In the Black Country, the new Willenhall and Darlaston Stations will open on Thursday, 19 March. These were last visited by train services in 1965.

On the Camp Hill Line in Birmingham, the stations of Moseley Village, Kings Heath, and Pineapple Road open on Tuesday 7 April – giving locals access to rail services for the first time since the Second World War.

Final authorisation from the Office of Rail and Road is expected in the coming days, keeping the project on track to open on these dates.

This major construction project has seen all five stations built to modern standards with sheltered platforms, accessible lifts, ticket machines, and secure cycle racks.

Darlaston Station also includes a car park with 300-spaces for park and ride commuters, while Willenhall includes an additional 33 parking spaces.

West Midlands mayor Richard Parker said: “When I took office, I promised we would get these stations finished and ready for the community, and now we are delivering on that promise.

“Closing those stations during the last century was a short-sighted mistake which has now been put right – no longer will residents have to watch every day as trains rush past without stopping.

“These vital new services will not only restore a historic link between the railways and our communities, they will create a new lifeline for local people – supporting our high streets, opening up new opportunities and connections, and driving economic growth.”

The project is led by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), and the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE), in partnership with Network Rail, West Midlands Railway, Birmingham City Council, Walsall Council, and the Department for Transport.

Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road will get a half-hourly train service between Birmingham city centre and Kings Norton. 

Willenhall and Darlaston stations will be added to the timetable for the hourly Shrewsbury to Birmingham New Street Station service via Wolverhampton.