- University (Birmingham) railway station
Infobox UK station
name = University
manager =London Midland
locale =Edgbaston
borough =Birmingham
pte = West Midlands
zone = 2
usage0405 = 0.968
usage0506 = 1.06
usage0607 = 1.19
code = UNI
platforms = 2
latitude = 52.451
longitude = -1.936
gridref = SP043837
years = 1978
events = OpenedUniversity railway station is a
railway station serving theUniversity of Birmingham and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the West Midlands ofEngland . It is situated on theCross-City Line which runs fromRedditch toLichfield via Birmingham New Street. Most services are operated byLondon Midland who manage the station, with limited services also operated byCrossCountry .History
Along with Five Ways station, University station was built in 1978 as part of the upgrade of the Cross-City line. [cite web |publisher=Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands |title=University Station |url=http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/university.php |accessdate=2008-07-06] Although this was the first station on the site, it is located a short distance away from the former Somerset Road Station which was closed in the 1930s due to poor patronage. The Cross-City Line was electrified in 1993 and with it brought Class 323
electric multiple units on the local services.Facilities
Pedestrian access is via University Road West, near to a bus interchange. There are currently no car parking facilities specifically for the station, although nearby Selly Oak station offers 93 free car parking spaces and is a designated
Park and Ride station. [cite web |publisher=Birmingham City Council |title=Railway Station Car Parks |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=39524&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=439 |accessdate=2008-07-06] The station is also situated alongside theWorcester and Birmingham Canal , a popularcycling andjogging route. Access is at street level as there is a fence between Platform 2 and thetowpath .The station is the only main line railway station in
Great Britain built specifically to serve auniversity . There is a shop on Platform 1 towards Birmingham, selling drinks and snacks, and a coveredwaiting room on Platform 2. There are also two automated ticket machines on the concourse and two windowed ticket booths, manned all day Monday to Saturday and from 9:20 on Sundays. There is lift access down to both platforms from the entrance. [cite web |publisher=National Rail Enquiries |title=Station Facilities for University |url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/uni/details.html |accessdate=2008-07-06]University station does not contain ticket barriers, although London Midland have committed to installing automatic ticket gatelines at the station by 2009 to reduce fare evasion and safeguard revenue. [cite web |title=Commitments, plans & progress |url=http://www.londonmidland.com/index.php/cms/pages/view/39 |publisher=London Midland |accessdate=2008-07-06] There is a manned ticket check during peak hours and daytime.
ervices
The station is served by
London Midland with localCross-City Line services operated by 3- or 6-car Class 323electrical multiple unit s. London Midland's longer-distance services to Hereford andCrossCountry services to Cardiff and Nottingham are operated by air-conditioned Turbostardiesel multiple unit s.University station is the sixth busiest station in the
Network West Midlands region in terms of passenger numbers, and the busiest without a direct link to London. Just over one million tickets were sold to and from the station in the year 2005-6. [cite web |title=Station usage |publisher=Office of Rail Regulation |url=http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529 |accessdate=2008-07-06]Typical off-peak weekday service is as follows, in trains per hour (tph): [cite web |publisher=London Midland |title=Timetables |url=http://www.londonmidland.com/index.php/timetables/timetables/page |accessdate=2008-07-06] [cite web |publisher=CrossCountry |title=Pocket Timetables |url=http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/Timetables/PocketTimetables.aspx |accessdate=2008-07-06]
Platform 1 (Northbound)
All services from Platform 1 stop at Birmingham New Street with an average journey time of 8 minutes.
* 2 to Four Oaks, calling at all stations, operated by London Midland.
* 2 to Lichfield City, calling at all stations except Duddeston, operated by London Midland.
* 2 to Lichfield Trent Valley, calling at all stations except Duddeston and Shenstone, operated by London Midland.
* 1 to Birmingham New Street, non-stop, operated by London Midland.
* 3 per day to Nottingham, operated byCrossCountry . An extra morning service operates to Birmingham New Street.Platform 2 (Southbound)
* 4 to Longbridge, calling at all stations, operated by London Midland.
* 2 to Redditch, calling at all stations, operated by London Midland.
* 1 to Hereford, calling at Bromsgrove, Droitwich Spa, Worcester Foregate Street and then all stations to Hereford, operated by London Midland.
* 6 per day to Cardiff Central, operated by CrossCountry.Gallery
References
External links
* [http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/university.php Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands: University railway station]
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