Trains at: Stechford, WCML, 15/08/16

A nice afternoons session spent at Stechford station on the West Coast Mainline where we see plenty of services from Virgin Trains, London Midland, Cross Country and Arriva Trains Wales.
The station is nice enough when you have decent weather on your side but other than that it is very basic and only has a few shelters on offer should the weather turn against you. My next station is going to be Birmingham International. I decided to pass Lea Hall and Marston Green as I can easily cover those two stations another day.
You can now find me on Facebook through the group Tornado922, there you will find regular updates, photos and videos from all of my goings on throughout 2016

[@AsadHussain-hl2wh]

This is my local station that I usually catch the train towards new street using the 25 minutes pass the hour service from Birmingham international which isn't really busy whereas the 55 minutes pass service from London is usually busy and cramped. Thanks for uploading a video of my local station.

[@Tornado922]

I very much enjoyed my time filming here and I'll definitely be returning

[@Cpr1234]

Are you 'Asad's Train Videos'?!

[@britishairwaysfan6235]

Once again great video. As far as i am concerned you are the number 1 train spotter for the simple reason that you provide a service for disabled people like me who are train spotters but are basically house bound. I is very interesting that all the stations are different but great none the less. Keep up the great work. (i am missing seeing 1 of my favouret trains i will not mention it but i think you know lol) Cheers. D.

[@Tornado922]

thank you very much for saying so :) I really enjoy filming at stations like this and I'm happy to hear that I can provide a service for everyone including yourself :) you shan't be seeing your favourite train for a while hahaha

[@Kwebbel48]

Fantastic video! Thanks for all the comments back :)

[@Tornado922]

thanks very much and your more than welcome

[@Nayson]

Platform 3 is for the Stetchford to Aston line which basically exists for cross Birmingham traffic to avoid New Street. Comes out at Aston South junction (Aston Station) from where you can head along the cross city line towards Lichfield or up the GRand Junction towards Walsall and the Chase Line. It's 45mph all the way. The last XC of the day from Reading to New Street uses it to allow drivers to retain route knowledge, besides that it's freight and light engine movements and occasional Virgin West Coast stuff when the Trent Valley line is closed.

[@Tornado922]

right ok thanks very much for the information. My original assumption was that the line was leading to an unused depot or storage area.

[@KasabianFan44]

That branch line off platform 3 goes to Aston, which is a junction station on the Cross-City Line and the Chase Line. According to Wikipedia, the only passenger services to use the track at platform 3 are: * the Caledonian Sleeper on Sundays (in both directions), which runs via Aston and Walsall and joins the WCML again at Rugeley Trent Valley; * a single daily CrossCountry service from Reading to Birmingham New Street, which reverses at Aston to get to Birmingham. In both cases, it's unclear why they use the branch line (the Caledonian Sleeper could just go directly via Nuneaton, just like it does on weekdays, while the CrossCountry service could just go straight via Adderley Park). Also none of these services actually _stop_ at platform 3 - they pass through it non-stop, which makes the platform entirely redundant... The line is probably used by occasional freight as well, although I'm not sure how often, when or where these run.

[@Nayson]

The XC which uses that route should get to New Street by going through Aston, Witton, Perry Barr and Soho and come in to New Street via Monument Lane. No need to reverse at Aston.

[@KasabianFan44]

RandomNameHere Oh yeah, that's a good point, thanks for letting me know :-)

[@KasabianFan44]

tsangpogorge What route did it take after Walsall? I'm looking at Google Maps and I can't find any other route that joins up with the WCML at Stafford instead of Rugeley...

[@tsangpogorge]

Sorry meant to say Bescot Stadium where Walsall FC play not Walsall itself.

[@KasabianFan44]

tsangpogorge Oh, I see! So it must have gone via the Walsall-Wolverhampton line (through Willenhall), then through the loop that bypasses Wolverhampton and rejoining the WCML just after Wolverhampton (the first stop on the WCML after the diversion would be Penkridge). In fact it's quite likely that the Caledonian Sleeper service I mentioned earlier runs on that route, too, because that route is electrified throughout (while the Chase Line is not between Walsall and Rugeley).

[@WestCountrySteamVideos]

Great video mate :)

[@kyleg5984]

I live around there 5 min away thx for going to my home town

[@Tornado922]

Your welcome

[@kyleg5984]

Tornado922 can you go to Birmingham new street day after tomorrow

[@thomasnorton2679]

Wonderful film mate

[@Tornado922]

thanks very much mate

[@grahamyeates4789]

It just goes to show that in this semi rural location, near to B' ham NS, how Tornado has captured a moment in time in this short film. I wonder how many people would have picked up on the ' seemingly' unused platform 3 if he had not mentioned it?

[@Trainspotter11_]

Awesome Video :)

[@syedhoque8009]

Great Video! :-) Birmingham New Street to Birmingham International is 20 minutes by train. I think the 11 coach Pendolinos are longer than the 12 coach Thameslink 700s.

[@connorrobinson1116]

I went on a 11 coach Virgin Pendolino from Wolverhampton to Penrith North Lakes.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

great commentary from you tornado922

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much for saying so

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

@@Tornado922no worries

[@eastsussexlevelcrossingsan7853]

Great video. When are you planning on doing a station in East Sussex ?

[@Tornado922]

thanks very much, I'm not to sure to be honest but I have every intention to go down there at some point

[@jonathanansell5627]

The line to the right on Platform 3 eventually joins back on to the WCML but it misses Birmingham New street, Moor street etc. it also splits to places like Walsall, Stafford etc. My guess would be that is for freight services that do not want to go into Birmingham new street.

[@Tornado922]

right ok thanks for telling me, a lot of people seem to say it's for diverting traffic

[@Hsh637]

If Corbyn was to nationalise the railways do you think drivers would earn less?

[@Tornado922]

I wouldn't know to be honest. I wouldn't have thought so

[@equalityxl7465]

Will you be in south Wales soon?

[@Tornado922]

I'm not to sure

[@Leccy86Hybrid]

Can you do Romford on GEML after you series o WCML

[@Leccy86Hybrid]

Great vid by the way. I wish we could meet up but I have school

[@Tornado922]

yes I will film at Romford once I've done my WCML series

[@samwaddingham8615]

158826 with 158827 what are the chances of that?

[@Tornado922]

remote I'd say hahaha

[@will5440]

I had operation on teeth yesterday

[@joshnewtonvlogs7198]

U ever thought bout coming to rhyl?

[@Tornado922]

Hasn't really crossed my mind but I suppose I can look into it

[@joshnewtonvlogs7198]

@@Tornado922 its actually a new station and most trains stop there

[@johnleadbitter4520]

Can you do trains at Sunderland

[@Tornado922]

I will look into it for you

[@alexn643]

Go to Shrewsbury and do a Trains at video! 🚄

[@chell308]

my local railway goes to shrewsbury. great idea

[@alexn643]

+shelby3024's Commenting I've been to Telford Central loads of times! I know the railway very well! ☺

[@chell308]

+Epicman 123 Same, the nearest stop from me is one stop north, Oakengates

[@alexn643]

+shelby3024's Commenting cool my station is Shrewsbury!

[@chell308]

last time I was at Telford central itself, was last year during my journey to wolverhampton

[@cinemadics5722]

Check out uktrainspots channel it's really good

[@StuAnderson90]

Ffs!!! 350 110 won't leave me alone she's my stalker everywhere I go on the LM network and they are worked she follows me!

[@Tornado922]

Well we all have our stalkers lol, I have a couple from Freightliner that follow me around everywhere