Birmingham Cross City Line to Close for Three Days During HS2 Viaduct Work

Passengers are being urged to check their journeys before a three-day closure of the Cross City line between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, as HS2 engineers carry out major viaduct work.

No trains will run on that section of the route from Friday 29 May to Sunday 31 May. Normal services are due to resume on Monday 1 June.

The southern part of the Cross City line will continue to operate as normal, with trains still running between Birmingham New Street and Redditch / Bromsgrove.

The closure is needed so engineers can safely install a 150-metre-long viaduct deck near the new Curzon Street station. Once finished, the structure will carry HS2 trains over the existing Victorian railway viaduct between Duddeston and Birmingham New Street.

Services between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway will also be affected while the work takes place.

Rail replacement buses will run between:

• Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley

• Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway

Services to Rugeley Trent Valley will be diverted, meaning passengers should expect journeys to take longer than usual.

HS2 and Network Rail say the work is part of a carefully planned approach designed to reduce future disruption. A fully restrained method will allow engineers to keep sliding the remaining sections of the viaduct into position even after the railway reopens.

Patrick Cawley, director for On Network Works at Network Rail and HS2, said:

“We’re reminding passengers to plan ahead for a three-day closure on the Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield to enable the safe installation of a new HS2 viaduct over the existing railway. This is a significant milestone in the delivery of HS2 at Curzon Street, and while there will be some disruption, we’ve worked closely with partners to keep people moving and minimise the impact as much as possible.”

West Midlands Railway has thanked passengers for their patience and is advising people to check before travelling.

Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said:

“We want to thank passengers for their patience while this major piece of engineering work is carried out and the northern section of the Cross City Line is closed. Rail replacement buses will be running during the closure, and passengers are encouraged to check their travel before setting out.”

Image: Network Rail