UK: Sutton Coldfield has a population just under 100K and has a manned station [1]. Pretty middle class area, no abandoned mills or anything, embedded in a larg

UK: Sutton Coldfield has a population just under 100K and has a manned station [1]. Pretty middle class area, no abandoned mills or anything, embedded in a larger conurbation up in the millions, fairly high density. On the Redditch to Lichfield line via Birmingham. Smethwick: working class area with an immediate population of around 25k you get an unmanned station [2] with trains each half an hour in both directions (Walsall to Wolverhampton via Birmingham). Both lines used for commuter traffic, and both stations built a long time ago (Lichfield line was actually early 20th Century). I suspect the economics all come down to use levels and density. What they call 'ridership'. In a lot of neighbourhoods in the West Midlands that are further away from the radial railway lines you are looking at a bus ride then train and a bus ride the other side - as I gather from the OA the present situation is in the settlements mentioned. [1] https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x4870a5a8c7157eb5:0x9c0432a30a727d14!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e115!4s/maps/place/Sutton%2BColdfield%2BStation%2BUK/@52.5648576,-1.8246764,3a,75y,315.43h,90t/data%3D*213m4*211e1*213m2*211sIrcArVgECQGyzTeukcfyhQ*212e0*214m2*213m1*211s0x0:0x9c0432a30a727d14!5sSutton+Coldfield+Station+UK+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e2!2sIrcArVgECQGyzTeukcfyhQ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj93YOLp7_OAhWYOsAKHQMMCjEQpx8IiQEwDQ https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x4870a5a8c7157... [2] https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x4870bd5d2f177b5b:0xb0a5c999f72118f3!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e115!4s/maps/place/Rolfe%2BStreet%2BStation%2BUK/@52.4964898,-1.970528,3a,75y,174.16h,90t/data%3D*213m4*211e1*213m2*211so19lMnLpPuqMTu_mEAZh2A*212e0*214m2*213m1*211s0x0:0xb0a5c999f72118f3!5sRolfe+Street+Station+UK+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e2!2so19lMnLpPuqMTu_mEAZh2A&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiL5PP3p7_OAhWILMAKHaLmCkQQpx8IeDAK https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x4870bd5d2f177...