Tamworth railway station

Tamworth
General information
Location	Tamworth
Managed by	London Midland
Platforms	4
Other information
Station code	TAM

Tamworth railway station is located where the Cross Country Route passes over the West Coast Main Line, in the United Kingdom, although there is no rail link between the two lines. There are four platforms: platforms 1 and 2 on the low level (the West Coast Main Line) and platforms 3 and 4 on the high level (on the Cross Country Route).

Prior to the introduction of diesel engines, Tamworth Railway Station was particularly well-known to 'train spotting' enthusiasts as the closest station to Birmingham at which the larger and faster steam engines could be seen on the London to the North West Coast Line. Many weekend and holiday picnics were held in the fields south of the station whilst waiting for the call "Semi on the main line".

History

Tamworth high level platforms, looking north.

The original station was opened in 1839 by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway on its original route from Derby to Hampton-in-Arden meeting the London and Birmingham Railway for London

In 1847 the London and North Western Railway built its Trent Valley Line passing beneath the original line with a new joint station, though they weren't referred to as "High Level" and "Low Level" till 1924. Since it was expected that only local trains would call, the platforms were on loops, with the running lines left clear for expresses. At that time there was a north to west curve linking the, by then, Midland with the LNWR line. A north to east curve was also planned but never built. Since it was the crossing of two major lines - one Bristol to Newcastle, the other Euston to Aberdeen - it was important for the Royal Mail transferring upwards of 2000 bags every night.

The station was rebuilt at some time and named "Trent Valley Station", then again in 1962 when the Trent Valley Line was electrified, requiring the High level line and platforms to be raised by two feet.

Services

On the West Coast Main Line, limited services are provided by Virgin Trains, operating from London Euston to the north west of England and to Scotland. There is also a regular Monday to Saturday semi-fast service between London Euston & Crewe via Northampton and Stoke-on-Trent calling here. This service is operated by London Midland using Class 350 multiple units.

On the Cross Country Route, trains are operated by CrossCountry. There are services between Cardiff Central and Nottingham via Birmingham New Street using Class 170s, as well as services to Bristol, Exeter Plymouth and Penzance, and Leeds City, York, Newcastle Central and Edinburgh Waverley using Class 220, 221s and HST sets.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Wilnecote		CrossCountry Cardiff–Nottingham		Burton upon Trent
Birmingham New Street		CrossCountry Cross Country Route		Burton upon Trent
Atherstone		London Midland London - Crewe		Lichfield Trent Valley
Polesworth		London Midland London - Crewe		Lichfield Trent Valley
Nuneaton		Virgin Trains West Coast Main Line		Lichfield Trent Valley

Also see

• Dudley Port railway station, which also had 2 levels until the 1960s.

External links

Media related to Tamworth railway station at Wikimedia Commons