Blake Street (BKT)

Blake Street is a stop on the Cross-City Line in Sutton Coldfield between Butlers Lane and Shenstone. It is located on the border between the West Midlands and Staffordshire.

WMR 323 206 at Blake Street

Information
Type:	National Rail (Cross-City Line)
Station code:	BKT
Opened:	1884
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the London & North Western Railway in 1884 as part of the extension of the Birmingham New Street to Sutton Coldfield line to Lichfield City. Blake Street (which is named after the road that runs across just to the North of the station - it is where the county border is too) was built with a goods yard and cattle pens, both being down from station towards Birmingham. The goods yard was closed in 1964 [1]. The station became part of the Cross-City Line in 1978. The station was electrified along with the rest of the line in 1992.


Trains can terminate at Blake Street though that happens rarely now. Access between the platforms is via a subway, there being a manned ticket office at the end of the subway on the Birmingham side. Each platform is also accessible from ground level via ramps. The station is managed by West Midlands Railway.

View down the platform

Platform shelter

Waiting room

Subway between the platforms, the station entrance is ahead

WMR 323 213 arrives with a Birmingham bound service

[1] Vic Mitchell, North of Birmingham (Middleton Press, 2014) Fig. 109

London City Airport (ZAF)

London City Airport is on the Docklands Light Railway Woolwich Branch in East London between Pontoon Dock and King George V.

A DLR train stands at London City Airport

Information
Type:	Transport for London (Docklands Light Railway Woolwich Branch)
Station code:	ZAF
Opened:	2005
Platforms:	2

The station was opened in 2005 as the Docklands Light Railway was extended to King George V from Canning Town. The line was later extended further to Woolwich Arsenal. The station is adjacent to the airport terminal. Unlike most DLR stations the island platform is fully enclosed. It is also one of the few DLR stations with a staffed ticket office.

London bound trains from London City Airport head to either Bank or Stratford International. The station is near, though unconnected to, the former Silvertown station.

Platform and overall roof

One of the station entrances

On the platform

A 146 takes off from the airport, the station is behind the terminal building

Bloxwich North (BWN)

Bloxwich North is a stop on the Chase Line in the West Midlands between Bloxwich and Landywood. 

LNWR 350 405 departs North

Information
Type:	National Rail (Chase Line)
Station code:	BWN
Opened:	1990
Platforms:	2

Bloxwich North was opened in 1990 to serve new housing on the Northern side of Bloxwich. The Chase Line itself only partially re-opening the year before (eventually the full line between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley was restored). Before opening the station was known as Broad Lane. The station was initially opened experimentally, however has remained open ever since (so the experiment must have worked!) From 2019 services at Bloxwich North have been by electric multiple units.

The station has basic facilities, with bus shelters and information screens and little else. Access between the platforms is via a road bridge which crosses the line [1]. The station is managed and served by West Midlands Railway with usually two trains in each direction during the day.

A LNWR 350 stands at the station

Artwork display at the station

Platform shelter

Down the platform

[1] Vic Mitchell, Walsall Routes (Middleton Press, 2013) Fig. 24

Haddenham & Thame Parkway (HDM)

Haddenham & Thame Parkway serves the two villages in the station name (though is physically in Haddenham) and as the name also implies has extensive parking facilities. The station is in Buckinghamshire, between Bicester North or Bicester Village and Princes Risborough.

Chiltern 165 001 departs North

Information
Type:	National Rail (Chiltern Main Line)
Station code:	HDM
Opened:	1987
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by British Rail in 1987 about 800m away from the site of the original Haddenham station which was closed (along with Thame station) in 1963 [1]. Originally the new station just had a single platform due to the single line nature of the Chiltern Main Line at the time.

The line was (re)doubled in 1998 and an extra platform added to the station to serve it [2]. Both platforms have been lengthened and the station building extended in the 2010s. Car park capacity has also been increased. Access between the platforms is via a road bridge which crosses the lines. Chiltern maintain a regular service between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street or Oxford.

Platform shelter on the London platform

Access to the platforms is via steps or ramps

Chiltern 165 010 with a South bound service

Chiltern 168 217 prepares to depart

Station view from the road bridge

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Princes Risborough to Banbury (Middleton Press, 2002) fig. 31
[2] Ibid. fig. 34

Catford (CTF)

Catford is a stop on the Catford Loop Line in South East London between Crofton Park and Bellingham. 

Thamleslink 700 007 arrives at the station

Information
Type:	National Rail (Catford Loop Line)
Station code:	CTF
Opened:	1892
Platforms:	2

The station was opened in 1892 by the Shortlands & Nunhead Railway. The line later became part of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway. The line was electrified by the Southern Railway in 1925.

The station is a short walk from Catford Bridge station. Catford is built on an embankment with a road level CLASP style station building with steps up to platform level. The station is managed by Thameslink, who operate all services to the station mostly between London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks.

Station building

Thameslink 700 030 departs

View down the platform

700 030 heading back to London

Lydney Junction

Lydney Junction in Lydney, Gloucestershire is the Southern terminus of the Dean Forest Railway. 

Lydney Junction station building

Information
Type:	Preserved Railway (Dean Forest Railway)
Opened:	1875 (Closed 1964)
Re-opened:	1995
Platforms:	2

The original station, called Lydney Junction (Severn & Wye), was opened by the Severn & Wye Mineral Railway in 1875 linked by a long footbridge [1] from the GWR station (and still open) Lydney. The station had services which crossed the Severn via the Severn Railway Bridge, these services stopped in 1960 when the bridge was badly damaged and later closed. The station officially closed in 1964 and was largely demolished.

All that was left of the original station was one of the platforms, this forms the basis of the new Lydney Junction station which was opened in 1995 when the Dean Forest Railway extended Southwards from the nearby St Mary's Halt. The current station has an island platform and a wooden station building which was originally from Heysham Port. Next to the station are storage sidings for the railway and a signalbox which protects a road crossing.

End of the platform, road crossing and Lydney beyond

Signal box

Storage yard

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Branch Lines Around Lydney (Middleton Press, 2008) Map. VIII