KE Handsworth Girls or Sutton Coldfield Girls?

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rabbie burns
Posts: 251
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 12:48 pm

Re: KE Handsworth Girls or Sutton Coldfield Girls?

Post by rabbie burns »

Sorry to be pedantic but the bournville line is not the one at Pinapple Rd. It's off at bournville and walk 15/20 minutes or jump on the 27 outside the station. Or stay on the train to Kings Norton and jump on the 11.
rah_b92
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 1:10 pm

Re: KE Handsworth Girls or Sutton Coldfield Girls?

Post by rah_b92 »

um wrote:There has been talk of reopening some Kings Heath/Moseley train lines when HS2 gets built...
I don't think it's directly related to HS2, but there's no funding in place for it just now. The proposal as I understand it is to build a couple of new, short lines in the Small Heath/Bordesley area, one of which would allow trains coming from the Kings Heath / Moseley direction to take a sharp left and end up at Moor Street, where platform 5 would be brought back into use and a new platform 6 built.

The other proposed curve would allow trains from the Water Orton/Castle Bromwich/Fort Dunlop direction similarly to reach Moor Street. The proposal seems to be for up to 3 local trains an hour each way Moor St to Moseley/Kings Heath/Hazlewell/Kings Norton, and 2 an hour through Water Orton and on towards Tamworth or Nuneaton.

The new curves are needed as there simply isn't any capacity at New Street and on its eastern approaches for any more trains to terminate there.
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: KE Handsworth Girls or Sutton Coldfield Girls?

Post by mike1880 »

I was under the impression the council had helpfully and far-sightedly sold off the land, thereby scuppering the plan forever?
rah_b92
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 1:10 pm

Re: KE Handsworth Girls or Sutton Coldfield Girls?

Post by rah_b92 »

mike1880 wrote:I was under the impression the council had helpfully and far-sightedly sold off the land, thereby scuppering the plan forever?
There was a small parcel of land that the council sold to Sulzer, yes, which Sulzer wanted to unify their land holdings in Bordesley (especially as the remaining lease period was getting quite short, and making it hard for them to borrow against the land).

As I understand it, it's possible - depending on the precise route of the Camp Hill chords - that a small part of this land might need to be compulsorily purchased if the new line goes ahead. If it does, there is also other adjacent land that was already in Sulzer's ownership that would also need to be compulsorily purchased. Or it may be possible to align the new line to avoid the Sulzer land altogether, depending on the detailed design.

But putting it that way probably doesn't sell newspapers?

Hmmm, we seem to have digressed slightly from 11+ topics.
Hearts4
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 2:20 pm

Re: KE Handsworth Girls or Sutton Coldfield Girls?

Post by Hearts4 »

crazycrofter wrote:Thanks both of you for that information, it really helps! It's beginning to sound like quite a straightforward journey, considering the distance. Have either of you had any problems with the trains running late/ cancellations? My daughter was asking what would happen if she was late for school.
My DD hasn't been late getting to school since starting SCGSG in Sept. One morning it was cutting it a little fine when her train got cancelled and she had to get the next one, but we plan it that she goes early enough to always have the option of a later train that will still get her to school on time. My DD is a little worrier and would HATE to be late for school, but I've explained to her that it is bound to happen at some stage. The school are well aware that lots of girls travel by train, so if there were problems with the line, it would be 30+ girls that would be late! I am sure the school are understanding if circumstances are beyond your control and you are not normally ever late.

A couple of wks ago my DD was very late getting home one evening due to there being a tree/branches somewhere on the line near New St I think. The girls got on as normal at Wylde Green, went one stop to Chester Rd and then were stuck waiting for almost 2 hrs! It was inconvenient, but the girls did homework, reading, chatted amongst themselves and at least they were sat on a warm train. I finally met her off the train at 6.10pm!

Between early Nov & mid Dec the trains run on a reduced timetable (Leaf Fall Timetable) which means trains to Wylde Green from our station are less frequent. No problems as yet... touch wood :lol: HTH
goodmanj
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:15 am

Re: KE Handsworth Girls or Sutton Coldfield Girls?

Post by goodmanj »

Hearts4 - I remember that day well!! It is worth noting though, that just a short walk up the road are dozens of buses that run along the Birmingham Road directly into the City Centre. Not ideal, but perfect if any trees should fall down again!
We went through a contingency plan with our Daughter - showing her where to get the bus etc on the rare occasion that there should be a major issue with the train. We always make sure she has enough spare money to cover the bus, just in case.
We too have not had any problems in the morning, Daughter gets an earlier train than necessary & there are 2 others after that would still get her there in time if there was a problem, cancellations etc. We are lucky that the School falls on such an excellent line, trains run every 10 minutes at peak
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