Longbridge railway station

Two previous stations serving Longbridge have existed: The first was opened at a location just south of the current station in 1840, when the original Birmingham and Gloucester Railway opened, it did not prosper and closed in 1849.[2]

Longbridge station in 1979, still incomplete it had opened the previous year.

Another Longbridge station had existed nearby, on the Halesowen Railway branch to Old Hill: this station only ever served workman's trains, and operated between 1915 and 1964.[2][3] Until closure of much of the Longbridge factory, the disused track and Longbridge station building remained in situ.

The current station, on Tessall Lane, was built to the designs of the architect John Broome[4] and opened in 1978 under the auspices of British Rail, as part of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive's Cross-City Line scheme. It was built as a simple two platform station on the four-track line, with a turnback siding just south of the station for terminating services. Initially nearly all Cross-City Line services terminated here, until 1980 when some were extended to Redditch. The line was electrified in 1993.[2]

During Monday-Saturday daytimes, northbound trains operate every 10 minutes with two trains per hour to Four Oaks, two to Lichfield City and two through to Lichfield Trent Valley. Southbound trains operate every 20 minutes to Redditch and every 20 minutes to Bromsgrove. On Sundays, trains operate every 30 minutes between Redditch and Lichfield.[5]

Services are operated by Class 323 electric multiple units. Since 29 July 2018, the trains that used to start or terminate here have been extended through to/from Bromsgrove (except for a small number of early morning and late night trains) following the completion of a scheme to extend the Cross City electrification from Barnt Green.[6] Three trains per hour operate to/from Bromsgrove Mon-Sat and two each way per hour on Sundays (the latter start/terminate at New Street).

Platforms at Longbridge with Class 323 about to depart towards Birmingham New Street

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Northfield		West Midlands Railway Cross-City Line		Barnt Green
Disused railways
Longbridge (1915-1964) Line and station closed		Great Western Railway Halesowen Railway		Terminus
Croft Farm Line and station closed		Midland Railway Birmingham and Gloucester Railway		Terminus

The ticket office and footbridge have level access from Longbridge Lane. Platform 1 (for trains towards Birmingham New Street) has step-free access by means of a lift from the footbridge, and platform 2 (for trains towards Redditch) has a ramp from the footbridge to platform level.

• Train times and station information for Longbridge railway station from National Rail
• Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands: Longbridge railway station
• Warwickshire Railways page

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