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Willenhall Station?

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Alex 2901

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After a discussion with a friend earlier, he seems to be of the belief that a rail station in Willenhall will be opened in 2017, with his description of it suggesting that it will be an island platform.

Is there any truth in this, and if so, which bits?
 
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Harbornite

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After a discussion with a friend earlier, he seems to be of the belief that a rail station in Willenhall will be opened in 2017, with his description of it suggesting that it will be an island platform.

Is there any truth in this, and if so, which bits?

I wasn't aware of this, although I was aware of long-term intentions to reopen the station here. The lack of a station here was one of the reasons why the direct Walsall- Wolverhampton service was a flop. Anyway I did a quick search and the most recent article is from October 2015

Three years ago a proposal was unveiled for a £4million station with two platforms and car park in Bilston Street, but no firm plans have since been put forward.

But the station could form part of a five-year action plan by Walsall Council to regenerate the town. The station would provide a boost for the case for reinstating a train line from Wolverhampton to Walsall.

Cabinet members are to be asked to support proposals to draw up the programme of 'targeted regeneration' for the town at a meeting next week.

It will include allowing officers to research sites and previous regeneration in the town so they can draw up a potential work programme.

Simon Tranter, the council's head of regeneration development and delivery, said: "Such activities could include revisiting land owner and business engagement, tackling derelict and underutilised properties, progressing delivery of a new railway station, or exploring the use of regulatory powers such as a simplified planning regime or acquisition/compulsory purchase."

In the report to cabinet chiefs, Mr Tranter said that 'whilst Walsall town centre and other district centres across the borough continue to thrive and prosper from investment and development activities, Willenhall’s distinct heritage and mixed land uses still present opportunities to boost the economy, development and environment of the area'.

Under the proposals, officers would gather information on land ownership and future plans for sites, identify key businesses and find out which firms are looking to expand.

They would also research key priorities for the town such as delivering an improved market, according to the report.

The findings would be reported back to cabinet bosses together with a programme of 'targeted regeneration activity' covering a period of up to five years.

The report is due to go before Walsall Council's cabinet at a meeting on Monday.




http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/10/13/4m-willenhall-train-station-still-in-pipeline/
 

The Planner

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Id like some of whatever they are smoking, as nothing is happening at Willenhall for a long time, if ever.
 

Ianno87

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As alluded to in the article, there is the small matter of a lack of a passing train service to call at said station...
 

bluenoxid

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It keeps coming up as part of long term visions, etc. Potentially Aldridge has got more chance.
 

Heartland

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I believe the lack of a station at Willenhall was detrimental to the Wolverhampton- Walsall Service when run by Central, but a longer train journey would be of assistance. As suggested Lichfield or Burton.
 

RichmondCommu

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I believe the lack of a station at Willenhall was detrimental to the Wolverhampton- Walsall Service when run by Central, but a longer train journey would be of assistance. As suggested Lichfield or Burton.

Would there be room in the timetable for a train to terminate at Burton?
 

The Planner

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If it was an extension of the Wolves Walsall service then no, you couldn't do it, even if you went via Sutton Park. If it was an extension of the Cross City and you popped out at Wichnor then you could probably do it.
 

HowardGWR

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Is not the Wiliam Harper Road closer (walking distance) to housing near there? Just looking at the map as a stranger. I don't understand the Planner's point at all. It does not seem to be the line to which he refers. Wichnor seems to be in the middle of nowhere.

Perhaps a suggested trajectory could help?
 

Mr Fizz

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If a station at Willenhall were to materialise, couldn't the current Wolves-Walsall service be extended back to Wolves to complete the 'loop' as it were and operate a 'circular' service starting and finishing at New St? I know the driver would have to swap ends at Walsall and Wolves though!
 

AndyW33

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Is not the Wiliam Harper Road closer (walking distance) to housing near there? Just looking at the map as a stranger. I don't understand the Planner's point at all. It does not seem to be the line to which he refers. Wichnor seems to be in the middle of nowhere.

Perhaps a suggested trajectory could help?

Oh, Wichnor is indeed in the middle of nowhere and nobody is suggesting that trains stop or terminate there. Nowadays it is just a junction between the Birmingham-Derby main line and the freight-and-diversions-only extension of the Cross City line north-east from Lichfield Trent Valley. The Planner was responding to a suggestion that trains through a revived Willenhall station should be extended from Walsall to Burton. Back in the 1960s and previously there was a passenger service from Walsall to Burton via Lichfield and Wichnor Junction.
As The Planner knows, and the poster who made the suggestion obviously doesn't, the track on the line that linked Walsall (at Ryecroft Junction) with Lichfield was lifted some years ago.
 

HowardGWR

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I see now (with the the help of the map) thanks AndyW33. Could not trains reverse at Bescot Stadium and then you could have Wolves, Willenhall, Bescot, Walsall, Aldridge (etc)?
 

The Planner

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No, would be an utter nightmare to do for the sake of one stop, and as I said before you wouldnt fit a train to Burton in going that way.
 

Heartland

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I was thinking of Wichnor Junction as a route to Burton. There is probably space at Burton to make a cut into the vast single platform to make a bay.

The basis of this thought is for any new service to succeed a number of stations could be brought into the network again. In this case Willenhall, Pelsall, Brownhills & perhaps a station between Lichfield TV and Wichnor. Whilst passengers travelling between Wolverhampton or Walsall have to change at Birmingham there are benefits from a direct service. Also by putting Pelsall and Brownhills back onto the network would increase the potential of travelling numbers.

In the days of BR such a notion would be hard to sustain without local authority funding, and now too, most likely. Whether such a notion is practical remains to be seen.
 

Richard_B

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Sounds like everything on the railway.. If shaking the magic money tree works it'll work !
 
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