Work begins on construction of new Willenhall station

CONSTRUCTION work for a new railway station at Willenhall in the West Midlands is underway. Teams are clearing a rubble strewn piece of waste ground on which a platform for the new station will be built. Situated on what is currently a freight only line between Wolverhampton and Bescot, when open, passengers will be able to travel to either Walsall or Wolverhampton in eight minutes and Birmingham New Street in 25 minutes. The new station is part of a £54 million project that will see the construction of a second new station at nearby Darlaston. On opening, services will consist of two trains an hour – one an hourly service from Birmingham New Street and Crewe, also calling at Wolverhampton, plus an hourly shuttle between Walsall and Wolverhampton. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands said: “People in Walsall have waited decades to see this station return, and with Darlaston to follow shortly afterwards as part of the reopened Walsall to Wolverhampton line, this really is a game-changer for the Black Country.” The project is being led by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), in collaboration with the DfT, Network Rail, West Midlands Railway, Walsall Council and Wolverhampton Council.