5. Birmingham’s railway heritage and network links
Many towns and cities lay claim to being Britain’s most important railway centre, but Birmingham’s claim to be the heart of the railway in terms of not only geography, but also railway history is as strong, if not stronger than other “railway towns”.
1700's -
- Creating the engine that powered the industrial revolution
- James Watt’s pioneering improvements to the steam engine, and Watt’s partnership with industrialist Mathew Boulton created (over century before Henry Ford) the first modern production process with standardised parts and an effective “production line”. From their Birmingham base, Boulton and Watt successfully transformed the steam engine that became the “mechanical workhorse of the Industrial Revolution”.
1800's -
- Britain’s first national Inter-City Railway and Curzon Station
- In 1838, three years ahead of Brunel’s Great Western Railway from London to Bristol, Robert Stephenson’s London andBirmingham and Joseph Locke’s Grand Junction Railway met at the Birmingham Curzon Street Station. This created Britain’s first long distance intercity railway connecting London, the Midlands and the North West. Wider UK connections
- were introduced at pace throughout the 1800s, connecting Birmingham with major cities across the UK.
1900's -
- The Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Company (MCCWC – later “Metro- Cammell”) founded in 1863 built well-known trains including the Pendolino, the InterCity 225 and Eurostar carriages and produced London Underground trains from the 1920s to 1980s. Products were shipped worldwide. The Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company’s diesel locomotives hauled the majority of passenger and freight trains in Scotland from the 1960s - 1980s. BRCW also shipped stock globally. The Orient Express still runs with Birmingham-built carriages
Heritage Railway Architecture
In addition to the original Curzon Station and Roundhouse, Birmingham can also boast an unsurpassed range of iconic railway architecture styles including:
- Edwardian splendour at Moor Street Station with its Art Deco cafe
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1930s modernism at Lea Hall
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Brutalist realism of New Street Station
Signal Box
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Unique railway revivalist style of the 1980’s new Cross City line stations
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Totally transformed Birmingham New Street Concourse
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The two new HS2 Stations setting new standards in 21st century architectural design
Heritage Railway Operations
Birmingham’s Tyseley Locomotive Works has been a centre of steam locomotive and carriage restoration since the 1960s. Tyseley’s Vintage Trains also provides steam and heritage diesel excursions across the country. The West Midlands is also home to the Severn Valley Railway and Chasewater Railway.
Preserving and Enhancing Railway Heritage
The GBR HQ would significantly raise the national profile of the West Midlands’ globally significant rail heritage assets. The original Birmingham Curzon Street Station and world’s first roundhouse uncovered by HS2 works present a unique opportunity to create a new rail heritage centre in Birmingham linking the earliest days of UK inter city railways with the construction of our most modern high speed line.
Innovation and Research
The West Midlands is home to a number of leading rail research and education facilities and is an important leader in rail innovation:
University of Birmingham’s Centre for Rail Research and Education (BCRRE):
- Europe’s largest academic-based group.
- World-class research, education, and innovation.
- Developed HydroFLEX, the UK’s first Hydrogen train to run on Network Rail infrastructure.
UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN):
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£92m investment.
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Collaboration between academic centres of excellence and the rail industry.
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Facilities include : Railway systems, robotics and cyber security labs, simulation control room, and test track for the hydrogen train.
National College for Advanced Transport & Infrastructure:
- Established to provide highly skilled technicians, project managers and apprentices.
Aston University:
- Academic courses in transport subjects.
- Strong links with employers through degree apprenticeships and industrial placements.
Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre:
- 135 acre rail connected site in Warwickshire, West Midlands.
- Will become Britain’s leading centre for railway innovation and asset management.
West Midlands Rail Training Centre:
- Opened at the Wolverhampton College in 2021.
- Features more than 40 metres of railway track.
- Hands-on experience in learning the skills needed to build and maintain rail lines.
Parry People Mover:
- Innovative Parry People Mover (LPG/Flywheel) rail car was successfully tested in public service on the Stourbridge Town line in 2006.
- Two vehicles have reliably operated the branch line since 2009.
Transport Design International (TDI) and University of Warwick’s WMG:
- Development of ULR/VLR vehicles for both on-street tramway and for parts of the heavy rail network.
- Coventry VLR vehicle - zero emission battery electric prototype - low-cost, low-carbon, public transport system.
TDI / Porterbrook Leasing:
- Revolution VLR railcar - low-cost connectivity of regional and rural areas using diesel-hybrid; electric and hydrogen power source.
Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre:
- Opens in Dudley in 2022
The city retains the advantage of already being the location for a number of freight terminals, and the national / operational headquarters for four train operating companies:
- Avanti West Coast
- Cross Country
- West Midlands Railway
- London Northwestern Railway
Network Rail has significant presence in the city at Baskerville House and the following rail and transport bodies are also headquartered in Birmingham:
- Transport for West Midlands
- West Midlands Rail Executive
- West Midlands Metro
- UK Tram
- Midlands Connect
- HS2
The relocation of HS2 HQ in 2016 has attracted HS2 supply chain companies and further HQs to Birmingham including: BBV, Fusion JV and significant expansions of Jacobs Engineering and WSP, strengthening the critical mass of rail sector clustering and expertise in Birmingham.
With the Department for Transport also relocating part of the organisation to Birmingham, including ministerial offices, there is potential to create a significant rail leadership hub in the city.
Freightliner’s parent company Genesee & Wyoming also has its UK and European Headquarters in the city centre.
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The largest engineering consultancies in the West Midlands employ over 6,000 people. The table below summarises the transport/rail skills in Birmingham and the WMCA area, compared to other UK potential bases:
| City | People | Associated Region | People |
| Birmingham | 7,876 | WMCA | 26,535 |
| Leeds | 3,709 | West Yorkshire | 10,690 |
| Derby | 2,897 | Derbyshire | 4,532 |
| York | 2,222 | North Yorkshire | 3,383 |
| Crewe | 615 | Lancashire | 5,230 |
Source: LinkedIn Talent Insights Feb, 2022. Numbers include only individuals with a Linkedin profile.