South Staffordshire Railway Walk at Wombourne

Image: © Roger D Kidd Taken: 11 Nov 2012

Looking north from near Common Road Bridge. The South Staffordshire Railway Walk runs for five and a half miles from Castlecroft at the northern end to Wall Heath in the south, where it continues on to Pensnett. The northern end at Castlecroft extends through Valley Park to Oxley, Wolverhampton. The railway was built and owned by the Great Western Railway. It was started in 1912 but not completed until 1925. There were stations at Wombourne, and at Himley with a small halt at Lower Penn. The line was not successful. Passenger services were withdrawn by 1932. Goods traffic was carried after this date. Wounded D-Day soldiers were ferried to local hospitals briefly during World War II. Following 1948 nationalisation the line became part of the Western Region of British Railways. Further decline in traffic throughout the 1950s and early 1960s resulted in closure following Dr Beeching's report. The last train to run on the line was on 24th June 1965.

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