400,000 passengers and national award for West Midlands five new railway stations

West Midlands Railway (WMR) and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) were recognised for the opening of five brand-new railway stations at the 2026 National Rail Awards.

It comes as the latest figures show more than 307,000 passengers have now travelled to and from the Camp Hill Line stations, with more than 81,000 making journeys using Willenhall and Darlaston.

The two organisations jointly won the ‘Major Project of the Year’ category for the completion of Willenhall and Darlaston in the Black Country and Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road (Stirchley) on the new Camp Hill Line in South Birmingham.

Following a £185million development programme to build the five new stations, Willenhall and Darlaston opened six months ago, on March 19, with the Camp Hill Line opening three weeks later, on April 7.

The construction programme was led by TfWM in partnership with WMR, Network Rail, Kier and VolkerFitzpatrick. The stations feature sheltered platforms, accessible lifts, ticket machines and secure cycle racks.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We know if we can build good quality, reliable public transport, people will use it, and almost 400,000 journeys from our new stations shows just how strong that demand is. That’s good for businesses, the environment, and our economy. Getting these stations finished and up and running has really energised these communities and this well-deserved National Rail Award is also a credit to the hard work of everyone involved.”

Denise Wetton, integrated managing director for GBR West Midlands, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for the five new stations, which have opened up faster and greener journeys for residents across Birmingham and the Black Country. By working closely with industry partners, we are creating a network that better supports passengers across the region and beyond.”

The National Rail Awards is run by RAIL magazine and is often referred to as the 'Oscars of the railway'.