Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay railway station
Encyclopedia
Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay railway station was opened by the LNWR to serve the villages of Great Wyrley
and Cheslyn Hay
in Staffordshire
, England
. It also served the Bridgetown area. Bridgetown is situated on the A5 next to Churchbridge. Churchbridge is so named because the bridge over the stream which defines Great Wyrley parish boundary (Wyrley Brook) on the Watling street (now the A5) at that point, used to be maintained by the Lichfield diocese. A path existed alongside the embankment between Bridgegtown and the station for passengers. The path is over-grown and impassable at its northern end but its existence caused the building of the footbridge over the M6toll along-side the railway bridge at Churchbridge. It had originally been known as Wyrley & Churchbridge but the name was changed on 1 December 1912. The station closed on 18 January 1965 but the remains of both platforms can still be seen. There used to be a goods line to the Gilpin's Foundry which left the main line just north of 'Wyrley and Cheslyn hay Station' with a crossing next to Station Road railway bridge. The foundry used to be situated at the junction of the A5 and A34 at Churchbridge. There is now a housing estate on that site.
It was situated on the former London and North Western Railway
between Walsall
and Rugeley Town
. The station was immortalised in 1964 in the song "Slow Train
" by Flanders and Swann
.
Great Wyrley
Great Wyrley is a parish and town in South Staffordshire, England, with a population of 11,236 at the 2001 census.-Etymology:The word "Wyrley" derives from two Old English words: wir and leah. Wir meant "bog myrtle," and leah meant "woodland clearing," suggesting that Great Wyrley was, at genesis,...
and Cheslyn Hay
Cheslyn Hay
Cheslyn Hay is a former mining village in south Staffordshire, between Cannock and Walsall.Station Street is the main street with some small shops.A major employer in the village is B.S. Eaton Ltd, a manufacturer of concrete products...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, 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 also served the Bridgetown area. Bridgetown is situated on the A5 next to Churchbridge. Churchbridge is so named because the bridge over the stream which defines Great Wyrley parish boundary (Wyrley Brook) on the Watling street (now the A5) at that point, used to be maintained by the Lichfield diocese. A path existed alongside the embankment between Bridgegtown and the station for passengers. The path is over-grown and impassable at its northern end but its existence caused the building of the footbridge over the M6toll along-side the railway bridge at Churchbridge. It had originally been known as Wyrley & Churchbridge but the name was changed on 1 December 1912. The station closed on 18 January 1965 but the remains of both platforms can still be seen. There used to be a goods line to the Gilpin's Foundry which left the main line just north of 'Wyrley and Cheslyn hay Station' with a crossing next to Station Road railway bridge. The foundry used to be situated at the junction of the A5 and A34 at Churchbridge. There is now a housing estate on that site.
It was situated on the former London and North Western Railway
London 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...
between Walsall
Walsall railway station
Walsall railway station is the principal railway station of Walsall, West Midlands, England and situated in the heart of the town. It is operated by London Midland, who run all of its train services...
and Rugeley Town
Rugeley Town railway station
Rugeley Town railway station serves the town of Rugeley in Staffordshire, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland.-History:...
. The station was immortalised in 1964 in the song "Slow Train
Slow Train
"Slow Train" is a song by the British duo Flanders and Swann, written in 1963.It laments the loss of British stations and railway lines in that era, due to the Beeching cuts, and also the passing of a way of life, with the advent of motorways etc....
" by Flanders and Swann
Flanders and Swann
The British duo Flanders and Swann were the actor and singer Michael Flanders and the composer, pianist and linguist Donald Swann , who collaborated in writing and performing comic songs....
.