Walsall–Wolverhampton line

Railway line in the UK

For the former route via Wednesfield, see Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway.

Walsall–Wolverhampton line

View of the line at Bentley Road South

Overview
Owner| Network Rail
Locale| Wolverhampton
Walsall
West Midlands (region)
Termini|

* Walsall
* Wolverhampton

Service
Depot(s)| Bescot
Technical
Track gauge| 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Route map

(Click to expand)

* v
* t
* e

Walsall–Wolverhampton line

Legend

|  |  |

|  |

| Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line

to Stafford

|  |

|  |

| Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line

to Shrewsbury

|  |
Wolverhampton |  |

|  | Wolverhampton Low Level

| Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line

to Birmingham

|  | Wednesfield Heath

to Birmingham Snow Hill

|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |

Wolverhampton & Walsall Rly

Wyrley and Essington Canal

|  |

|  |
|  |

|  | Portobello
|  |

|  | Willenhall Bilston Street
|  |

|  | Darlaston James Bridge

Darlaston Loop

|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |
Wood Green |  |

|  |

to Walsall Line

|  |

|  | Pleck

South Staffordshire line

|  |

|  |

Walsall Line to Birmingham

|  |

|  |
|  |

|  | Walsall

Sutton Park line

|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |

Wolverhampton & Walsall Rly

South Staffordshire line

|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |

Chase Line to Rugeley

|  |  |  |  |  |

The Walsall–Wolverhampton line is a railway line in the West Midlands, England. It connects the town of Walsall to the city of Wolverhampton. The complete line does not currently have any regular scheduled passenger services: The line's local passenger service was withdrawn in 1965, it was restored in 1998, only to be withdrawn again in 2008. At present, the main use of the line is by freight trains, and it is also used as a diversionary route when engineering works are carried out on the West Coast Main Line.

In 2017, the West Midlands Combined Authority announced that they would restore services to the line over the following decade, with new stations at Willenhall Bilston Street and Darlaston James Bridge.

## History

[edit]

### Early history

[edit]

Most of the present route was opened in 1837 as part of the original Grand Junction Railway (GJR), one of the first railway trunk routes. Built as a long-distance trunk route, the original GJR line did not directly serve either Walsall or Wolverhampton, instead running around the outskirts of both of them. A station on the original line called Wolverhampton was opened at the edge of the town centre, this was later renamed Wednesfield Heath in 1855 after the centrally located Wolverhampton (High level) station on the Stour Valley Line was opened, Wednesfield Heath was then closed in 1873. A station called Walsall (also known as Bescot Bridge) was also opened, located some distance from the town, this station was closed in 1850, shortly after the present Walsall station opened on the South Staffordshire Line, it was reopened as Wood Green, in 1881 and then closed in 1941.[1]

The GJR amalgamated with other railways to form the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) in 1846. The present line was completed in 1881, when the LNWR constructed two spurs from the GJR at Wolverhampton and Walsall. The Wolverhampton spur diverged south from the original line and linked to Wolverhampton (High Level) station. The spur at the Walsall end diverged north from the GJR and linked to the South Staffordshire Line at Pleck Junction, where it gave access to Walsall station. A station was opened on the Walsall spur called Pleck, this later closed in 1958.[1]

The line later came under the control of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and later British Rail in 1948.[1]

The line's strategic use as a freight and diversionary route led to it being electrified with overhead wires in the 1960s, as an offshoot of the West Coast Main Line electrification, along with the connecting Walsall Line. However the local passenger service was withdrawn in 1965 as part of the Beeching Axe, and the line's remaining intermediate stations at Darlaston James Bridge and Willenhall Bilston Street were closed.[1]

### Recent history

[edit]

Diagram of the line (in green) in relation to the other railways in the area

A passenger service was reintroduced 1998, however this was not a success and was withdrawn again in 2008. The service, which was funded by Centro and operated by Central Trains (later London Midland), operated hourly, and was reintroduced to the line on 24 May 1998. However, in 2005 the Strategic Rail Authority proposed the withdrawal of the service, citing low passenger numbers and a lack of rolling stock.[2][3] Centro opposed this, arguing that the bus service between Walsall and Wolverhampton was a poor replacement, as it took 40 minutes compared to 15 minutes by train,[4] and the service was given a temporary reprieve. There were also proposals to reopen the stations at Willenhall Bilston Street and Portobello to increase passenger numbers and the viability of the service. During the early-mid 2000s, the line was used as part of an hourly service between Walsall and Wellington. But these services were withdrawn in 2006 and the service was reduced to an hourly service between Walsall and Wolverhampton, with only one or two trains per day in each direction extending to Wellington in the early morning and late at night.

It was announced in July 2008 that the government was withdrawing funding for this service,[4] and as a result the local service was mainly withdrawn as of December 2008. However the line remains open for freight trains, and the section between Wolverhampton and Darlaston Junction continues to be used by certain trains between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, and will also be used as a diversionary route when the West Coast Main Line is closed for engineering works. Between 2008 and 2011 this section was also used by the now defunct Wrexham & Shropshire passenger services to London.

The full service was withdrawn on 13 December 2008, although there was still a 'Parliamentary train' – initially, one train per day ran directly from Walsall to Wolverhampton on weekdays, leaving Walsall at 19:36, but this was replaced in the 19 May 2013 timetable by a Saturdays-only train from Wolverhampton to Walsall leaving Wolverhampton at 05:42 (in the December 2019 timetable).[5] Although Centro retained ambitions to reinstate the service and reopen stations at Willenhall Bilston Street and Portobello, its plans were put on hold in 2012 pending the next West Midlands franchise award in 2016.[6]

A service calling at all stations via Birmingham New street now operates, taking over 1 hour, compared with 15 minutes for the direct service, and London Midland advise passengers to use the National Express West Midlands 529 bus instead.[3]

## Future plans

[edit]

The West Midlands Combined Authority have announced their intention to restore a passenger service to the line, along with new stations at Willenhall Bilston Street and Darlaston James Bridge.[7][8]

In August 2018, the West Midlands Combined Authority had secured land for the proposed Darlaston. The proposed timetable for the line would be an hourly Wolverhampton to Walsall service as well as an hourly Wolverhampton to Birmingham service calling at Willenhall, Darlaston and Tame Bridge Parkway.[9][full citation needed]

This line has been identified by Campaign for a Better Transport as a priority 1 candidate for reopening.[10]

Planning applications for the two stations were formally submitted in March 2020.[11]

From the timetable change on Sunday 15 May 2022, London Northwestern Railway services between Crewe and Birmingham New Street via Stoke-on-Trent, began running on the line again, in preparation for the opening of new stations at Darlaston and Willenhall.[12]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Boynton, John (1996). Rails Around Walsall. Mid England Books. ISBN 0-9522248-3-6.
2. ^ "Walsall-Wolverhampton TRAINS". South Staffs Railway. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
3. ^ a b "Fight to save under threat rail service". Walsall Observer. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
4. ^ a b "Funding for rail service removed". BBC News. BBC. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
5. ^ GB National Rail timetables December 2012, May 2013 & May 2016 Editions, Table 70
6. ^ "Plans to reopen rail line are put on hold"Express & Star news article 20 October 2012; Retrieved 24 May 2016
7. ^ "£4 billion of transport infrastructure over coming decade". West Midlands Combined Authority. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
8. ^ "West Midlands Strategic Transport Plan". Retrieved 11 September 2017.
9. ^ Rail Magazine. No. 870\. p. 15. `{{cite magazine}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
10. ^ "The case for expanding the rail network" (PDF). bettertransport.org.uk. January 2019.
11. ^ "Reopening of Darlaston and Willenhall train stations moves closer". Express and Star. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
12. ^ "Timetable Changes from 15 May | LNR | London Northwestern Railway". www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Walsall Transport strategy
* London Midland website Archived 6 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
* BBC Black Country: Have your say on the rail line closure

* v
* t
* e

Railway lines in the West Midlands

Main lines|

* West Coast Main Line
* Cross Country Route
* Chiltern Main Line

Inter-regional|

* Birmingham–Peterborough line
* Crewe–Derby line
* Cotswold Line
* Shrewsbury–Chester line
* Stafford–Manchester line
* Welsh Marches line

Local|

* Birmingham to Worcester via Bromsgrove line
* Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster line
* Camp Hill line
* Chase Line
* Colwich–Stone line
* Coventry–Leamington line
* Coventry–Nuneaton line
* Cross-City Line
* Leamington–Stratford line
* North Warwickshire Line
* Northampton loop
* Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line
* Stourbridge Town branch line
* Trent Valley line
* Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line

Freight only|

* South Staffordshire line
* Sutton Park line
* Walsall–Wolverhampton line

Heritage|

* Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
* Severn Valley Railway
* Telford Steam Railway

* v
* t
* e

Rail infrastructure projects in the United Kingdom

Current projects

| Projects|

* Camden Highline
* Camp Hill line
* East West Rail (Oxford to Bedford section)
* High Speed 2
* Northern Hub
* Northern Powerhouse Rail (Hull–Liverpool)
* Northumberland Line
* South Wales Metro
* West Midlands Metro extension to Brierley Hill

|

Electrification|

* Bolton–Wigan
* East Kilbride Enhancement
* Kettering–Sheffield (paused)
* Welsh Valleys

Stations|

* Beam Park
* Beaulieu Park
* Blyth Bebside
* Bedlington
* Birmingham Curzon Street
* Birmingham Interchange
* Butetown
* Cambridge South
* Darlaston James Bridge
* Kings Heath
* Moseley Village
* Northumberland Park
* Old Oak Common
* Pineapple Road
* White Rose
* Willenhall
* Winslow
* Wixams

Proposed projects

| Projects|

* Aberdare–Hirwaun Line reopening
* Aberdeen Crossrail
* Bakerloo line extension
* Barrow Hill line reopening
* Bristol Airport Rail Link
* Brentford branch line reopening
* Bolton–Bury line reopening
* Bordon Light Railway reopening
* Carmarthen–Aberystwyth line reopening
* Cirencester branch line reopening
* Consett–Newcastle line reopening
* Coventry Very Light Rail
* Cranleigh line reopening
* Crossrail 2 (London)
* Crossrail Glasgow
* Darlaston Loop reopening
* Parts of Electric Spine (including
* Coventry–Leamington Spa
* Coventry–Nuneaton
* Leamington Spa–Aynho Junction)
* Bedford–Cambridge reopening
* Fawley branch line reopening
* Fleetwood branch line reopening
* Formartine and Buchan Railway reopening
* Maid Marian line reopening
* MetroWest (Bristol)
* Hall Farm Curve reopening
* Heathfield Branch Line reopening
* Heathrow Airport transport proposals
* including Heathrow Airtrack
* Heathrow Southern Railway
* Heathwick
* Western Rail Approach to Heathrow
* Leicester–Burton upon Trent line reopening
* Lisburn–Antrim line reopening
* Cowley branch line reopening
* North and West London Light Railway
* Northern Powerhouse Rail
* North Wales Metro
* Oxford, Witney and Fairford Railway reopening
* Ringwood branch line reopening
* R25 Orbital
* Skelmersdale branch reopening
* Skipton–Colne Rail Link
* Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway reopening
* South Staffordshire line reopening
* Southern Crossrail
* St Andrews Rail Link
* Sutton Link
* Sutton Park line reopening
* Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro
* Walsall–Wolverhampton line reopening
* Wealden Line (Uckfield–Lewes reopening)
* West London Orbital
* Wisbech line reopening
* Windsor Link Railway
* York–Beverley line reopening

|

Stations|

* Armagh
* Allandale
* Aldergrove
* Aldridge
* Arthington
* Ashley Hill
* Ashton Gate
* Balgray railway station
* Beam Park
* Balsall Heath
* Barcombe Mills
* Beechwood
* Beeston Castle and Tarporley
* Bonnybridge
* Bordon
* Bradford St James
* Bramley
* Broughton (Flintshire)
* Brownhills
* Brentford Golden Mile
* Brinsford Parkway
* Burgess Park
* Caerleon
* Camberwell
* Cambourne (Cambridgeshire)
* Canterbury Parkway
* Cardiff Parkway
* Carno
* Carr Mill
* Carterton
* Castlethorpe
* Castle Bromwich
* Castle Green
* Charfield
* Cheadle
* Chipping Sodbury
* Claydon
* Cottam Parkway
* Corsham
* Cranleigh
* Cross Hills
* Crwys Road
* Cullompton
* Cwm
* Dalston
* Deeside Parkway
* Devizes Parkway
* Ditton
* Drake Street
* East Midlands Hub
* Eastriggs
* Edwinstowe
* Elland
* Eynsham
* Errol
* Ferryhill
* Finningley
* Fleetwood
* Fort Parkway
* Fraserburgh
* Gabalfa
* Glasgow Airport
* Glasgow Cross
* Glencarse
* Gloucestershire Parkway
* Gorbals
* Greenfield (Flintshire)
* Hatch End
* Haxby
* Heathrow Hub
* Heathfield
* Henbury
* Hirwaun
* Horfield
* Horsforth Woodside
* Hythe
* Hythe Road
* Isfield
* King's Road Chelsea
* Ladbroke Grove
* Langport and Somerton
* Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway
* Leeds New Lane
* Liverpool Baltic
* Lisburn West
* Llanwern
* Long Ashton
* Maiden Lane
* Manchester Airport High Speed
* March Elm Road
* Meir
* Monkerton
* Moorside
* Mouldon Hill
* Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
* Newport West
* Newport West Central
* Newton Longville
* North Filton
* Okehampton Interchange
* Old Kent Road
* Old Oak Common Lane
* Oxford Science Park
* Oxford Business Park
* Ollerton
* Park Farm
* Pelsall
* Peterhead
* Pill
* Portishead
* Portobello
* Poyle
* Richhill
* Roseberry Parkway
* Rugby Parkway
* Rushden Parkway
* Saltford
* Sharnal Street / Hoo
* Silvertown
* Skelmersdale
* Slattocks
* St Anne's Park
* St Clears
* Stanley Park
* Stockingford
* Stonehouse (Bristol Road)
* Surrey Canal
* Thamesmead
* Templepatrick
* Tempsford
* Thornhill (Dumfries)
* Thornton
* Thorpe Park
* Torquay Gateway
* Town Meadow
* Vauxhall (Merseyside)
* Wantage Road
* Warsop
* Waverley
* Weedon
* Wellington
* Windsor Royal
* Witney
* Wixams
* Woodchurch
* Woodhorn
* Wootton Bassett
* Wormit
* Wrexham North
* Wrexham South

Heritage railways|

* Don Valley Railway
* Norfolk Orbital Railway
* Wisbech and March Bramley Line
* Honeybourne Line

Cancelled projects

| Projects|

* Advanced Passenger Train
* Bordesley to Birmingham Curzon Street
* Cardiff to Swansea electrification
* Central Line extension to Richmond
* Central Line Extension to Denham
* Chessington branch line (never completed)
* Cranbrook and Tenterden Light Railway
* Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway
* Croxley Rail Link
* Docklands Light Railway extension to Dagenham Dock
* Dawlish Avoiding Line
* Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (never completed)
* East Sussex Light Railway
* Edinburgh Airport Rail Link
* Electric Spine
* Oxford-Bletchley/Bedford Electrification
* Glasgow Airport Rail Link
* Hawkhurst branch line (never completed)
* Hebridean Light Railway Company
* Heathrow Airport transport proposals
* Heathrow Airtrack
* HS4Air
* Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway
* Highclere, Kingsclere and Basingstoke Light Railway
* InterCity 250
* Kingsbridge to Salcombe
* Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway (never completed)
* Leeds and York Railway
* Mid-Suffolk Light Railway (never completed)
* Nightstar (train)
* North Holderness Light Railway
* Ouse Valley Railway
* Picc-Vic tunnel
* Regional Eurostar
* Robertsbridge & Pevensey Light Railway
* St Germans & Looe Railway (never completed)
* Superlink (railway network)
* Tees Valley Metro
* UK Ultraspeed
* York and North Midland Railway (Leeds Extension)
* York, Hull and East and West Yorkshire Junction Railway

|

Stations|

* Barrhead (New)
* Brierdene
* Cassiobridge
* Collywell Bay
* Crowlands
* Doncaster Sheffield Airport
* Doncaster (York Road)
* Dykebar
* Ferguslie
* Glenfield
* Lullingstone
* Paisley East
* Queens Road (GER)
* Richboro Port
* Stanely
* Swithland
* Sykehouse
* Thorpe-in-Balne
* Watford Vicarage Road
* West Hampstead interchange
* Woodhorn

* Proposed projects category
* Cancelled projects category

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