Skip to content

West Midlands Trains takes over rail franchise

Some train services in the West Midlands have been taken over by a new operator - West Midlands Trains Ltd.

The firm, a joint venture between Dutch firm Abellio and Japanese partners, takes over routes previously run by London Midland.

And today the company has pledged £1bn investment over the next nine years, with new and refurbished trains and 400 new carriages.

The franchise covers routes in the West Midlands, as well as from London Euston to Crewe, and Liverpool to Birmingham.

11 December 2017

Explore More

90s boy band Damage in a black and white promotional photo

Watch: Boy band Damage on their journey to stardom

BBC News

One-minute World News

Phone footage of a skate surfacing out of grey waves to a rigid inflatable boat.ttack the side of a inflatable

Watch the moment a skate attacks a fisherman's boat off Shetland

NE, Orkney & Shetland

People in high-vis jackets walk next to a car submerged in floods on the left of a split screen with a snowy road on the right

Atmospheric river dumps snow and record rain on California

Science & Environment

Smoke billows from house fire.

Video shows flames and thick smoke at house fire

A view from an EasyJet plane window as it flies above and to the side of an erupting volcano

Plane passengers film Iceland volcano lava from above

BBC News

East of England weather forecast

Composite image of Sir Keir Starmer and BBC Radio WM presenter Kath Stanczyszyn, who is pictured wearing headphones and speaking into a purple microphone

Will there be a Birmingham pub bombings inquiry?

Birmingham & Black Country

A huge Christmas tree on a flatbed lorry in font of the US Capitol building

US Capitol Christmas tree arrives in DC

Blurred still image from video clips shows people being taken out of a car

Migrants asked to rate trip in smuggler review videos

John Darvall sat on the left of a composite image, in a purple studio with a microphone in front of him. On the right is Keir Starmer with grey hair and brown glasses.

PM challenged on West's councils facing bankruptcy

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

BBC Scotland weather presenter Christopher Blanchett in front of a weather map of Scotland showing snow warnings.

Watch the Storm Bert weather forecast for Scotland

Mural of The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke unveiled

Parts of West Burton A power station being demolished

Power station demolition captured by drone

Man clinging to a cliff being rescued

Moment person clinging to cliff is rescued by helicopter

A woman in a hospital gown grins on the left and a monitor lit up with lungs is on the right of a split screen.

Woman gets first double lung transplant done by robot

Ryan Borgwardt

US kayaker who faked own death thought to have fled to Europe

Ruth Dodsworth in the BBC studios in Cardiff. She is sitting on an orange sofa. She has cropped blonde hair and is wearing a fitted mauve top,

Stalking was part of my daily life, says presenter

A Christmas tree with lots of blue and green lights. A building nearby has yellow lights and a red bow so it looks like a present. You can see people stood in front of the building.

Manx capital sparkles at Christmas lights switch-on

Man in blue suit with green tie which has green and blue diagonal stripes. In the foreground is the back of a student's head

Pub bombings: 'These people deserve to be remembered'

BBC presenter Nick Owen talks to Birmingham school pupils about the 1974 pub bombings in the city.

Birmingham & Black Country

A group of women waving Aston Villa flags and singing

Villa fans sing for Champions League glory

Choirs sing the iconic Champions League anthem ahead of Aston Villa's Bayern Munich home game.

Birmingham & Black Country

Masked man holding a sawn-off shotgun about to fire a shot inside the store

CCTV shows gang shooting way into computer store

The gang smash windows with axes and fire shots in the Smethwick store in the footage.

Birmingham & Black Country

People on edge of lake with model yachts on the water

Setting sail with city's model boat lovers

Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club is staging an open day on Saturday.

Birmingham & Black Country

Photo of former West Brom player

Cap honour for footballer killed in World War One

A charity cycle ride through France and Belgium will honour a former West Bromwich Albion player.

Birmingham & Black Country

Betty Cowley who has short blonde hair and stands in front of designs showing the past around The Roundhouse. She wears a multi-coloured scarf above a grey top with a white floral design

Volunteers keen to showcase landmark building

Special tours are being offered around The Roundhouse in Birmingham during the heritage week.

Birmingham & Black Country

Undated handout photo issued by West Midlands Police of one of the dogs police want to trace

Watch: On the hunt for dogs suspected of killing man

Police are looking for two dogs after a man was found dead in the back garden of a home in Birmingham.

Birmingham & Black Country

Dead fish in the canal

Watch: BBC reporter at scene of West Midlands sodium cyanide spill

The BBC's Jo Black reports from where a major incident was declared after the chemical affected a 12-mile stretch of canals.

Birmingham & Black Country

Community activists outside Birmingham pub

'Pub disorder isn't a true reflection of us'

Community activists visit Birmingham pub to apologise after an attack on Monday night.

Birmingham & Black Country

Eli Lane

Young actor meets the man he gave a voice

Daniel Challis uses a communications device to speak with the voice of Eli Lane.

Birmingham & Black Country

An alpaca, with cream coloured fur, in a muddy field. The backs of two other alpacas are visible

The herd of alpacas bringing joy to care homes

The animals relieve stress and provide a calming presence wherever they go, their handler says.

Birmingham & Black Country

Craig and Callum

Bellingham fan finds out he will go to Euro final

Callum's dad tells the Birmingham City fan he will see first hand if England can make history in Berlin.

Birmingham & Black Country

Cricket fan celebrates England penalty win

Rival cricket fans unite to cheer on England

A video of India-Pakistan fans celebrating Saturday's Euros quarter-final success has gone viral.

Birmingham & Black Country

A woman holding a telephone

How a phone is helping with bereavement

The wind phone is a Japanese idea, which encourages users to speak to their lost loved ones.

Birmingham & Black Country

Four children

What would kids do if they were prime minister?

Among the Birmingham children's policies are free water, free funerals and free ice cream.

Birmingham & Black Country

Nick Owen

MBE a 'wow moment' for BBC presenter Nick Owen

BBC Midlands Today presenter is recognised for services to broadcasting and charity.

Birmingham & Black Country

CCTV image inside church

Church lectern thief caught on CCTV

Revd Matthew Tomlinson says the eagle was given to the church when it opened in 1868.

Birmingham & Black Country

Narrowboat on the canal

Narrowboats take on 24 hour canal challenge

The event on the West Midlands canal network dates back to the 1960s.

Birmingham & Black Country

Unai Emery

Villa's champagne moment for Champions League

Manchester City's win at Tottenham is enjoyed by Villa's players during their annual awards dinner.

Birmingham & Black Country

Fans

Special night celebrates 45 years of 2 Tone

Fans at the event featuring Pauline Black and Horace Panter say their love of 2 Tone has endured.

Birmingham & Black Country