Station code DDP DfT category E | Grid reference SO967918 Managed by London Midland 2011/12 0.383 million Number of platforms 2 | |
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Dudley Port railway station is located in the Tipton area of the borough of Sandwell, near the boundary with the town of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England. It lies on the Stour Valley Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland. Services operated by Virgin Trains, CrossCountry and Arriva Trains Wales regularly pass the station but do not stop there.
Contents
History
The station opened in 1852. The line had passenger usage until about the early 1880s, when it began to slump at several stations, leading to the line becoming a largely freight only operation in 1887. It would remain open for goods traffic, which was considerable at this time, as the district had become highly industrialised in the then heyday of the Black Country's industrial past.
As the local industry declined and road transport became more common, the station entered a post-World War II decline.
Despite the name, and being located just 1.6 miles (2.6 km) north-east of the town centre of Dudley (which has not had its own railway station since 1964), Dudley Port station is not actually situated within the boundaries of the Borough of Dudley, but rather in the adjacent Sandwell borough. The name Dudley Port emerged during the 19th century, due to the extensive number of warehouses and wharves emerging around the Birmingham Canal to serve industries in Dudley. The area initially became known as Dudley's Port, before the title Dudley Port was adopted.
Dudley Port Station was originally known as Dudley Port High Level Station, as a Low Level Station was situated on the South Staffordshire line from Dudley to Walsall, which passes beneath.
High Level was dropped from the station's name when the Low Level station closed in 1964 as a result of the Beeching Axe.
The upper level was revamped in the mid 1980s and officially re-opened by West Midlands County councillor Gordon Morgan in 1989.
Services
Dudley Port is served by London Midland's services between Walsall and Wolverhampton, under a franchise agreement with the Department for Transport.
During Monday–Saturday daytime, there is a train every half hour, which calls at all stations between Wolverhampton and Walsall via Birmingham New Street. On Sundays, there is typically one train per hour between Birmingham and Wolverhampton only.
Three main London Midland express services call at this station - the first is a morning peak service from Stafford to New Street, the second evening peak service from Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury and the third is the final service from Birmingham New Street to Crewe.
History
There was a Low Level Station on the former South Staffordshire Line that had opened in 1850, which provided a rail connection from Dudley Port to Dudley railway station. The line had reasonable passenger usage until about the early 1880s, when it began to slump at several stations, leading to the line becoming a largely freight only operation in 1887. It would remain open for goods traffic, which was considerable at this time, as the district had become highly industrialised in the then heyday of the Black Country's industrial past. It closed in June 1964 as passenger services were phased out alone the line due to the Beeching Axe and the blue brick station building was demolished three years later, although the railway remained open to goods trains until 1993.
Today's usage
It is an overgrown and fenced-off pile of rubble, with a scrap dealership on one forecourt and a small office on the other.
Midland Metro
Phase Two of the Midland Metro will see the line reopening between Walsall, Dudley Port railway station, Dudley railway station and the Merry Hill Shopping Centre for trams on one track and for freight on the other. The closed section of the South Staffordshire Line through Dudley is expected to re-open during the 2010s, as a combined Midland Metro tramway and a heavy rail line for goods trains. The Lower Level station would re-open as a Midland Metro tram stop, sharing its track with goods trains.
Reopening
The Midland Metro is set to be extended from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill, with goods trains running alongside it, with the former South Staffordshire Line being reopened for this use by 2023. A new Midland Metro stop is set to be open on the site of the former Dudley Port Low Level Station.