Wolverhampton Low Level railway station
Encyclopedia
Wolverhampton Low Level was a railway station on Sun Street, in Springfield
, Wolverhampton
, England
.
It was built by the Great Western Railway
, on their route from London (Paddington)
to Birkenhead
via Birmingham (Snow Hill)
. It was the most northerly broad gauge
station on the Great Western network.
station was renamed as Wolverhampton High Level
The station was converted to standard gauge
in 1869, and remained basically the same until 1922, when new booking office was built within the booking hall, and a new telegraph department was added to the stationmaster's office. The platforms were extended and the passenger footbridge was replaced. The overall roof had corroded badly and was replaced with standard GWR platform canopies.
In July 1939, an Irish Republican Army bomb exploded at the station, wrecking the parcels office area.
and a new High Level station. From late 1963 to March 1967 the Low Level saw a considerable increase in traffic, but this was only while the electrification work was in progress, and many services were temporarily diverted away from High Level.
When the Stour Valley Line reopened, the services through Low Level were quickly reduced. The last Paddington to Birkenhead
express ran in March 1967, and in 1968 Shrewsbury
services switched to the High Level. By 1970, the only services left running from Low Level were local trains to Birmingham Snow Hill. This service ceased in 1972.
In 1970, the station was converted to a Parcels Concentration Department. Much of the trackwork was removed, the north signal box was demolished and the platforms were greatly modified. It opened on 6 April 1970 and was very successful, handling up to 8,000 parcels each day.
However, British Rail
's policy on parcel handling soon changed, and the station was closed on 12 June 1981.
The building was listed as Grade II on 25 March 1986. It remained as the British Rail Divisional Engineer's Department until it was purchased by Wolverhampton
Council in May 1986, who immediately renovated and preserved the exterior. Meanwhile, the route of the trackbed between Bushbury
and Birmingham Snow Hill was preserved in case of future reopening of the line.
In 1999, the Midland Metro
tram
way opened, using most of the GWR route between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, but this turns towards the centre of Wolverhampton to run along the A41 Bilston Road
before reaching Low Level.
Redevelopment of the Low Level station site began in 2006, retaining the main station building (which is a listed building) whilst the remainder of the station, including the former main southbound platform is being demolished to make way for a 'mixed use' retail, hotel and residential development. This redevelopment of the station is now (Jan 2009) mostly complete. The station building itself was destined to become a casino. This has now fallen through. http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/12/26/low-level-station-casino-in-doubt/
The station (now restored) is currently home to an Art Gallery, although this is due to end 31st July 2010.http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/07/31/low-level-to-become-art-gallery/
Springfield, Wolverhampton
Springfield is an area of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom near the city centre, currently undergoing major redevelopment.Landmarks within the district include the site of Wolverhampton Low Level railway station, and the disused Springfield Brewery that made Springfield Bitter from 1873 to 1991....
, Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It was built by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
, on their route from London (Paddington)
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
to Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
via Birmingham (Snow Hill)
Birmingham Snow Hill station
Birmingham Snow Hill is a railway station and tram stop in the centre of Birmingham, England, on the site of an earlier, much larger station built by the former Great Western Railway . It is the second most important railway station in the city, after Birmingham New Street station...
. It was the most northerly broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
station on the Great Western network.
History
It opened in 1854, although work on the station's construction was not completed until late 1855. The station was initially called Wolverhampton Joint and was renamed to Wolverhampton Low Level in April 1856, at the same time as the nearby London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
station was renamed as Wolverhampton High Level
Wolverhampton railway station
Wolverhampton railway station in Wolverhampton, West Midlands is on the West Coast Main Line. It is served by London Midland, CrossCountry, Virgin Trains and Arriva Trains Wales.-History:...
The station was converted to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
in 1869, and remained basically the same until 1922, when new booking office was built within the booking hall, and a new telegraph department was added to the stationmaster's office. The platforms were extended and the passenger footbridge was replaced. The overall roof had corroded badly and was replaced with standard GWR platform canopies.
In July 1939, an Irish Republican Army bomb exploded at the station, wrecking the parcels office area.
Closure
Closure of the station was made likely by the West Coast Mainline electrification scheme in the 1960s which included the Stour Valley LineRugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line
The Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford Line is a railway line in central England. It is a loop off the West Coast Main Line between Rugby and Stafford via the West Midlands cities of Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton.-Places served:The cities, towns and villages served by the line are listed...
and a new High Level station. From late 1963 to March 1967 the Low Level saw a considerable increase in traffic, but this was only while the electrification work was in progress, and many services were temporarily diverted away from High Level.
When the Stour Valley Line reopened, the services through Low Level were quickly reduced. The last Paddington to Birkenhead
Birkenhead Woodside railway station
Birkenhead Woodside was a railway station at Woodside, in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England.-Background:Birkenhead Woodside railway station was opened on 31 March 1878 to replace the increasingly inadequate passenger facilities provided at Birkenhead Monks Ferry station.It was built...
express ran in March 1967, and in 1968 Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
services switched to the High Level. By 1970, the only services left running from Low Level were local trains to Birmingham Snow Hill. This service ceased in 1972.
In 1970, the station was converted to a Parcels Concentration Department. Much of the trackwork was removed, the north signal box was demolished and the platforms were greatly modified. It opened on 6 April 1970 and was very successful, handling up to 8,000 parcels each day.
However, British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
's policy on parcel handling soon changed, and the station was closed on 12 June 1981.
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
Council in May 1986, who immediately renovated and preserved the exterior. Meanwhile, the route of the trackbed between Bushbury
Bushbury
Bushbury is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It lies two miles north-east of Wolverhampton city centre, divided between the Bushbury North and Bushbury South and Low Hill wards.- Place name and history :...
and Birmingham Snow Hill was preserved in case of future reopening of the line.
Redevelopment
During the 1980s and 1990s, there were several proposals for redevelopment of the site, including re-opening the station and converting the station into a transport museum, but none came to fruition.In 1999, the Midland Metro
Midland Metro
The Midland Metro is a light-rail or tram line in the West Midlands of England between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury. It is owned and promoted by Centro, and operated by West Midlands Travel Limited, a subsidiary of the National Express Group , under...
tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way opened, using most of the GWR route between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, but this turns towards the centre of Wolverhampton to run along the A41 Bilston Road
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
before reaching Low Level.
Redevelopment of the Low Level station site began in 2006, retaining the main station building (which is a listed building) whilst the remainder of the station, including the former main southbound platform is being demolished to make way for a 'mixed use' retail, hotel and residential development. This redevelopment of the station is now (Jan 2009) mostly complete. The station building itself was destined to become a casino. This has now fallen through. http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/12/26/low-level-station-casino-in-doubt/
The station (now restored) is currently home to an Art Gallery, although this is due to end 31st July 2010.http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/07/31/low-level-to-become-art-gallery/