Dozens of new rail network schemes across the UK are being built in a bid to boost regional economies.
However, for every new station that gets built or upgraded, there are hundreds of others that remain on the wishlist.
With this year's Levelling Up white paper on setting out greater devolution powers to regions, it is hoped there will be more autonomy in spending and investment on infrastructure, including rail networks.
But it can't all come from the Government, argues Levelling Up author Andy Haldane.
In this vein, a proposed rail scheme in Cardiff is something of a trailblazer.
Plans have been approved for Cardiff Parkway railway station, which is being privately built by Cardiff Parkway Developments Ltd, with backing from the Welsh Government, reports BusinessLive.
Below is a list of the brand new rail stations currently being built, or on the wishlist.
North West
Liverpool Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham has pledged to create a brand new station named Liverpool Baltic on the site of the former St James station, which closed in 1917.
The scheme is currently in the design development stage, with land already purchased to safeguard the site of the new station ticket office building.
The current plans aim for the station to be open in 2025, subject to funding being secured for the construction stage.
Northern Rail services from Manchester and Wigan will also operate to and from a new three-platform station at Headbolt Lane in Kirkby, which is also designed to support any future plans to build a rail link to Skelmersdale.
Council funding was also secured by Stockport Council this summer to give Cheadle in Greater Manchester its own railway station for the first time in nearly 60 years.
North East
An estimated £34million in investment works is currently underway to reopen the Northumberland Line between Newcastle and Ashington, which closed to passengers in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts.
The scheme, announced last January, is currently at the preparatory work stage, including land acquisition and detailed designs.
Plans include new stations at Ashington, Bedlington, Blyth Bebside, Newsham, Seaton Delaval and Northumberland Park , as well as track upgrades and modifications around level crossings.
Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson said: “The Northumberland Line will bring a huge boost to the area in terms of economic growth, housing, employment and education opportunities, as well as providing a fast and efficient new transport link between the south-east of the county and Tyneside.”
Yorkshire and the Humber
Construction on the new White Rose Rail Station in South Leeds began earlier this year, and is set to continue into 2023.
The station will cost a total of £26.5 million and it is hoped it will provide more access to the White Rose Office Park, bus interchange and White Rose Shopping Centre.
It is currently scheduled to open in Spring next year.
West Midlands
Plans for a much-desired new railway station in the Black Country moved closer last year after £400,000 investment was agreed for a land deal.
West Midlands Combined Authority will use the capital to acquire a patch of land next to the Anchor Meadow Health Centre off Westfield Drive, in Aldridge , which is currently owned by the NHS.
It will mean proposals can now be drawn up to design and build the new station, which would the first in the area since the Beeching cuts in the 1960s.
Plans to re-open rail stations in Darlaston and Willenhall on the Walsall to Wolverhampton line are also going ahead, and are expected to have services of one train an hour.
Two high-speed HS2 stations at Curzon Street in Birmingham city centre and the HS2 interchange in Solihull are also in development after receiving the green light from local planner.
Three new railway stations are set to be built for the resumption of passenger services on the Camp Hill line in south Birmingham.
The £61 million project will resurrect services at Hazelwell, Kings Heath and Moseley that closed to passengers during the Second World War.
Plans for a major transformation of Moor Street station in Birmingham city centre were unveiled in 2019 adding two new platforms built to cope with the expected increase of five million passengers per year by 2043.
Birmingham's Snow Hill station could also be getting a fourth platform as part of a wider regeneration project, while a £56million regeneration of Birmingham University station is now nearing completion.
East Midlands Parkway station will now serve as the end of the eastern leg of HS2 under drastic changes to the project by the Government last year.
A local government 'wish-list' for rail upgrades in Leicestershire would meanwhile include 10 new stations and an underground terminal at East Midlands Airport.
New stations would be created at Thurmaston , between Syston and the city, Aylestone Park , between Knighton and Wigston.
Also, three new stops between Wigston and Market Harborough, at Welford Road, Kibworth and Great Bowden.
Wales
Plans have been approved for a new railway station in east Cardiff with a business park including 15-storey office towers.
Cardiff Parkway railway station will be built on farmland in St Mellons, between Cypress Drive and Heol Las and is due to open in 2024.
Transport and North Wales minister Ken Skates also announced £670,000 funding towards the development of Deeside Parkway station on the Borderlands Line in March 2021.
South West
Torquay will be getting a third railway station called Edginswell station after Network Rail awarded £7.8million towards a project in the town.
'Torquay Gateway' train station will be built for the Edginswell area of the town after funding was awarded from Network Rail and Department for its development last month.
Work to finish Exeter's newest railway station at Marsh Barton is still on schedule to finish this winter, according to the council, following several years of delays.
Over in Bristol, construction work is under way on a new £4.2m train station at Portway Park and Ride station.
South East
A project to restore rail routes closed more than 50 years ago saw £760m of new funding released from the Department for Transport back in January 2021.
The section between Bicester and Bletchley will include the construction of new stations at Winslow and Bletchley , as well as enhancements to existing stations on the route.
Scotland
The Borderlands Partnership - a body formed councils across the Scotland-England border - have proposed extending the Borders Railway south to Carlisle in Cumbria after labelling it the 'missing link'.
The Campaign for Borders Rail made its case to the Union Connectivity Review in January this year, arguing that extending the line would boost the economy, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
At the start of the year, The Scottish Government unveiled ambitious plans to create a mass transit network in Glasgow .
The Glasgow Clyde Metro could better link 1.5 million people living in the West of Scotland, they say, stretching around 15km (9 miles) from the city centre.
