New Station calendar

[Snow1964]

BBC reporting that Wellington and Cullompton stations are approved, not specifically mentioned in spending review, by subsequently confirmed in supporting documents.

The opening of two new railway stations has been given the go-ahead by the government.

Stations in Wellington, Somerset, and Cullompton in Devon will be funded by money allocated in the government's spending review.

While Chancellor Rachel Reeves did not specifically mention the stations in her speech on Wednesday, the Treasury has confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that funding would be given to the projects.

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, said he was "absolutely delighted" with the announcement

Wellington and Cullompton railway stations approved

The Treasury confirms funding for the stations in Devon and Somerset is in the spending review.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Baxenden Bank]

BBC reporting that Wellington and Cullompton stations are approved, not specifically mentioned in spending review, by subsequently confirmed in supporting documents.

Wellington and Cullompton railway stations approved

The Treasury confirms funding for the stations in Devon and Somerset is in the spending review.

www.bbc.co.uk

From the quoted article:

A Treasury spokesman said: "The spending review provides funding to support the reopening of stations at Wellington and Cullompton. Further details will be set out shortly.

Funding to support is not the same as funding to complete, I shall await the further details.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Bedlington and Northumberland Park moved to early 2026.
Beaulieu Park is suggested as opening 26 October.

See comments in linked threads for details.

 

[Snow1964]

Per latest Government Press release, following all funded

Portishead (says 3 new stations on the line)

Wellington, and Cullompton (both Somerset)

Haxby (Yorkshire)

Green light for over 50 road and rail upgrades supporting over 39,000 new homes and 42,000 jobs

Commuters and businesses to benefit from quicker journeys as more than 50 road and rail upgrades are agreed.

www.gov.uk

 

[zwk500]

Per latest Government Press release, following all funded

Portishead (says 3 new stations on the line)

Wellington, and Cullompton (both Somerset)

Haxby (Yorkshire)

It's not clear from the sentence construction if the '3 new stations' are on the Portishead line or actually mean the 3 others you highlighted.

The government is also announcing key rail projects across the country, including reinstating a passenger rail line between Bristol city centre and Portishead, which last ran over 60 years ago, delivering 3 brand new train stations, bringing thousands more people closer to a railway and funding a Midlands Rail Hub, creating brand new rail links for more than 50 locations.

It can be read as:
Delivering key rail projects:
- Portishead, which last ran 30 years ago
- 3 new stations, bringing thousands of people closer to the railway and
- Midlands Rail hub

Which given the fondness for lists of 3 and the rhetorical structure of 'point, expand, point, expand, point, expand' makes more sense than:
Delivering key rail projects
- Portishead, which last ran 30 years ago and includes 3 new stations, bringing thousands more people...
- Midlands Rail hub.

 

[The exile]

It's not clear from the sentence construction if the '3 new stations' are on the Portishead line or actually mean the 3 others you highlighted.

Almost certainly “Portishead project”, “Midlands Hub” + 3 named stations.

 

[zwk500]

Almost certainly “Portishead project”, “Midlands Hub” + 3 named stations.

I agree, not least because there's nothing saying Ashton Gate's been added back in, which would be the 3rd station if it was included.

 

[Fadacious]

Haxby won't happen until I physically see it with my own two eyes

 

[Baxenden Bank]

To expand, the detail of the article says:

In addition, the government is investing a further £27 million to reinstate passenger rail services between Portishead and Bristol city centre. The new hourly services will connect an additional 50,000 people to the rail network and support a significant new housing development.

Two new stations, Wellington and Cullompton, have been given the green light in the south-west of England, unlocking significant new housing developments and providing more chances for people to access Exeter to visit loved ones and benefit from increased leisure, education and employment opportunities. Similarly, a new station at Haxby will now be delivered, bringing an additional 20,000 people within 3 kilometres of the railway, providing easy access to the regional centres of York and Leeds.

The Midlands is also set to see a huge improvement to its rail services. The new Midlands Rail Hub will be the region’s biggest and most ambitious rail improvement scheme to date. Significant government funding will mean huge numbers of additional trains and extra seats can be added to the rail network in and out of Birmingham every single day. This will support new homes and create greener growth across the Midlands while providing faster, more frequent and brand new rail links for more than 50 locations and creating almost 13,000 construction jobs.

 

[windjabbers]

An update on the plan to move Waterbeach station.

https://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/news/further-progress-on-an-upgraded-station-for-waterbeach

BW

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I have added Cullompton to the table at #1, following the recent Government funding announcement.

Plus a link to a new thread discussing the new station at Charfield.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Balgray (ex Barrhead South) moved to the first table in #1 as construction work has started - see linked thread for more information.

 

[Rail Ranger]

An update on Elland. Now saying opening in 2028. Frustration over timeframe for long-awaited railway station | Bradford Telegraph and Argus https://share.google/x0uCd3Q8q7Qjxg1ty

 

[Brooke]

An update on Elland. Now saying opening in 2028. Frustration over timeframe for long-awaited railway station | Bradford Telegraph and Argus https://share.google/x0uCd3Q8q7Qjxg1ty

Growing up around there in the 90s, Elland was going to be built “before 2000”. No wonder locals and businesses have ‘frustration over timeframe’!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Elland has had two station sites prior to its closure. The original station site was opened on 5th October 1840 by the Manchester and Leeds Railway. On 1st August 1865, the station site was relocated 185 metres to the east by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

Where will the new station site be in relation to the two now-closed station sites referred to above?

 

[Rail Ranger]

On going a Google search, AI came back with:

The new Elland railway station is planned to be built on the site of the former Elland station, which closed in 1965. The new station will be located to the west of Lowfields Way, on the existing Calder Valley line, according to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

While two other locations were initially considered, including one further east and another north of Exley Lane, they were ultimately discounted due to land acquisition challenges and connectivity issues. The chosen location, near the former station site, offers better access and connectivity to the highway network and aligns with the project's overall goals

So AI can't make it's mind up! The situation is clarified in my post below quoting from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority website. The new Elland station will not be on the site of the previous station closed in 1962 (not 1965 as stated above).

 

[xotGD]

on the site

near the former station site

Take your pick!

 

[Rail Ranger]

This is from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority website, which makes it clear that the new Elland station will not be on the site of the former station!

What other locations for the station have been considered?

Three locations have been considered including the proposed location. (1) A location east of Lowfields Way off the Elland Riorges Link and (2) a location north of Exley Lane which was the site of the former station, closed in 1962. These two locations were discounted at option selection stage. (1) was discounted due to the need to acquire third party land and the limited availability of land for car parking . (2) was discounted due to the need to purchase third party land and a less desirable connectivity to the access package and highway network.

Where will the proposed new Elland station be located?

The proposed new station at Elland would be located off Lowfields Way on the existing Calder Valley line. Due to engineering, environmental and operational constraints and the availability of land, the location of the proposed station is preferred and the most appropriate. The station platforms would be positioned on the existing embankments at an elevated level, with lift and stepped access provided from the car park level.

 

[Mag_seven]

If anyone wants to discuss AI then they are free to start a new thread in General Discussion.

For the purposes of this thread please can we use official sources of information (e.g. Council or Local Authority web sites) rather than AI.

thanks

 

[Rail Ranger]

The West of England Combined Authority has announced that construction of Charfield station will shortly get under way: New Charfield Station will connect thousands in local villages to the national rail network - West of England Combined Authority https://share.google/hNnfx5NV2j7BAvCO4

"The new Charfield Station will connect thousands in local villages to the national rail network".

 

[tumbles]

The West of England Combined Authority has announced that construction of Charfield station will shortly get under way: New Charfield Station will connect thousands in local villages to the national rail network - West of England Combined Authority https://share.google/hNnfx5NV2j7BAvCO4

"The new Charfield Station will connect thousands in local villages to the national rail network".

Maybe the wrong thread but what is the plan with the old buildings, guess they're just going to sit boarded up a bit longer?

 

[androdas]

Blyth (Bebside) confirmed for opening on 19th October.

The fourth station to be completed on the Northumberland Line will open on Sunday, October 19th 2025.

From: https://www.northumberlandline.uk/post/blyth-bebside-opening-date-confirmed

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Blyth (Bebside) confirmed for opening on 19th October.


From: https://www.northumberlandline.uk/post/blyth-bebside-opening-date-confirmed

Thank you.

Table updated.
Beaulieu Park coming up close behind, Winslow struggling to make progress (suggested DOO / trade union issue), Butetown fading fast.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Sep 2025 ==

Beaulieu Park opening confirmed as 26 October (Modern Railways, October, page 11).

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Planning Permission for Henbury is imminent. Speculated opening date pushed back to 2028.
Details linked from the North Filton thread here.

 

[Jim James]

Why does it take so long and cost so much to build stations in the UK
Planforms can be ore fabricated off site and just craned into place and the same for footbridges

 

[YorksLad12]

Why does it take so long and cost so much to build stations in the UK
Planforms can be ore fabricated off site and just craned into place and the same for footbridges

Well, there's one reason. Cranes aren't cheap to hire, and it depends on what you're lifting across. Leeds Station Southern entrance is on one side of an apartment building, the crane was planted on the other.

Accessibility regulations matter. You might imagine a ramp is good enough, but it depends on the pitch. Going down might be easy enough, but what about up? Hence the need for refuges; flat bits every so often. That increases land take.

Platforms now need to be longer. We're going for ~150m up here, when they used to be ~100m.

Passenger facilities; a modern waiting shelter rather than a bus-type shelter. Information boards, with real-time tracking. Ticket machines. Park & ride areas (more land take, plus surfacing and marking).

That, and the general lack of people and general cost increases post-pandemic (and Brexit) all help push the costs up.

 

[The exile]

Why does it take so long and cost so much to build stations in the UK
Planforms can be ore fabricated off site and just craned into place and the same for footbridges

You’re still working within feet of a live railway. Sites have to be prepared, services (water, power etc) provided /connected and maybe railway infrastructure (signals etc) moved. Then there’s the accessible footbridge if its twin (or more) track, the car park (land purchase…). Before all of that there’s the planning and legal bills!
As for craning into place - that assumes there’s somewhere to put the crane and/or a way of getting it there, which is not always a given.

 

[Jim James]

You’re still working within feet of a live railway. Sites have to be prepared, services (water, power etc) provided /connected and maybe railway infrastructure (signals etc) moved. Then there’s the accessible footbridge if its twin (or more) track, the car park (land purchase…). Before all of that there’s the planning and legal bills!
As for craning into place - that assumes there’s somewhere to put the crane and/or a way of getting it there, which is not always a given.

You always have rail track and are lighting quite small and light sections. Mos station sites will gave services near by

 

[pdeaves]

Why does it take so long and cost so much to build stations in the UK
Planforms can be ore fabricated off site and just craned into place and the same for footbridges

Plonking the platform down is the easy bit.

 

[Annetts key]

Plonking the platform down is the easy bit.

Not always. There may be a drainage ditch or underground drain running parallel to the line(s). There may also be the main cable route for the signalling and telecommunications cables. Which can be tricky if these are in a underground route.

Foundations need to be constructed and the type depends on the local ground conditions. And if there are embankments involved or the railway is in a cutting, substantial earth works may be needed.