Wolverhampton Low Level Station was opened 1854 by the Oxford, Worcester
& Wolverhampton Railway later to fall under the auspices of the GWR. Unlike its LNWR High
Level neighbour it was closed to passengers in 1972 but continued to function as a parcels
depot until 1981. Once an important stop on the London-Birkenhead line and linked with Snow
Hill Station in Birmingham which itself succumbed to closure in 1972, the old station cuts a
sorry figure in the rapidly regenerating heart of Wolverhampton. However, the station
buildings were listed in 1986 and during my visit the area was cordoned off with contractors
on site, although I am not sure exactly as to the nature of their work. The grand, and listed,
Low Level Station buildings can be seen above viewed from the Sun Street entrance, September
2003. |
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As can be discerned from the present-day map, the old station site is now
an odd time-capsule in an island of redeveloped roads. The views above were taken from
Wednesfield Road looking down to the station. Above-left you can see the High Level Station
to the right of the shot. |
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Above-left we have moved around the site to Sun Street to look at the other
end of the station - note the cannopy over the platform remains in tact in the centre of the
shot. Above-right are some of the station buildings as viewed from Sun Street further along to
the left from the preceding shot. |
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Above-left we are still in Sun Street with the station buildings behind the
bushes in the foreground - I was intrigued to find an old coach rusting away in the
undergrowth. Above-right is the entrance to the station, leading to the area seen in the main
photo at the top of this page, from Sun Street - the notice on the top-right of the gate
still reads "Low-Level Station". |
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Since my original visit to the site in September 2003, much has been happening at the ex-GWR Low Level
station and I have received numerous emails informing me of the various goings-on. Therfore, I thought it was about
time I revisited and above-left we are viewing the site from Sun Street and can see that much clearance has taken place
since the last visit to the site. It is now being developed as the 'Station Plaza' shop/bar complex and, although the
Northbound platform and station buildings appear to be being preserved, the rest of the site appears to be being
dismantled and bulldozed. Above-right we have walked from Sun Street onto the station forecourt which has changed little,
thus far, in the redevelopment. |
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Above-left and right we are moving along the forecourt to enter the site of the platforms: here we
see some of the original station buildings awaiting conversion into shops and bars (we certainly need more shops and bars:
a railway station might have been a more unique idea?). |
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Above-left we are walking towards the Northbound platform and can see that the supporting cannopy structure
on the platform is still in situ, as is the footbridge. Above-right we are standing on the platform looking North. Caretainly,
being in a stripped-down state displays nicely the intricate iron-work of the cannopy-supports and rivetting. |
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Above-left we are again looking North and get a closer look at the rivetting and iron-work. Unfortunately,
I don't know whether or not the cannopy is being retained but, unless it is in a seriously dangerous state, it would be
a shame to remove it as it would make a great feature for any development. Above-right we see the covered passage,
lined with salt-glazed tiles - commonly used by the GWR, that runs parrallel to the station forecourt buildings (to the right)
and leads to an entrance to the High Level station above. |
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Above we see the tunnel leading under the ex-LNWR tracks above, to the High Level station. Allegedly,
this tunnel was known in days gone by as 'the Brothel' due to various nefarious activities undertaken here during the
hours of darkness! It does provide for a rather shabby, gloomy entrance to the High Level station site but it is good that it
escaped the redevelopment of the station above as so many subterranean tunnels have failed to do so over the past
30 years. |
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