Redditch Station is set for a major revamp in a project worth almost PS10m. Emerging designs have been described as “sustainable and ambitious” by Worcestershire County Council.
The line between Barnt Green and Redditch opened to freight on June 1866 and to passengers on 17 September that year. The railway was extended to Ashchurch in May 1868.
History
The station serves the ‘New Town’ of Redditch in Worcestershire. It sits next to the flagship Kingfisher shopping centre and is surrounded by new housing developments. Redditch has a thriving high-tech industry and is home to engineering giant GKN as well as automotive retailer Halfords. The town’s world famous needle making heritage is celebrated at the Forge Mill Needle Museum and the ruins of medieval Bordesley Abbey can be found in the Abbey Ward district.
Redditch is a terminus for the single track branch line from Barnt Green which forms part of the Cross-City Line south to Birmingham New Street. It used to extend further to Evesham and Ashchurch but this was closed in the 1960’s.
Despite being a relatively new town, Redditch has many historical landmarks including the medieval tower house known as Moons Moat that was the site of a notorious robbery in 1910. The town is also famous for its confusing road system dominated by dual carriageways built when the ‘New Town’ was constructed and the only cloverleaf interchange in England at the A441 junction with the A448 Bromsgrove-bound dual carriageway.
The first Redditch Station opened alongside the existing rail line at Clive Road on 19th September 1859. It was a terminus and lasted until the line was extended south to Evesham on 4th May 1868 when a new station a little to the south of the original was opened.
Platforms
WORCESTERSHIRE County Council is investing PS10 million in Redditch Station to give the town’s gateway a fresh new look. It’s expected to improve the crossing to Unicorn Hill, Kingfisher Shopping Centre and bus station while also boosting cycling routes across the site.
The first Redditch station opened in 1859 alongside the line from Barnt Green to Ashchurch though it would close just nine years later. In the meantime it shifted location to its final position at the end of what was originally an island platform with a small station building. A goods yard was built on the opposite side of the track at a location known as Pound Meadow (now part of the car park). This could handle inward traffic of up to 188 wagons for raw materials needed by the thriving needle making industry – including Peruvian guano and animal feed plus flour, coffee beans, cheese and salted butter.
The current station consists of just one platform with a small station building and a pay-and-display car park for around 156 vehicles. It serves as the southern terminus of the Cross-City Line, a single track railway line which used to continue south to Evesham and Ashchurch. The section from Barnt Green was closed in the 1960s but a short part of it between Redditch and Litchfield remains open today to serve the nearby business park.
Car Parks
There are a number of car parks around Redditch Station. The Kingfisher Centre, a shopping mall, has ample spaces available, as does the Quadrant Car Park. The Theatre also has a small car park which is only open for matinee performances (Monday-Sunday). It is a short walk back past Shipley’s Bingo from this car park to the Theatre.
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Services
Redditch Station is served by train services operated by West Midlands Trains. There are around 36 journeys on a typical weekday and the fastest journey takes just 16 mins. The station is located in North Worcestershire and is around 14 miles from Birmingham New Street.
The small station building has a ticket hall, toilets, and a waiting area and is accessible by stairs or ramp. There is also a pay-and-display car park with 156 parking spaces.
Travellers using the service can enjoy a comfortable ride to locations including Birmingham Snow Hill, Drayton Manor Theme Park, and Worcester. First class tickets may offer more space, onboard catering, and other perks.
A Ticket Vending Machine is located in the car park, outside of the Booking Hall. National key toilets are available; these require a RADAR key and are open from 06:15 to 19:00 Monday – Thursday and 09:00 to 20:00 Friday.
There is a bus service that runs from Redditch Station to Studley. The journey takes 13 minutes and is operated by Diamond and Flexibus.
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