Closure of the Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield to accommodate repairs to the A38(M) viaduct.

Monday 20 May 2024

Closure of the Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield to accommodate repairs to the A38(M) viaduct.

Region and route:

North West and Central

| North West and Central: Central

Passengers are being warned of the six-day closure of the Cross City line between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield while vital maintenance of the A38(M) takes place.

The line will be closed from Monday 27 May to Saturday 1 June inclusive, reopening on Sunday 2 June. It is required due to Birmingham City Council’s ongoing strengthening and refurbishment of sections of the A38(M) Tame Valley Viaduct, which crosses the railway between Gravelly Hill and Aston stations.

Buses will replace all West Midlands Railway services between Lichfield Trent Valley and Birmingham during the closure.

The council’s work is part of a 4.5-year scheme to strengthen the viaduct’s main steel boxes, sandblast and repaint steel girders and carry out concrete repairs. The scale of the job means the railway below has to close for safety reasons and is the result of close collaboration between Birmingham City Council, Network Rail and West Midlands Railway.

Network Rail is using the closure to carry out its own essential maintenance of the railway line, which will help increase the safety and reliability of the route for passengers. The work will include:

• Vegetation trimming and management
• Maintenance of overhead power lines in preparation for hot weather
• Testing and replacement of signaling cables between Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield Trent Valley stations
• Creation of a new access point near Aston station to allow faster access to the track in the future

Steven Ireland, Head of Stations and Customer Relations at Network Rail, said: “I know this closure will affect a lot of people and I’m sorry for the inconvenience it will cause. The work of Birmingham City Council is essential to keep the A38(M) in the city center safe and open, so we have been working with them and West Midlands Railway to make this possible.

“We will take the opportunity to complete our own essential maintenance of the line between Birmingham and Lichfield, which will help make journeys more reliable for passengers in the future.

“Please check with West Midlands Railway or National Rail Inquiries for the latest travel information.”

Jonny Wiseman, Director of Customer Experience at West Midlands Railway, said: “The maintenance and upkeep of our railway is crucial to providing a more efficient service for passengers in the future.

“As a result of the A38(M) works, I urge passengers to check their journeys during the closure as a rail replacement service will be in operation between Lichfield Trent Valley and Birmingham New Street.”

Passengers are also being advised of major works taking place on the West Coast Main Line over the bank holiday weekend at the end of May, which will mean changes to train services between London Euston and Scotland.

Passengers can get the latest travel information at www.nationalrail.co.uk.