick Galton Bridge or Solihull. The reasons given are capacity restraints and the exclusion of these station stops within the Department for Transport specification for the franchise. However, Mr Cooper has indicated that the company is responsive and (quote) “We are certainly committed to developing alternative interchanges to Birmingham New Street and are currently developing this”.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire County Council and Network Rail are looking at better integration of services at Worcester stations and this could have a positive outcome for our line. Although our members have always favoured a New Street based service, it has always been for the reason that other interchanges have been inadequate. This has lead to inefficient use of time and fuel by travelling NORTH to Birmingham New Street to head SOUTH.

S.L.U.G. looks forward to the upgrade of both Smethwick and Worcester interchanges and better utilisation of both.

Source of story – Lynda Waltho MP and B.B.C. News Wales. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7505769.stm

21st June 2008

Change at Kidderminster

The Wyre Forest Transport Technical Group is a committee of Wyre Forest District Council and invited guests. The W.F.T.T.G meets to ensure that the desired public transport network for Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley is the one provided by commercial operators and the County Council. On Wednesday June 11th the Stourbridge Line User Group was represented at a W.F.T.T.G. meeting by Phil and Rob. As a full time employee of Bus Users UK, Phil is frequently involved with this particular forum as a consultant and is able to influence the District Council on matters relating to the integration of bus and train services in the area.

Once again, the topic of a new Kidderminster rail station was on the agenda:
A working group has been engaged in the planning and design of the new facility and the partners are Network Rail, The Severn Valley Railway and Worcestershire County Council. S.L.U.G. has seen detailed drawings of the new station and surrounding area (see previous news article) but it would seem that there are still various options still open for revision of the original design. The objective is to provide a more spacious station building with more passenger facilities but at the same time to protect the number of car parking spaces. The station area has been earmarked for an interchange incorporating three bus bays and shelters which will be located behind the existing taxi rank on land excavated from the shrub filled embankment. In addition, a layover bay will be constructed on the Severn Valley Railway car park.

Funding has yet to be approved but the partners will provide a proportionate share as well as seeking government sponsored initiative grants and “Access for All” reserved cash. There is real scope here for Kidderminster station to become an interchange up to the standard of Cradley Heath and it could be the hub of Worcestershire bus services. First Bus and Whittle Bus companies are both keen to run services to and from the station (subject to an improved junction layout at Comberton Road/ Station Drive) and if this were the case, S.L.U.G. would like to see frequencies of Stourport and Bewdley buses match those of the train.

On the subject of bus/rail links, the villagers of Harvington and Bluntington have lost most of their bus services to Kidderminster railway station. Regretfully, the number of passengers using the X3 does not justify the diversion of the bus from the Kidderminster to Bromsgrove main road but at least Chaddesley Corbett still has a reasonable service, albeit from the outskirts of the village.

Again, lack of patronage has led to the withdrawal of a Wyre Forest facility – the Park and Ride coach service from Aggborough to the town centre. Rob suggested the idea of a one way circular bus serving Aggborough, the rail station and town centre but he was advised that road layouts at present would not be conducive to such a service. It was agreed to revisit this idea when the new station layout was in place and meanwhile to look at upgrading the pedestrian access from Aggborough to the station which is not a considerable distance at all. Various means of improving car park provision and expansion have been considered including “double decking”. S.L.U.G. hopes that a local solution can be found so as to avoid the practice of parking out of town at other stations along the line.

All in all, the meeting was very interesting. Some topics such as “Bewdley, Load Street bus bay improvements” may seem to have no relevance for Stourbridge Line users but the fact is that it is part of a whole package to make public transport more attractive and accessible for passengers. The start of the journey is as important as the interchange and the final leg. S.L.U.G. hope to be invited to the W.F.T.T.G. again and we are happy to take along comments and suggestions to help improve the integration of Wyre Forest bus services with our railway line.

S.L.U.G. promotes integrated public transport together with BUS USERS UK

PPM 50 departs Stourbridge Town

PPM 60 arrives at Stourbridge Town

Links > Centro : London Midland : Chiltern Railways :

Worcestershire County Council < Links