Coventry railway station
Encyclopedia
Coventry railway station is situated about 250 yards to the south of junction 6 of the inner ring road in the city of Coventry
, West Midlands
, England. The rail track is on the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line
(WCML), and is at the centre of a junction where the lines to Nuneaton
, and to Leamington
converge.
Coventry station has regular services between Birmingham New Street and London Euston on the WCML. And also has long distance CrossCountry
services to Manchester to the north, and Oxford
and Reading
and the south coast to the south. There are also local services to Nuneaton
and Northampton
.
The station has the PlusBus
scheme where train and bus tickets can be bought together at a saving.
and could be entered from Warwick road, where two flights of stairs took the passengers down to the platform. Within two years it had been replaced, with a new larger station, a few hundred feet nearer to Rugby
, this time, accessed via Eaton road. In the late 19th century the Coventry Tram network extended to the station at Eaton Road. The original station remained in service as the station masters offices, until the station was redeveloped in the early 1960s.
The new 1840 station saw a significant number of modifications and extensions over the years, there was an engine shed, water column and turntable, in its later days an inclined walkway from the platform directly to Warwick road for summer excursions, and a parcel depot formed from old carriages. However, The station was constrained by bridges at either end of the station, Stoney Road Bridge to the south, and Warwick road bridge to the north. The bridges effectively restricted the station to two lines, and prevented the platforms from being extended.
In the early 1960s both bridges were widened, and the old station finally demolished and re-built, this time with room for four platforms instead of two. At the time it was demolished in 1960, some parts of the old station were 120 years old. The present station with its four platforms was completed in 1962 and is now a Grade-II listed building.
The new station featured a new parcel depot, used to manage the large number of mail order catalogue packages coming in to Coventry at the time. The depot was serviced by its own platforms from the rugby end. The Depot has now been replaced by a multi-story car park, although some of the platforms and an electrification gantry remain.
Coventry Station is of note in that it once had automatic ticket barriers but Virgin Trains removed them in 2008.
, London Midland
and Virgin Trains
. In the past, it has also been served by Silverlink
, but these routes were transferred to Central Trains
in 2004. Central Trains and Virgin Cross Country services were respectively transferred to London Midland and CrossCountry in 2007.
There is a small yard at the Birmingham end of the station, in front of the shopping centre that was once part of Coventry's yard, that is used by London Midland for the stabling of electric traction units, no heavy work is carried out at Coventry as that is done at either Soho in Smethwick (for Class 323 EMU) or Northampton Siemens depot (Class 350 & 321 EMU's), previously the 321 EMU's were maintained at Bletchley TMD in Buckinghamshire. All none electric units are stabled at Tyeseley in Birmingham where they are cleaned, maintained and refueled. These units are only used on the local service to Nuneaton.
Until 2004, Coventry had a direct service to Nottingham
via Leicester
, but this was discontinued because Network Rail
took away the ability for trains coming from Coventry to cross to the Leicester line at Nuneaton
. Before Central Trains was broken up, there was talk of restoring the service, but since services are on the line to Leicester are now part of Cross Country, it is unlikely.
Also, when Cross Country was handed over to Arriva, the route via Wigan and Preston was excluded from the franchise and was included in the West Coast Franchise. Subsequently, CrossCountry now uses the route via York to get to Scotland so Coventry lost its few direct trains to places in the North West besides Manchester.
The Current day time service:
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England. The rail track is on the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
(WCML), and is at the centre of a junction where the lines to Nuneaton
Coventry to Nuneaton Line
The Coventry to Nuneaton Line is a short branch line linking Coventry and Nuneaton in the West Midlands of England. All of the lines' Absolute Block Signal Boxes have been replaced, as of May 2009, by a new signalling centre in Saltley, Birmingham, controlling Coventry to Three Spires and Rugby...
, and to Leamington
Coventry to Leamington line
The Coventry to Leamington Line is a railway line linking the city of Coventry with the town of Leamington Spa. The line was opened in 1844 by the LNWR. A connecting line to Berkswell opened in 1884....
converge.
Coventry station has regular services between Birmingham New Street and London Euston on the WCML. And also has long distance CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
services to Manchester to the north, and Oxford
Oxford railway station
Oxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
and Reading
Reading railway station
Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
and the south coast to the south. There are also local services to Nuneaton
Nuneaton railway station
Nuneaton railway station serves the large town of Nuneaton in Warwickshire, England. The station is managed by London Midland.It is situated at the point where the Birmingham - Leicester route crosses the Trent Valley Line section of the West Coast Main Line north of London Euston, with a branch...
and Northampton
Northampton railway station
Northampton railway station is a railway station serving the large town of Northampton and other parts of Northamptonshire in England. Other parts of South Northamptonshire are better served by Kings Sutton, Banbury and Milton Keynes Central stations....
.
The station has the PlusBus
PLUSBUS
PLUSBUS is an add-on ticket, which can be purchased with rail tickets in Great Britain. It allows unlimited travel on participating bus operators' services in the whole urban area of rail-served towns and cities.-History:...
scheme where train and bus tickets can be bought together at a saving.
History
The original station was built in 1838 as part of the London and Birmingham RailwayLondon and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
and could be entered from Warwick road, where two flights of stairs took the passengers down to the platform. Within two years it had been replaced, with a new larger station, a few hundred feet nearer to Rugby
Rugby railway station
Rugby railway station serves the town of Rugby in Warwickshire, England. It opened during the Victorian era, in 1885, replacing earlier stations situated a little further west...
, this time, accessed via Eaton road. In the late 19th century the Coventry Tram network extended to the station at Eaton Road. The original station remained in service as the station masters offices, until the station was redeveloped in the early 1960s.
The new 1840 station saw a significant number of modifications and extensions over the years, there was an engine shed, water column and turntable, in its later days an inclined walkway from the platform directly to Warwick road for summer excursions, and a parcel depot formed from old carriages. However, The station was constrained by bridges at either end of the station, Stoney Road Bridge to the south, and Warwick road bridge to the north. The bridges effectively restricted the station to two lines, and prevented the platforms from being extended.
In the early 1960s both bridges were widened, and the old station finally demolished and re-built, this time with room for four platforms instead of two. At the time it was demolished in 1960, some parts of the old station were 120 years old. The present station with its four platforms was completed in 1962 and is now a Grade-II listed building.
The new station featured a new parcel depot, used to manage the large number of mail order catalogue packages coming in to Coventry at the time. The depot was serviced by its own platforms from the rugby end. The Depot has now been replaced by a multi-story car park, although some of the platforms and an electrification gantry remain.
Coventry Station is of note in that it once had automatic ticket barriers but Virgin Trains removed them in 2008.
Services
The station is served by CrossCountryCrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
, London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
and Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
. In the past, it has also been served by Silverlink
Silverlink
Silverlink Train Services Ltd was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operated routes in North London and from London to Northampton...
, but these routes were transferred to Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
in 2004. Central Trains and Virgin Cross Country services were respectively transferred to London Midland and CrossCountry in 2007.
There is a small yard at the Birmingham end of the station, in front of the shopping centre that was once part of Coventry's yard, that is used by London Midland for the stabling of electric traction units, no heavy work is carried out at Coventry as that is done at either Soho in Smethwick (for Class 323 EMU) or Northampton Siemens depot (Class 350 & 321 EMU's), previously the 321 EMU's were maintained at Bletchley TMD in Buckinghamshire. All none electric units are stabled at Tyeseley in Birmingham where they are cleaned, maintained and refueled. These units are only used on the local service to Nuneaton.
Until 2004, Coventry had a direct service to Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
via Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, but this was discontinued because Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
took away the ability for trains coming from Coventry to cross to the Leicester line at Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
. Before Central Trains was broken up, there was talk of restoring the service, but since services are on the line to Leicester are now part of Cross Country, it is unlikely.
Also, when Cross Country was handed over to Arriva, the route via Wigan and Preston was excluded from the franchise and was included in the West Coast Franchise. Subsequently, CrossCountry now uses the route via York to get to Scotland so Coventry lost its few direct trains to places in the North West besides Manchester.
The Current day time service:
- 4 trains per hour to London Euston – three express and one semi-fast via Northampton
- 7 trains per hour to Birmingham New Street – some trains continue onwards
- 2 trains per hour to Northampton (one continues onto London Euston)
- 1 Cross Country train per hour to the North (Manchester Piccadilly) via Birmingham New Street
- 1 train per hour to Nuneaton
- 1 train per hour to Leamington Spa and the south, usually Bournemouth (Cross Country)
External links
- Photographs of Coventry station at warwickshirerailways.com