Midland Railway branches around Walsall
This was due to many factors, including the availability of raw materials, transport facilities on rivers and, later, canals, and relative freedom of employment.
A particular feature was specialist work, where companies provided components and raw materials to manufacturers elsewhere, who then assembled a finished product.
This was to the Midland Railway's advantage, as with running powers over the SSR it would get access to Walsall and the manufacturing districts west of Birmingham.
At the same time the LNWR could connect to the SSR and, with running powers, get access to Derby over the Midland Railway beyond Wichnor Junction.
This secured access to Walsall for the LNWR, but passenger transits from there to Birmingham had to go round to the east via Aston and Vauxhall.
[12] The SSR pressed ahead with construction, and on 9 April 1849 it extended northwards from Walsall to Lichfield and Wichnor Junction.
This opening included an east-to-south spur enabling direct running from Bescot Junction (and Birmingham) to Dudley.
The Great Western Railway used it, also from 1854; [19] the OW&WR and the GWR eventually merged, but for now relations were strained.
There was considerable commercial trade between Walsall and Wolverhampton, and the poor railway connection was a source of dissatisfaction.
In the 1867 session of Parliament, the route at Walsall was altered to make a northern entry, at Ryecroft Junction, and this was authorised by Act of 12 August 1867.
The LNWR decided that, rather than fight the W&WR continually, absorption of the smaller company was the best way forward, and on 1 July 1875 Parliamentary authorisation for this was obtained.
[27] At the same time the LNWR felt that the line was not a necessity to its own operation, and it agreed to transfer ownership of the W&WR to the Midland Railway.
[28]The Great Western Railway had running powers on the W&WR line for goods traffic from Heath Town Junction to Walsall.
Originally the Midland Railway had seen this line as a useful access route to Walsall, but it appeared likely that difficulties lay ahead.
In the 1872 session of Parliament the Wolverhampton, Walsall & Midland Junction Railway Act was passed on 6 August 1872.
[23][30] This authorised a line from Ryecroft Junction and North Walsall to Castle Bromwich, joining the Midland Railway.
[32][30] The Midland Railway considered Wolverhampton to be an important commercial centre, and wanted to construct ample terminal facilities there.
In fact the running powers existed by virtue of an Act of Parliament, and the intention to discontinue was unlawful, and was later dropped.
The Midland Railway decided that it did not need its own passenger station, but it did build its own goods facilities, and these opened on 4 October 1880.
With supportive co-operation from the town council, a site was found to the east of the (LNWR) passenger station, and was brought into use in August 1880.
[36] The development of collieries in the Cannock Chase area spurred the construction of the Brownhills branch, running northwards from Aldridge.
The first part was authorised in the Midland Railway (New Works) Act 13 July 1876, from Aldridge to Walsall Wood, a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs.
[37][38] A passenger service started on 1 July 1884, between Aldridge and Brownhills, with an intermediate station at Walsall Wood.
[23] Writing in 1915, Groves said that the stations on the line with the exception of Heath Town "have a considerable goods traffic in both directions.
"[29] In early 1917 sections of the two routes, Sutton Park to Aldridge on 7 January and North Walsall to Willenhall from 4 February, were converted to single track, the released materials being taken to France.
[44] Urban tram services severely affected passenger business on the lines west of Walsall, and over time the train frequency was reduced accordingly.
At the same time the section east of Walsall, running through the "leafy eastern outskirts of Birmingham"[28] remained relatively buoyant.
Enemy bombing had resulted in the blockage of the LNWR route at Willenhall, and the W&WR line provided a temporary emergency alternative.
It usefulness as a goods train route was nullified by the severing of the W&WR line near Bentley for the construction of the M6 motorway on 28 September 1964.
