Birmingham Pullman

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

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{{Infobox rail service

|box_width =

|name = Birmingham Pullman

|logo = Pullman Shield white bg.JPG

|image = The Birmingham Pullman passing High Wycombe, geograph 4105938 by john bristow (crop).jpg

|caption = The Birmingham Pullman passing High Wycombe in 1962

|type = Passenger train

|status =

|locale =

|predecessor =

|first = 12 September 1960

|last = 1966

|successor =

|operator =

|formeroperator = British Rail

|ridership =

|start = London Paddington

|stops = Birmingham Snow Hill

|end = Wolverhampton Low Level

|distance =

|journeytime =

|frequency = Daily Monday to Friday

|trainnumber =

|line_used =

|class =

|access =

|seating =

|catering =

|entertainment =

|baggage =

|otherfacilities =

|stock = British Rail Classes 251 and 261

|gauge = {{RailGauge|uksg}}

|speed = {{convert|90|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}

|owners =

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|map = }}

The Birmingham Pullman was a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom.

{{cite book |last=Allen |first=Cecil J. |date=1967 |title=Titled Trains of Great Britain |url= |location= |publisher=Ian Allan Ltd. |page=20 |isbn= |author-link= }}

History

The Birmingham Pullman was operated by the Blue Pullman and introduced by British Rail on 12 September 1960. Departures from Wolverhampton Low Level station at 7:00{{nbsp}}am, with pickups at Birmingham Snow Hill at 7:30{{nbsp}}am, Solihull at 7:40{{nbsp}}am and Leamington Spa at 8:00 gave an arrival time at London Paddington of 9:35{{nbsp}}am.{{cite news |author= |title=New Pullman Diesel Express Services |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002134/19600921/562/0024 |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |location=England |date=21 September 1960 |access-date=16 December 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} A second departure left Birmingham Snow Hill at 2:30{{nbsp}}pm, with an arrival at London Paddington of 4:25{{nbsp}}pm.

The return services departed London Paddington at 12:10{{nbsp}}pm, arriving in Birmingham Snow Hill at 2:05{{nbsp}}pm. The evening train left Paddington at 4:50{{nbsp}}pm and arrived back at Birmingham Snow Hill at 6:55{{nbsp}}pm, and Wolverhampton Low Level at 7:20{{nbsp}}pm.

On 15 August 1963, a replacement service for the Birmingham Pullman train, hauled by British Rail Class 52 D1040 Western Queen, ran into freight wagons near Solihull, killing all three men in the cab.{{cite news |author= |title=Officials will ask: "Why were three in cab?" |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002134/19630816/607/0032 |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |location=England |date=16 August 1963 |access-date=16 December 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} It was found to be a signaller's error.{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_Knowle1963.pdf |title=Railway Accident, Report on the Collision that occurred on 15th August 1963 at Knowle and Dorridge in the London Midland Region, British Railways |format=pdf |publisher=Ministry of Transport |date=19 February 1964 |accessdate=19 May 2009}}

With the electrification of the West Coast Main Line in 1966, the service was withdrawn and the trains were transferred to Oxford, Bristol, and South Wales.

References