▁the ▁B irmingham - Card iff ▁express es ▁were ▁re - rout ed . ▁A ▁few ▁passenger ▁services ▁remained ▁south ▁of ▁Str at ford ▁to ▁ ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁and ▁to ▁Wor c ester ▁via ▁ ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁The ▁line ▁south ▁of ▁Str at ford ▁remained ▁open ▁for ▁fre ight ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁when ▁damage ▁caused ▁by ▁a ▁serious ▁fre ight ▁train ▁der ail ment ▁led ▁to ▁British ▁Rail ▁dec iding ▁to ▁close ▁the ▁line ▁entirely . ▁The ▁track ▁was ▁lifted ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁ending ▁the ▁North ▁War wick shire ▁Line ' s ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁through ▁main ▁line . ▁ ▁Rec ent ▁history ▁Since ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁line ▁has ▁been ▁market ed ▁as ▁the ▁' Sh akespe are ▁Line '. ▁ ▁The ▁line ▁was ▁res ign alled ▁by ▁Network ▁Rail ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 / 2 0 1 1 , ▁replacing ▁the ▁sem aph ore ▁signals ▁in ▁place , ▁and ▁impro ving ▁platform ▁access ▁at ▁Str at ford ; ▁it ▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁remaining ▁signal ▁boxes ▁at ▁Sh ir ley , ▁Hen ley - in - Ar den ▁and ▁Bear ley ▁J unction . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁this ▁scheme , ▁termin ating ▁services ▁from ▁B irmingham ▁were ▁extended ▁from ▁ ▁to ▁the ▁next ▁station , ▁, ▁by ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁turn back ▁facility . ▁Park ▁and ▁ride ▁facilities ▁were ▁added ▁at