Powering the Midlands Engine

Changes happening now in the Midlands

Below are press releases from rail companies in the Midlands promoting changes and improvements happening in the area.

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East Midlands Railway and city firm to design new train interiors
East Midlands Railways (EMR) has chosen to work with a Derby supplier to create the interiors for its new Aurora...
Major lift improvement scheme to begin at The Hawthorns station
Passengers are being advised about work starting next month to replace lifts at The Hawthorns railway station. The much-needed...
West Midlands passengers invited to join webinar on future of rail
West Midlands Railway (WMR) passengers are being invited to join a webinar discussing the future of rail featuring leading...
East Midlands Railway introduces first of new regional train fleet
East Midlands Railway (EMR) has introduced the first train of its new regional fleet. The Class 170 “Turbostars”, which will...
Rail industry joins forces to build back a better service
Long distance train company, CrossCountry, and infrastructure operator, Network Rail, are joining forces to deliver a reliable...
West Midlands Railway hailed for commitment to apprenticeships
West Midlands Railway has been hailed for its commitment to apprenticeships in newly-published prestigious national...

Big Changes in 2020

Passengers, communities and businesses in the Midlands will benefit from big changes happening on our railway.

Trains

On East Midlands Railway a new half-hourly service from St Pancras International-Luton-Corby
Continued rollout by West Midlands Trains of 180 new train carriages and standing room for an extra 50,000 passengers to and from Birmingham in Metro style carriages
Faster journeys on CrossCountry routes between the Midlands and North East of England

Stations, tracks, depots

Station improvements underway at Kettering, Wellingborough, Bedford, Market Harborough, Kidderminster, Warwick and Banbury
Continued rollout by West Midlands Trains of 180 new train carriages and room for 50,000 extra passengers to and from Birmingham in metro style carriages
200 new train crew now on West Midlands Trains

Communities

East Midlands Railway will manage 30 preapprenticeships for local young people and host 25 employability masterclasses at schools
Birmingham New Street station now has a dedicated waiting lounge and team to support additional mobility and sensory needs
Chiltern Railways will be trialling a greener and noisereducing hybrid battery-diesel train

Major upgrade work

Electrification of the Midland Main Line to Corby will go live in 2020
New Wolverhampton Interchange Project is on track to open for customers in Summer 2020 as part of a £150 million transport hub

View all the big changes happening across Britain

People across the Midlands support rail companies’ proposals for change

The rail industry recognise the need for big changes, that's why together we submitted proposals for a radical alternative to the current franchising system to the independently-chaired Williams review looking into the future of Britain's railway. We proposed for a more customer focussed, joined-up and accountable railway.

Find out more about our Big Plan for change