Commuter rail service trial is 'incredibly exciting', says Severn Valley Railway
The eight-week trial, which sees Severn Valley Railway transport people between Bewdley and Kidderminster, is now up and running after its launch yesterday (1 September)
The CEO of a heritage railway has described the launch of a trial to test whether there's a need for passenger rail services to be extended to a Worcestershire town as a "fantastic moment".
Yesterday (1 September) marked the official launch of an eight-week scheme where Severn Valley Railway (SVR) trains will take rail commuters from Bewdley to Kidderminster, where they can then get a connecting West Midlands Railway train to Birmingham.
It's part of a project between SVR, West Midlands Railway and the West Midlands Rail Executive, looking to see if there is enough of a demand to officially introduce a regular service connecting Bewdley to Birmingham.
Lesley Carr from the SVR team said it was "quite unique" to see the trains be used in this way, and the railway line itself hasn't has this type of rail service on it for a while.
"It really is quite incredible because we haven't had commuter trains since the 1960s on the Severn Valley Railway before it became a preserved line," she said.
"So it's been many, many years since people have actually used the railway as part of their everyday lives and business so its incredibly exciting for us."
Throughout the trial, the Bewdley Express will run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with two morning ones departing from Bewdley at 6:40am and 7:40am.
They'll then travel to SVR's Kidderminster Town station where passengers can transfer and get connecting West Midlands Railway trains from Kidderminster, with the first one arriving at Birmingham Snow Hill at 7.46am and the second at 8.46am.
Following the trial's launch, SVR's chief executive officer, Gus Dunster, said: “To see the first Bewdley Express leave Bewdley with people using it to begin their working day is a fantastic moment after months of planning and preparation.
“This service could make a real difference to people living in Bewdley and the surrounding area, giving them another option for getting to work in Birmingham and elsewhere without having to rely on the car.
It also opens up wider opportunities for education, business and leisure, but this is a trial, and we need people to use it, the level of demand we demonstrate over the next eight weeks will be hugely important in determining whether there is a case for making services like this a permanent fixture."
The return journey is also being covered in the trial, trains with trains leaving Birmingham Snow Hill at 4.46pm and 5.46pm, which will then allow people to get off at Kidderminster and get on the SVR trains back to Bewdley that will arrive at 5.57pm and 7.02pm.