The second station to serve Willenhall, the Grand Junction Railway's station on Bilston
Road being the first, was Willenhall Stafford Street opening in 1872 opening on the Wolverhampton and Walsall
Railway's Wolverhampton to Walsall line. Unfortunately, the line did not quite capture the imagination of the
travelling public and services were gradually withdrawn, and stations closed, until the then-owners of the line, the LMS, took
the decision to close the station in 1931. Above we see the cleared station site in 1965 looking towards
Walsall with what is now Temple Bar, previously Stafford Street, bridge in the distance (photo: D.Bathurst).
Above-left we are entering the site from Stafford Street. The trackbed has been preserved as a
footpath and cycle way, albeit in poor repair, and there have been suggestions that it may once again see rail traffic with a
proposed extension of the Midland Metro system. Above-right we have reached the trackbed and are looking to the station site in
the direction of Wolverhampton.
Above-left, the distinctive bridge seen in the 1965 photograph can be seen: I am not 100% certain as
to the purpose of the small arch but would surmise it carried a goods siding at one time - if anyone can provide more information
I'd be pleased to hear from them. Above-right, having walked through the bridge, this shot shows the trackbed of the single line
that ran through the small archway seen previously. This is an interesting site to visit however, it is unfortunate that
is appears to be more used as a refuse dump than a picturesque pathway as the area si strewn with old washing machines and
general rubbish.
