Bordesley railway station proposed closure

[Haywain]

The last thing the police want is away fans, after a hostile game, walking with the home fans outside the ground...

On my last visit to the New Den the police were happen to allow us to leave via Bollina Road and Silwood Street immediately after the match. I have no idea how long they'd have kept us hanging around to get to South Bermondsey station, because they always let the home supporters on there first.

 

[thenorthern]

Are most the fans using Bordesley Blues fans or away fans?

I know with Watford Stadium Halt the main purpose was not so much for home fans but rather for away fans as in those days Watford had a bad reputation for hooliganism meaning it made sense to take the away fans directly to the stadium by train rather than they go into Watford Town Center to get to Watford Junction and thus mixing with the Hornets fans and potentially causing and risking trouble.

Looking at the timetable I note Chiltern services also stop at the station when the Blues are playing at home, this is in addition to the West Midlands Trains services and the weekly Saturday only parlimentary train. Given three of the Championship clubs are in the London area (QPR, Milwall and Charlton) it would make sense for Chiltern trains to stop at Bordesley in order to transport away fans up from London.

 

[800002]

Would I be right in assuming that most football related passengers using Bordesley are using it from the suburbs, rather than just going from the centre of Birmingham?

I assume they'll have to use Small Heath instead?

As mentioned.
Stops towards Birmingham only pre game.
Stops towards Dorridge / Stratford / Banbury / London only post game.

Looking at the timetable I note Chiltern services also stop at the station when the Blues are playing at home, this is in addition to the West Midlands Trains services and the weekly Saturday only parlimentary train. Given three of the Championship clubs are in the London area (QPR, Milwall and Charlton) it would make sense for Chiltern trains to stop at Bordesley in order to transport away fans up from London.

Noting the platform only takes 6 cars, Chiltern would be limited by what they can call on a busy weekend (for example) when longer trains operate.
Believe the LHCS also cannot call.

 

[Cross City]

On my last visit to the New Den the police were happen to allow us to leave via Bollina Road and Silwood Street immediately after the match. I have no idea how long they'd have kept us hanging around to get to South Bermondsey station, because they always let the home supporters on there first.

When I was at The Den as an away fan with Blues 18 months ago we were kept in the ground for 1 hour after the game then frog marched in a maze like fashion 2 miles to Canada Water station.

The Met, in their infinite wisdom, were then seemingly confused as to why the crowd go slightly annoyed by this. One of their officers pepper sprayed a smallchild and I very nearly missed by train home that I had scheduled for 3 hours after FT.

My complaint is yet to be replied to.

 

[thenorthern]

Noting the platform only takes 6 cars, Chiltern would be limited by what they can call on a busy weekend (for example) when longer trains operate.
Believe the LHCS also cannot call.

Yep, just looking at the football specials last night and the longest was 6 coaches made up of 2 168s.

The trains however had a strange calling pattern in that only trains heading north towards Moor Street called before the match and only trains heading south called after the match. While I know that Blues fans in Birmingham tend to be on the south side of the city with the north being more Villa territory it does seem an odd calling pattern.

If anyone was wondering, the Blues were playing Middlesbrough last night at St Andrews. Realistically, I can't imagine there being many Middlesbrough fans using the trains as it was a late kick off and there aren't many Boro fans in the West Midlands. Although I did once know one from Redditch.

 

[Mikey C]

Are most the fans using Bordesley Blues fans or away fans?

I know with Watford Stadium Halt the main purpose was not so much for home fans but rather for away fans as in those days Watford had a bad reputation for hooliganism meaning it made sense to take the away fans directly to the stadium by train rather than they go into Watford Town Center to get to Watford Junction and thus mixing with the Hornets fans and potentially causing and risking trouble.

Looking at the timetable I note Chiltern services also stop at the station when the Blues are playing at home, this is in addition to the West Midlands Trains services and the weekly Saturday only parlimentary train. Given three of the Championship clubs are in the London area (QPR, Milwall and Charlton) it would make sense for Chiltern trains to stop at Bordesley in order to transport away fans up from London.

I'd be amazed if any fans of London clubs would use Chiltern services straight to Bordsley, and back out again, especially as the pubs around there will be home fans only. Maybe a few Wycombe fans would use that route, or Oxford fans via a change at Banbury?

When I was at The Den as an away fan with Blues 18 months ago we were kept in the ground for 1 hour after the game then frog marched in a maze like fashion 2 miles to Canada Water station.

The Met, in their infinite wisdom, were then seemingly confused as to why the crowd go slightly annoyed by this. One of their officers pepper sprayed a smallchild and I very nearly missed by train home that I had scheduled for 3 hours after FT.

My complaint is yet to be replied to.

Was the South Bermondsey line shut that day, as that seems a bizarre choice. I didn't go this season, but on my previous visit we were held inside for 45 minutes, then queued outside South Bermondsey for ages before being allowed onto the platform. Indeed the long path between the away end and station is designed to keep away fans away from home fans.

 

[Kite159]

The trains however had a strange calling pattern in that only trains heading north towards Moor Street called before the match and only trains heading south called after the match. While I know that Blues fans in Birmingham tend to be on the south side of the city with the north being more Villa territory it does seem an odd calling pattern.

Isn't it more down to crowd control, if only southbound trains call after the match anybody wanting trains northbound go towards the centre of Birmingham.

Similar set-up on the Exmouth branch after a game at the rugby ground, one station is skipped heading towards Exmouth with another skipped heading north the idea of anybody going towards Exeter uses Digby & Sowton, with anybody heading towards Exmouth using Newcourt.

 

[vic-rijrode]

I know with Watford Stadium Halt the main purpose was not so much for home fans but rather for away fans as in those days Watford had a bad reputation for hooliganism meaning it made sense to take the away fans directly to the stadium by train...

I take very great exception to this statement which is rubbish. In the 80s under the great Graham Taylor, Watford FC were one of the first (if not the first) to develop the idea of a "family club". There was very little "hooliganism" in the Vicarage Road ground - except sometimes by the away fans - virtually nothing of note by the home fans. Wikipedia mentions the Halt being built for "crowd control" - i.e. for the large number of away fans (especially from London clubs) in the top division.

Imdeed, other clubs (notably the small club up the M1 motorway) in the 80s were installing huge and high fencing around the pitch (which in Luton's case probably exacerbated the bad outbreak of Millwall violence in 1985 as the fans could not see very well with this fencing - I can vouch for that).

Watford never had any high fencing around the pitch, either at the away end or home terracing - just a low wall. The away fans were treated very well and taking them directly to the stadium by train was certainly not to protect them from any "hooliganism" from the home fans. With Watford's relegation from the top division in 1988, the Halt was less and less needed and used. Actual closure date is unknown.

Perhaps thenorthern had an unfortunate but rare experience at Vicarage Road.

Anyway, my only experience with using Bordesley was in 1968 when I accompanied a Portsmouth-supporting school friend to a game at St Andrews, which Pompey lost 5-2. The station at that time was looking a little run down but not terminal. We also visited Snow Hill, which had closed the previous year (except for the Wolverhampton shuttles) - what a very sad sight it was...

 

[800002]

The trains however had a strange calling pattern in that only trains heading north towards Moor Street called before the match and only trains heading south called after the match

Yes, that was the first part of my post.

Isn't it more down to crowd control, if only southbound trains call after the match anybody wanting trains northbound go towards the centre of Birmingham.

Believe so.
It also helps redistribute the movements for those heading south and reducing the numbers heading back into city center to go north and south.

I'd be amazed if any fans of London clubs would use Chiltern services straight to Bordsley, and back out again, especially as the pubs around there will be home fans only. Maybe a few Wycombe fans would use that route, or Oxford fans via a change at Banbury?

I think it would really depend on day / time.
Evening midweek fixtures there is a single Chiltern service back south which calls and one which doesn't call at Bordesley, an hour later. Both Banbury terminators.

I can see a London/ Oxford journey working out for a mid afternoon fixtures given that the London trains would call both ways.
I guess it depends on the individual fans mindset at the end of the day.

 

[thenorthern]

I take very great exception to this statement which is rubbish. In the 80s under the great Graham Taylor, Watford FC were one of the first (if not the first) to develop the idea of a "family club". There was very little "hooliganism" in the Vicarage Road ground - except sometimes by the away fans - virtually nothing of note by the home fans. Wikipedia mentions the Halt being built for "crowd control" - i.e. for the large number of away fans (especially from London clubs).

Imdeed, other clubs (notably the small club up the M1 motorway) in the 80s were installing huge and high fencing around the pitch (which in Luton's case probably exacerbated the bad outbreak of Millwall violence in 1985 as the fans could not see very well with this fencing - I can vouch for that).

Watford never had any high fencing around the pitch, either at the away end or home terracing - just a low wall. The away fans were treated very well and taking them directly to the stadium by train was certainly not to protect them from any "hooliganism" from the home fans. With Watford's relegation from the top division in 1988, the Halt was less and less needed and used. Actual closure date is unknown.

Perhaps thenorthern had an unfortunate but rare experience at Vicarage Road.

Anyway, my only experience with using Bordesley was in 1968 when I accompanied a Portsmouth-supporting school friend to a game at St Andrews, which Pompey lost 5-2. The station at that time was looking a little run down. We also visited Snow Hill, which had closed the previous year (except for the Wolverhampton shuttles) - what a very sad sight it was...

I have personally never had a problem with Vicarage Road when I have been there in fact it's a nice ground to visit as an away groud, it's more the reputation of Watford fans in those days wasn't brilliant. Reputations are not always accurate, for example I have never had any issues at The Den but let's face it Milwall fans probably have the worst reputation out of all the English football fans.

I should explain I am a Sunderland fan and when I used to visit away games when I was younger my mum used to get worried about the opposing fans. I would regularly tell her if anything the Sunderland fans were probably worse than the home fans. Some grounds I have visited have bit a bit questionable with the fans, although ironically for me not St James' Park.

 

[vic-rijrode]

I have personally never had a problem with Vicarage Road when I have been there in fact it's a nice ground to visit as an away groud, it's more the reputation of Watford fans in those days wasn't brilliant.

I can personally assure you that although some minor hooliganism was present at Watford in the 60s and early 70s as with many clubs, by the 80s the police had stamped out any sign of trouble - often with very heavy-handed treatment indeed! Graham Taylor did not like any suspicion of violence!

If we had a reputation, I don't know where this came from, as our local neighbours always maintained that Watford fans were "yellow" in keeping with our shirt colour.

As Sunderland fan you might be interested to know that one of my friends back in the day came from Red House estate in Sunderland and he would frequently come down for games at Vicarage Road. I will never forget the look on his face when the goals started going in in our 8-0 victory in 1982...

Anyway, sorry to anyone expecting a discourse on the mighty structure that is Bordesley station and the various routes by which the Bluenoses reach St Andrews.

 

[thenorthern]

As this will come up in any closure proceedings realistically how many passengers do you think Bordesley would get if it was to get an hourly service? It's in the middle of an industrial estate and near Birmingham Moor Street so is unlikely to ever have huge passenger numbers but given the lack of service prevents anyone using the station to commute that could be a mark against it closing. I know every parlimentary station would have more passengers using the station if more trains stopped there but most of the time the passenger number increase would be very small in numerical terms.

For example, Breich station is now served hourly and gets around 6000 passengers a year which in passenger terms isn't a lot and realistically the proposed closure should have gone ahead. Bromsgrove on the other hand was reduced to 1 platform in 1969 and by the 1980s I think it had only 5 trains per day stop there. Later when a second platform was built in 1990 and the hourly Birmingham to Hereford started stopping there I think passenger numbers reached 500,000 by 2010, bear in mind this was before th Cross City Line was extended to Bromsgrove.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

For example, Breich station is now served hourly and gets around 6000 passengers a year which in passenger terms isn't a lot and realistically the proposed closure should have gone ahead.

If those figures are accurate then I can't dispute that reasoning. 6000 passengers a year means 10 return journeys a day. That's nothing - it would mean fewer than one passenger for every train that stops there. That's not worth slowing down commuter services for and certainly not worth the expense of the (according to wiki) 2018 rebuild.

Bromsgrove on the other hand was reduced to 1 platform in 1969 and by the 1980s I think it had only 5 trains per day stop there. Later when a second platform was built in 1990 and the hourly Birmingham to Hereford started stopping there I think passenger numbers reached 500,000 by 2010, bear in mind this was before th Cross City Line was extended to Bromsgrove.

Yep, and a quick look at the map shows exactly why: Bromsgrove station serves a very decently sized town that has no other rail services.

Bordesley isn't really similar to either Breich or Bromsgrove: It's in an industrial area not that far from the city centre, although you'd think that if (plausibly) housing developments were built there and the area redeveloped, it could become much more like Bromsgrove.

 

[Sprinter107]

Bordesley is less than a mile from Moor Street. There are high frequency bus services that stop right outside the station. There are other high frequency bus routes that pass by, no more than a minutes walk away. There must be around 30 buses per hour into Birmingham City Centre. There is a tram stop close by that will open. Eventually.
When Bordesley had a regular all day service into the 1980s, it was little used outside the peaks. Its evening service went in the 1960s. I remember the trains stopping and no one got on or off.
The only time its busy is on match days and it is busy. I think even if they reintroduced a regular all day train service from there, im not sure that the passenger numbers would warrant that extra stop. I'm all for stations getting more trains, but I think Bordesley is better served by other modes of transport.

 

[Cross City]

Was the South Bermondsey line shut that day, as that seems a bizarre choice. I didn't go this season, but on my previous visit we were held inside for 45 minutes, then queued outside South Bermondsey for ages before being allowed onto the platform. Indeed the long path between the away end and station is designed to keep away fans away from home fans.

No idea, my plan was to walk back to Surrey Quays Overground but apparently I wasn't allowed to do that.

 

[BeijingDave]

Slightly off-topic for this thread, but I imagine the vast majority would end up in the "close immediately" pile.

I don't know what Polesworth's figures are, but it's very difficult to imagine it being useful to a huge amount of people who are happy to get on a very early train, and not be able to return back on the railway. If the capacity situation is never going to be resolved, or is realistically 20+ years away, then why not close it now and - if there is some kind of scheme to free up capacity to the point where it could have, say, a 1tp2h service in the future - then rebuild and reopen it as part of those works. It's very unlikely such a scheme would not require a complete overhaul of the station anyway. And then you've saved 20+ years of costs.

Tbh I'm more upset that these communities had their stations removed by stealth and no one has apologised or taken accountability.

Polesworth and such places near large metropolitan areas with good rail connectivity should be 'mothballed for future use' (i.e. probable future housing development in the long-term, even if not currently planned).

 

[zwk500]

I know every parlimentary station would have more passengers using the station if more trains stopped there but most of the time the passenger number increase would be very small in numerical terms.

And a key question is whether the inconvenience to this small number of potential passengers is outweighed by how many other passengers would need to be inconvenienced to serve them. At Bordesley, the argument is very weak.

Polesworth and such places near large metropolitan areas with good rail connectivity should be 'mothballed for future use' (i.e. probable future housing development in the long-term, even if not currently planned).

Polesworth is in the 'sort it out' category for me. It wouldn't be high use because the primary destination (Birmingham) isn't directly served and there are better options, but it also doesn't need very much on the face of it (a footbridge and a platform refurb) to be added into the LNR Trent Valley Stoppers, providing connectivity to London, MK, Stafford (for Stoke/Manchester) and Crewe.

The ideal situation would be for a big development to prompt replacement of the road bridge to full 2-lanes + footways, and then a ramp could be provided to avoid the expense of lifts.

 

[The exile]

Bordesley is less than a mile from Moor Street. There are high frequency bus services that stop right outside the station. There are other high frequency bus routes that pass by, no more than a minutes walk away. There must be around 30 buses per hour into Birmingham City Centre. There is a tram stop close by that will open. Eventually.
When Bordesley had a regular all day service into the 1980s, it was little used outside the peaks. Its evening service went in the 1960s. I remember the trains stopping and no one got on or off.
The only time its busy is on match days and it is busy. I think even if they reintroduced a regular all day train service from there, im not sure that the passenger numbers would warrant that extra stop. I'm all for stations getting more trains, but I think Bordesley is better served by other modes of transport.

It’s a station where,if there was extensive urban regeneration in the area, custom might develop, but a more pressing operational need is served by removing it. The station itself isn’t going to suffer any hardship and hardly anyone currently shapes their life round it. The combination of need for something else rail-related on the site and low patronage is to me pretty convincing.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Mar 2026 ==

Polesworth and such places near large metropolitan areas with good rail connectivity should be 'mothballed for future use' (i.e. probable future housing development in the long-term, even if not currently planned).

Polesworth effectively is.

 

[The Planner]

Polesworth has no car park. Its a brave assumption that its only users are going to walk up the entire village to get on a train, especially when they could be nigh on in Tamworth in the same time.

 

[The exile]

Polesworth has no car park. Its a brave assumption that its only users are going to walk up the entire village to get on a train, especially when they could be nigh on in Tamworth in the same time.

That’s the current situation. If (say) a development of 3000 houses goes in on the far side of the line (just “if”!) things would change.

 

[thenorthern]

Polesworth has no car park. Its a brave assumption that its only users are going to walk up the entire village to get on a train, especially when they could be nigh on in Tamworth in the same time.

This is very true, when I lived in that area of North Warwickshire and the station had regular trains stopping there I don't think I knew anyone who would use Polesworth station. Most people would just go to Tamworth to get the train. Some traveling into Birmingham would use Wilnecote but I don't recall anyone local using Polesworth station.

 

[zwk500]

Polesworth has no car park. Its a brave assumption that its only users are going to walk up the entire village to get on a train, especially when they could be nigh on in Tamworth in the same time.

It's a fair point - Rugeley Trent Valley is comparably positioned with another station better located for the main destination, but a much larger town (26k vs 8k), and gets 200k entries and exits a year.

 

[The Planner]

That’s the current situation. If (say) a development of 3000 houses goes in on the far side of the line (just “if”!) things would change.

Yes. But as I often point out on here, its not a case "it only needs" or "just do".

 

[thenorthern]

Just out of interest with the former Manchester United station was it primarily designed for home fans or away fans? I am aware with United that they are almost in a unique position in that most of their fans aren't actually from Manchester meaning home fans and away fans are regularly traveling into the city to watch football.

It's a fair point - Rugeley Trent Valley is comparably positioned with another station better located for the main destination, but a much larger town (26k vs 8k), and gets 200k entries and exits a year.

Also Rugeley Trent Valley has a direct link to Birmingham which is something Polesworth lacks. Many people in the Polesworth area work in Birmingham.

I have checked and the most common destination from Bordesley is Solihull where around 12% of tickets to Bordesley are sold from. (3564 out of 29062). In the grand scheme of things that is a relatively low percentage of the total tickets sold. I wonder where else tickets to Bordesley are sold from.

 

[Cross City]

I have checked and the most common destination from Bordesley is Solihull where around 12% of tickets to Bordesley are sold from. (3564 out of 29062). In the grand scheme of things that is a relatively low percentage of the total tickets sold. I wonder where else tickets to Bordesley are sold from.

I imagine that 80%+ of them are for the other stations on the Solihull and Shirley lines. Blues supporting heartlands.

 

[Palmerston]

Dorridge, Widney Manor, Olton, Whitlocks End and Shirley come next (all of which are in Solihull). 5 tickets from Marylebone in the whole year. This is from the railalefan.co.uk flow stats.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Just out of interest with the former Manchester United station was it primarily designed for home fans or away fans?

Opened Aug 1935 at or around the start of the 1935/36 season. Historically it has always primarily catered for home supporters.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Dorridge, Widney Manor, Olton, Whitlocks End and Shirley come next (all of which are in Solihull). 5 tickets from Marylebone in the whole year. This is from the railalefan.co.uk flow stats.

According to https://www.brfares.com/!expert?orig=ZMY&dest=BBS&period=20260301, a ticket from Marylebone to Bordesley is priced as a ticket to Birmingham stations. I presume there would therefore be no advantage to buying a ticket to Bordesley over a ticket to Birmingham, which may reduce the number of specific Bordesley tickets bought. (Although I'm sure the number of those journeys is still very small).

 

[800002]

I believe, but am always happy to be corrected (I'm sure there should be a count of some sort somewhere) that ticket from Moor Steet to Bordesley still works the barrier at Moor Street regardless of if the station is indeed open or not.
Known amongst those who wish to cheat the system and not pay full fare for their intended journey.

Ergo, could the counts be somewhat distorted?

 

[Palmerston]

I believe, but am always happy to be corrected (I'm sure there should be a count of some sort somewhere) that ticket from Moor Steet to Bordesley still works the barrier at Moor Street regardless of if the station is indeed open or not.
Known amongst those who wish to cheat the system and not pay full fare for their intended journey.

Ergo, could the counts be somewhat distorted?

This would explain why several hundred people bought a ticket from Bordesley to New Street