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Rail Around Birmingham & the West Midlands

 

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Willenhall Stafford Street station 1965 (David Bathurst)
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Willenhall Stafford Street Station

1872 - 1931

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 Unfortunately, the line did not quite capture the imagination of the travelling public and services were gradually withdrawn, and stations closed, until the then-owners of the line, the LMS, took the decision to close the station in 1931.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).

 
Willenhall Stafford Street station entrance from Temple Bar
Willenhall Stafford Street station site to Wednesfield Heath
 

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.

 
Willenhall Stafford Street station Temple Bar bridge
Willenhall Stafford Street station goods line towards Wednesfield Heath
 

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.

 

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