South Staffordshire Railway

Walsall and Dudley were important manufacturing towns, and it was to be expected that a railway connection between them would be put forward. The South Staffordshire Junction Railway was proposed to connect the two towns, with junction connections to the Grand Junction Railway, now to be part of the LNWR. The SSJR got its authorising Act of Parliament on 3 August 1846, with permitted share capital of £525,000.[8][9][10]

At the same time, another company, the Trent Valley, Midlands and Grand Junction Railway was authorised.[11][12] It was to make a line from Walsall northwards through Lichfield to join the Midland Railway main line (heading towards Burton-on-Trent) at Wichnor. It too was authorised on 3 August 1846, with capital of £420,000. The two companies had been in discussion and saw there were advantages in combining, and this was allowed for in their respective Acts. Final agreement for this was accomplished on 6 October, ratified by an Act of 9 July 1847. The 1847 Act also confirmed a change of name for the combined company, which was to be called the South Staffordshire Railway; the combined share capital was fixed at £945,000; in addition the Act granted running powers over the Midland Railway from Wichnor Junction to Burton.[8][13]

Although the Act of Parliament authorised the share capital, the Company had to obtain the share subscriptions, as well as acquire the necessary land. The Board decided on a modest start to construction, by building from Walsall to Bescot on the former Grand Junction Railway route.

This was quickly accomplished, and the line was opened on 1 November 1847; temporary station premises were used at Walsall, south of Bridgeman Place, and the line connected to a junction on the GJR main line, called Bescot Junction.

It is probable that the first trains were operated by the LNWR using their own rolling stock. There was no station at the junction. Prior to the opening of the Walsall line, there had been a station further north-west on the GJR line called "Walsall". It was now renamed Bescot Bridge, and it was used for journeys from Wolverhampton and further north to Walsall, by changing there to road transport.[14]

System map of the South Staffordshire Railway in 1859

Of the main line sections originally authorised, there now remained the connection from Walsall to Wichnor Junction, joining the northward Midland Railway main line on the way to Burton: the length of this section was 17 miles. A construction contract was allocated on 17 May 1847. The work proceeded well enough, and on 1 March 1849 Captain Wynne of the Board of Trade inspected the line for passenger working. While much of the line was satisfactory, the junction connecting to the Midland Railway at Wichnor had not been installed. Wynne approved the line for passenger operation between Walsall and Lichfield, a distance of 10+1⁄2 miles. The company did not open that section at once, but waited until the remainder of the Wichnor route was ready. Wynne inspected the remainder of the line on 4 April 1849 and approved it, and it opened on 9 April 1849.[15][16][17]

However Boynton says:

The date is often given as 9th April, but all that happened then was the running of a special for Directors, followed by a celebratory lunch at the George Hotel, Lichfield, attended by the mayor of the city and the High Sheriff of Staffordshire. Passenger services for ordinary mortals had to wait until 1st June. That day saw the opening 0f a permanent station at Walsall, on the present site... A South Staffs station at Lichfield Trent Valley opened in August, eleven months after one on the main Trent Valley line below. The Midland had running rights to Walsall and the LNWR had running rights through Wichnor Junction to Burton and Derby, capital of the Midland system.[18]

The temporary Walsall station was closed and the new permanent station, described by a newspaper as "splendid" was put into use.[19]

The Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway was opened in 1852. Usually referred to as the Stour Valley Line, it was an affiliate of the LNWR providing a more satisfactory route between Birmingham and Wolverhampton for that company. A new central station was being constructed in Birmingham, and as New Street station it opened fully in 1854.

The Stour Valley line crossed over the Dudley to Walsall line of the South Staffordshire Railway at Dudley Port.[note 2] The SSR Act of 1851 had authorised a short connecting line to the Stour Valley line with running powers into the LNWR High Level station, and gave the LNWR reciprocal running powers from there to Dudley. The connecting line was known as the Sedgeley Loop[note 3] and it ran to a position alongside the new Stour Valley station and beyond it to form a junction with it. There was already a Low Level station at Dudley Port on the SSR main line, but the intention was to have a High Level station alongside the new Stour Valley station. However space at that point was extremely limited, as the Loop line was sandwiched between the Stour Valley line and the canal. Although the Sedgeley Loop and the connection to the Stour Valley line beyond were double track, the SSR station was built as a single line. The Board of Trade inspecting officer, Captain Galton, declined to allow opening of the section of line east of the station. The loop itself to the new SSR High Level station were acceptable, but the continuing through connection was not, apparently because of the perceived danger of working passenger trains from both east and west into the single line station.

System map of the South Staffordshire Railway in 1879

Use of the loop for trains terminating at Dudley Port started on 14 October 1853, but it was not until a connection was provided at the west end of the Stour Valley station, enabling the use of the BW&SVR platforms by through trains, that through running was permitted. This started on 2 January 1854, with a through passenger service between Dudley and Birmingham.[22]

In 1852 construction of the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway reached Dudley,[23] and was continued to Tipton in 1853.[24] The OW&WR was merged with other railways to form the West Midland Railway (WMR) in 1860[25] and in turn the WMR was absorbed into the Great Western Railway by Act of 1 August 1863.[26]

The opening of these portions of the OW&WR enabled through working by SSR trains from Kidderminster to Birmingham via the Sedgeley loop, but this service was operationally difficult and it was discontinued south of Dudley in 1867, with only two through New Street to Dudley services each way on weekdays. The connecting service for the short run from Dudley to Dudley Port prospered; it and the Walsall trains together were nicknamed "The Dudley Dasher". The Sedgeley loop service was eventually discontinued on 15 June 1964.[27]

In 1846 another line between Birmingham and Wolverhampton had been authorised, on the same day as the original South Staffordshire Junction Railway: it was the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Dudley Railway. It was nominally independent but very obviously aligned towards the Great Western Railway, which was to build towards Birmingham through the medium of another nominally independent company, the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway. The "Dudley" part of the BW&DR name represented a branch line that very closely duplicated most of the SSJR route. Although this had been authorised, the BW&DR agreed to leave the SSR (as it soon became) to build it, with running powers for BW&DR trains. There was a safeguard for the BW&DR if the SSR failed to build the line promptly.

The BW&DR obtained an authorising Act in 1847 to sell its line to the Great Western Railway, and remarkably the Act authorised installation of mixed gauge (standard and broad gauge) track on the BW&DR. When the line opened in 1854 local passenger trains operated on the broad gauge.

The SSR intersected and was crossed by the BW&DR at Wednesbury and a north-east to north-west connection was installed on 1 June, 1859, connecting the SSR to the BWDR route to Wolverhampton. It was laid with mixed gauge track, but the broad gauge rails were removed on 1 April 1869. The SSR had running powers over the BW&DR to Wolverhampton, although it is believed they were never exercised.[28]

An SSR Act of 23 July 1855 gave authorisation to build from Wednesbury SSR to Darlaston on the old GJR route. A single line opened on 14 September 1863 from the Darlaston former GJR station to Wednesbury. The Darlaston station was renamed James Bridge and a platform was provided on the Darlaston branch. The line was doubled on 22 December 1872. At first there was an intensive passenger service, of 56 daily trains; but the introduction of street-running trams practically wiped out the business and the passenger service was discontinued in 1887.

The line was closed north of the Lloyds Works Siding at Fallings Heath on 24 December 1963; most of the rest of the line (except for a siding at the southern extremity) closed at the beginning of 1968.[29]

The 1855 Act also authorised a branch from Wednesbury to a triangular junction with the Stour Valley line at Tipton, penetrating a heavily industrialised area around Princes End. There was some delay in completing it, but it was opened on 14 September 1863. The south curve at Tipton to Tipton Station Junction was opened on 1 January 1883, and was not used for passenger traffic, except much later for diversionary purposes. A Walsall to Wolverhampton passenger service operated (to the northward curve) and its fate varied greatly, as there were better routes available for such a connection. The passenger services were withdrawn in 1916 as a wartime measure, and the line closed completely on 6 April 1981.[30]

A two-mile branch line was authorised in 1878, earlier (1855) powers having lapsed; it ran eastward from the SSR line near Pelsall to Leighs Wood colliery. The line opened on 14 November 1878, serving only a colliery and a brickworks; it closed in August 1965.[31]

A west to north curve was provided at Pleck, connecting the old GJR route from Bushbury to the SSR route towards Walsall. It was authorised on 28 June 1877 and opened on 1 March 1881. On the same day the Portobello curve opened, connecting the GJR route into Wolverhampton LNWR station directly from the south-east for the first time. This enabled a Walsall to Wolverhampton passenger service. It was discontinued from 1964 but reinstated from 2000 with an hourly dmu service, but closed to passengers once again from 2008.[32]

John Robinson McClean with his wife and eldest daughter

In 1849 with the main line only just completed, John Robinson McClean, the engineer to the SSR company, together with supporting business people, approached the SSR with an offer to lease the railway. The LNWR and MR were substantial shareholders and were opposed to the arrangement, fearing that the line would ally itself with competitors, but the majority of the shareholders considered that the offer was advantageous to them, and the idea was approved.

The necessary powers were included in the SSR Leasing Act of 1850 The issued capital of the SSR was calculated as £669,375 and the rent charge was to be 2% of this in the first year, amounting to £13,387 10s., doubling after the first year and increasing to 5% after 14 years. The lease between McClean and the company became effective from 1 July 1850. No individual had ever been authorised by Parliament to lease a railway before, so this was a considerable precedent. After an initial period, McClean contracted train operation to the LNWR in 1852.[33][34]

In 1853 James Allport became General Manager of the Midland Railway,[35] and from that time relations between that company and the SSR became strained. Through running at Wichnor Junction was discontinued at Allport's insistence, and exchange sidings had to be built there for handing over goods wagons. A "Wichnor" passenger station also had to be built, just inside SSR territory, for the exchange of engines on through passenger trains. SSR passengers heading for Derby had to change at Burton. Whatever Allport's objective was, this pushed the SSR closer to the LNWR.[36][37]

Towards the end of the 1850s the LNWR interests worked hard to make McClean's lease unworkable; the LNWR clearly wanted to acquire the line. In 1858 McClean and the company agreed to discontinue the lease arrangement, and this was formally agreed on 21 January 1858. Negotiations to agree the financial implications of the disengagement were extremely protracted, and McClean's lease terminated on 1 February 1860. He was compensated for the loss of profit for the residue of his lease; the sum was £110,099, which Boynton says, "made an already wealthy man stupendously rich".[37]

From that date the LNWR took over the lease. The Midland Railway had been a significant influence within the company from the outset, but now their involvement diminished. The LNWR lease was anticipated to be for 99 years. However, in common with many other railway leases, the advantages of outright control were compelling. Moreover the LNWR feared that the Midland Railway might get control of the line, establishing a significant presence in LNWR territory. The lease continued for a time, but arrangements were made to transfer the SSR company to LNWR ownership. The transfer was ratified by the LNWR (New Works and Additional Powers) Act of 15 July 1867.[34][38]

The SSR network was now part of the LNWR, although there were running powers protections retained for the Midland Railway. This was a double edged sword, for it gave the LNWR, as owner of the SSR network, running powers over the Midland Railway into Burton. This was an attractive benefit, of which the LNWR intended to take full advantage.[16]

The LNWR sent a goods train to exercise the running powers to Derby via Wichnor Junction. The train found the line blocked at the junction. Neele wrote,

Arriving at Wichnor Junction I was surprised to see a large number of platelayers, about, two or three engines in steam, and a saloon carriage in the siding. One of the engines with steam up had attached to its tender the V crossing of the junction over which we had to pass to get to Burton... Mr Needham [the superintendent of the Midland], who had bivouacked all night in the saloon, refused to allow the LNW train to pass. On asking Mr Needham for what purpose the force of Midland men was requisitioned, he told me that it was reported that the London and North Western were coming down with a body of 300 men and three engines intending to force their way into Burton, and that it had been determined to resist. Instructions came to me by telegraph: once more at the appointed time in the afternoon, a passage must be claimed. Some wiser counsels had prevailed at Derby, for when the time came, the opposing force had disappeared, and we made a triumphal journey towards Burton.[39]

In the SSR Act of 1847 there were powers to build from Walsall to Cannock, which was becoming an important centre of extractive industry. The SSR did not progress this work at the time, but got an extension of time in 1854. In addition a three mile branch line was now authorised from near Pelsall on the SSR Lichfield line, to Norton Canes. Although the engineering of the line was relatively simple, there was a problem over the lack of a turntable at the Cannock terminus that resulted in a delay to the opening of the line, until 31 January 1858. The Norton Canes branch opened on the same day.[40][16][41]

A prospective railway company called the Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Junction Railway had tried to get Parliamentary authority to build from Uttoxeter to Dudley, connecting Manchester in to its network as well by means of running powers. It had been rebuffed, but in the 1847 session a more modest scheme was authorised, from the North Staffordshire Railway at Uttoxeter to Cannock, making an end-on connection with the (proposed) SSR line there. Several years passed without much progress, largely due to failure to generate share subscriptions, and attempts to bring one of the large railway companies on board as a financial sponsor were also fruitless.

A further reduction in scope was necessary, and the title of the Cannock Mineral Railway (CMR) was adopted. Further prevarication followed until in June 1857 the LNWR appeared as guarantor. The line was finally built, between Cannock and Rugeley only, opening on 2 November 1859; it was worked by the LNWR.[42][16]

A colliery line was opened on 1 February 1858 from Norton Junction to Norton Crossing Junction, a distance of 2+3⁄4 miles.[43]

The Cannock Chase Railway was authorised in 1860 to provide a link between the Cannock Mineral Railway and the Marquis of Anglesey's colliery interests. It ran east from Hednesford to Rawnsley, with a spur to Heathy Leasows to connect with the Littleworth Tramway. The Cannock Chase Railway was opened on 7 October 1862, and was worked by the collieries themselves.[44]

A continuation of the Norton branch from Norton Crossing Junction opened on 25 April 1879. The line continued to East Cannock Junction on the Walsall to Rugeley line, forming a through route.[45]

There was a nationwide wave of withdrawal of unremunerative passenger services during the 1960s. The former Western Region (ex-GWR) services from Birmingham Snow Hill to Dudley were withdrawn on 15 June 1964, and the Walsall to Dudley line closed to passengers on 6 July 1964; Dudley station was therefore closed. The following year a large-scale passenger closure took place on 18 January 1965: from Walsall to Wichnor Junction via Lichfield; from Walsall to Water Orton via Sutton Park; from Walsall to Wolverhampton via Pleck; and Walsall to Rugeley.

This left passenger operation on only the short section from Walsall to Bescot Junction, and a short length at Lichfield.[46][16]

In the mid 1960s an extensive electrification programme was undertaken involving main line routes through Birmingham and elsewhere. As part of the work, the short section from Bescot to Walsall was electrified, from 15 August 1966.[47]

The Hednesford and Cannock line was not opened to passenger trains until later, but in 2014 it was announced that the line between Walsall and Rugeley was to be electrified, with a completion date of 2017.[48]

Lichfield City and the short link on the former SSR route to Lichfield Trent Valley were served by the Cross-City line passenger services from 1978 and 1988 respectively. On 6 June 1993 the Cross-City services, and this short former SSR section, were electrified.[49]

Passing through an area which after World War II was subject to industrial decline, usage of the passenger trains on the Cannock and Rugeley line declined steeply, and the passenger service had been discontinued from 18 January 1965. All the intermediate stations between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley were closed to passengers.

The Walsall Area Passenger Group made strenuous efforts during 1974 to get the line reopened to passengers. A reconstructed and modernised station was opened at Walsall in 1980, giving impetus to the idea. The group were successful, and passenger services were reinstated between Walsall and Hednesford on 10 April 1989. [50][16] The line north of Hednesford had been reclassified operationally as a goods line, and re-equipping it for passenger operation was stated to be excessively costly. However in November 1993 it was announced that the line would be reopened to passengers, but then the necessary work was greatly delayed and the services did not begin until March 1997. There were 13 trains each way daily.[51]

As passenger use ceased, it was considered that Dudley station would be a good location for a freightliner terminal, particularly as the rail connectivity was good. It was opened on 6 November 1967. However the facility lasted only 21 years and was closed on 17 April 1988.[52]

Although coalmining in the Cannock area had declined substantially in the post-war period, there were still several operational collieries in 1965. These declined, but changing activity by the coal and electricity generating industries resulted in novel traffic flows. Nevertheless in the late 1970s substantial closure had taken place, and even a new opencast location at Essington Wood closed in 1992. Rugeley 'B' power station opened in 1970.[53]

• Dudley; temporary station, opened 4 May 1850; extended to permanent station after a few months; closed 6 July 1964;
• Sedgeley Junction; divergence to Dudley Port High Level;
• Dudley Port; opened 1 May 1850; closed 6 July 1964;
• Great Bridge North; opened 1 May 1850; renamed Great Bridge North 1 July 1950; closed 6 July 1964;
• Wednesbury; opened 1 May 1850; renamed Wednesbury Town 13 June 1960; closed 6 July 1964;
• Bescot Curve Junction; divergence to Aston;
• Pleck Junction; convergence from Aston;
• Walsall; temporary station opened 1 November 1847; replaced by permanent station 9 April 1849; still open;
• Ryecroft Junction; divergence to Cannock linel
• Rushall; opened 24 March 1856; closed 1 March 1909;
• Pelsall; opened 9 April 1849; closed 18 January 1965;
• Brownhills; opened 9 April 1849; renamed Brownhills High Street 2 June 1924; renamed Brownhills 1 August 1930; closed 18 January 1965;
• Hammerwich; opened June 1849 ;closed 18 January 1965;
• Lichfield City; opened 9 April 1849; renamed Lichfield City 1871; relocated 3 November 1884; still open;
• Lichfield Trent Valley Junction; 9 April 1849; replaced by Lichfield Trent Valley High Level 3 July 1871; closed 18 January 1965; reopened 28 November 1988; still open;
• Brookhay; opened 9 April 1849; closed December 1849;
• Alrewas; opened 9 April 1849; closed 18 January 1965;
• Wichnor Junction (station); opened 2 April 1855; closed 1 November 1877;
• Wichnor Junction; convergence with Midland Railway main line.

• Walsall; above;
• Ryecroft Junction; above;
• Birchills; opened February 1858; closed 1 January 1916;
• Bloxwich; opened 1 February 1858; closed 18 January 1965; reopened 17 April 1989; still open;
• Bloxwich North; opened 2 October 1990; still open;
• Landywood; opened 2 March 1908; closed 1 January 1916;
• Wyrley and Church Bridge; opened 1 February 1858; renamed Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay 1 December 1912; closed 18 January 1965;
• Cannock; opened 1 February 1858; closed 18 January 1965; reopened 10 April 1989; still open;
• Hednesford; opened 7 November 1859; closed 18 January 1965; reopened 10 April 1989; still open;
• Brindley Heath; opened 3 August 1939 and 17 August 1939 for RAF families; fully open 26 August 1939; closed 6 April 1959;
• Rugeley Town; opened 1 June 1870; closed 18 January 1965; reopened 2 June 1997; still open;
• Rugeley Trent Valley; opened 15 September 1847; still open.[56][57]