Area
The counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, the unitary authorities of Telford & Wrekin, Stoke-on-Trent, and the Metropolitan Districts of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton.Branch News
2026 AGM imminent - April 18th - see below under Forthcoming EventsThe branch is planning a series of promotional stands at strategic stations to bring Railfuture and its campaigns to the travelling public.
We continue to liaise with West Midlands Rail Executive, Midlands Connect, Network Rail and train operating companies to promote our aspirations and have met the first two named in the last few months and will be meeting Denise Wetton next week.
Forthcoming Events
2026 Annual General Meeting
2026 AGM will be held on Saturday April 18th 2025 at the Birmingham Midland Institute in Margaret Street, Birmingham (B3 3BS) between 1030 and 1230. As well as annual reports and officer elections, Nick Westcott Service Delivery Director for Cross Country Trains will be presenting to us his role and XC's objectives for the next few years.
BRANCH COMMITTEE MEETINGS : Branch Committee meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month (except August and December). We meet in the Chiltern Railways meeting room, platform 3, Moor Street Station, Birmingham, and meetings are open to all members. Our next meeting will be on April 12th, starting at 1745.
Other events to be notified.
Click events for regional and national events for rail campaigners, including Railfuture and other conferences.
Previous Events
2025 Annual General Meeting
2025 AGM was held on Saturday May 17th 2025 at St Martins in the Bullring. Guest speakers were Fiona Saxon, Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership Officer and Peter Sargant, Head of Rail Policy and Strategy at TfWM. Steve Wright was re-elected Branch Chair and Steve Boulding elected as Secretary. The rest of the 2024 committee were re-elected, except for Tony Thompson who had decided not to satnd again due to ill health. His place was taken by the current chair of Lichfield Rail Development Group, Richard Henshaw. In addition, a former committee member, Phil Davis, rejoined us. Phil had been vice-chair of the WMCA Transport Select committee so is a most valuable addition to ours.
Participants included: Andy Bagnall (Chief Executive Rail Partners and former Director General of Rail Delivery Group), Malcolm Holmes (former Chief Executive West Midlands Rails Executive and Director of Rail for Transport for West Midlands), Denise Wetton (Central Route Director, Network Rail) & Neil Middleton, Railfuture's Communications Director. The Secretary of State, Ann-Marie Trevelyan, or the Minister for Rail Huw Merriman, had also been invited but were not available. However a significant number or parliamentary advisers did attend.
ONLINE 2021 AGM
Branch AGM was held on-line on 24th April 2021 with guest speaker Linda McCord, Senior Stakeholder Manger for Transport Focus. She and members engaged in a lively conversation about how to encourage passengers to come back to train travel.
The Chairman highlighted a number of issues from his previously distributed report. The following were elected to the committee; Steve Wright (Chair), Colin Major (Secretary), Phil Bennion, Peter Kennard, Roger King and new to the committee Owen O'neill and John Gaussen. Steve Boulding was accepted as a co-opted member. This leaves us with two vacancies, and in particular we would welcome on board members from the Wolverhampton or the Black Country, and North West Staffs to bring the committee up to full strength.
After the elections a further discussion about future campaigns took place.
ONLINE MEETING
Branch Open Meeting- On 14th October 2020 we held an online Meeting open to all Branch members where the attendees reported their experiences in using trains during the current restrictions and gave their suggestions for future campaigns. These included reviewing WMRE Rail Strategy, contacting the next Mayor of WMCA, and support for various developments in Shropshire, including discussion for TfW Rail about future services on the Welsh Marches line
Branch member Owen O’Neill gave a stimulating presentation comparing his ideas for rail development in the next twenty years compared to those of the West Midlands Mayor’s 2040 Vision for rail and tram.
PUBLIC MEETING : 'Shropshire Rail - The Forgotten County ?'
Railfuture West Midlands Branch hosted an Open Meeting at the Gateway Centre, Shrewsbury on Saturday 12th October 2019 to explore the question “Shropshire Rail -the Forgotten County” which was attended by over one hundred and twenty persons including, Peter Nutting, Leader of Shropshire Council, the Transport & Economy portfolio holders of Shropshire CC , Telford & Wrekin and Powys Councils and several other county, town and parish councillors, as well as all the rail user groups covering the lines radiating from Shrewsbury and various residents' and community groups
Recognising that Shrewsbury is the major interchange station for rail services to and from South, West and North Wales, Cheshire, the West Midlands and London Railfuture West Midlands had invited the following to speak: -
Daniel Kawczynski - MP for Shrewsbury & Atcham
Lee Robinson – TfW Development Director, North Wales
Peter Sargant - Head of Rail Development, West Midlands Rail Executive
Ced Green - Secretary of North Cheshire Rail Users Association.
After hearing their short presentations there was a ninety minute Question and Answer session where passengers and rail user groups asked challenging questions of the speakers and Peter Nutting on future plans and services. The event was so successful that requests were made for a repeat event (but which has not yet happened).
A more detailed report is available on request.
Recent Campaign Successes
The branch has regular dialogue with West Midlands Rail Executive, Local Authorities, Network Rail and Train Operating Companies. These discussions have been influential in the development of....- Electrification of the Chase Line (Walsall - Rugeley)
- A reinstated Walsall - Wolverhampton direct passenger service, with new stations at Willenhall & Darlaston. (due 2023)
- Regular passenger services to new stations at Moseley, Kings Heath & Pineapple Road on the Camp Hill Line in Birmingham (due 2023)
- Redevelopment of University Station Birmingham
- Provision of an 'Assisted Living Lounge' at New Street Station.
pic- Assisted Living Lounge, Birmingham New Street. courtesy railbusinessdaily.com
Current Active Campaigns
- A 'One Station' concept, linking Birmingham New St, Moor St, and the new HS2 station at Curzon Street.
- New local services and stations at Fort Parkway & Castle Bromwich on the Water Orton line.
- Earlier trains serving Birmingham Airport, seven days a week.
- Reopening of the Lichfield to Burton line to passenger services, including a new station at Alrewas serving the National Arboretum Centre and another at Fradley to serve the planned housing development. This now has active WMRE support.
- Improved capacity on the Birmingham - Worcester/Hereford lines.
Longer term goals
- Electrification of lines through Birmingham Snow Hill
- Improve inter-community connections on Welsh Marches line between Hereford and Shrewsbury
- Reinstatement of direct Coventry - Leicester services, avoiding Nuneaton station - now a Midlands Connect priority
- Reconnect Ironbridge to the main line at Madeley, to cater for extensive new housing development.
- Reinstating the Stourbridge - Dudley - Walsall - Lichfield line to relieve heavy congestion on the existing Black Country rail & road networks.
- Completion of 'double tracking' between Coventry & Leamington Spa, creating additional local & cross country capacity. Electrification of this line to enable Leamington, Coventry, Birmingham direct services.
- Four-tracking between Birmingham Proof House Junction and International and onwards to Coventry
- Improved or reinstated passenger services at Polesworth (N. Warks), Barlaston (N. Staffs)
Branch eNews
Click on the West Midlands regional branch's dashboard to read all issues of the branch eNewsletters.Railfuture - Campaigning for a bigger & better railway
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