Where is Wolverhampton Station?

Wolverhampton Station is at Railway Drive, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LE.

 

In brief

The High Level Wolverhampton Station opened in 1852 as Wolverhampton Queen Street.  Wolverhampton Station was rebuilt in the 1960s when the West Coast Mainline was electrified. A new station building was built from 2019 and was open by 2021. There is lines from Birmingham New Street, to Shrewsbury and North Wales, and to the North West and Scotland. A tram stop opened outside of the station in 2023.

London Midland 350 231 at platform 4, Wolverhampton Station (March 2015). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Wolverhampton Station - history

The first station named Wolverhampton opened near the edge of the town centre in 1837 on the Grand Junction Railway, it was renamed to Wednesfield Heath in 1855, shortly after the current station opened, and was closed in 1873.

In 1849 the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway opened a temporary terminus to its line, close to the location of the present station.

The Birmingham Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway opened the present station in 1852, it was part of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) and was named Wolverhampton Queen Street.

In 1854 the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway (OWWR) opened a second station, locaed behind the older station on lower ground. This became known as Wolverhampton Low Level from 1856, the other became known as Wolverhampton High Level from 1885.

In 1923 the LNWR was added to the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), then in 1948 it became part of the London Midland Region of British Railways.

Due to Beeching Cuts of the 1960s, services on the former Great Junction Railway line to Walsall ended in 1965.

The station was last rebuilt from 1964 to 1967 when the High Level was completely rebuilt by architect Ray Moorcroft, as part of the modernisation programme which saw the West Coast Mainline electrified. It consisted of three platforms (1, 2 and 3).

The 1960s station entrance building to Wolverhampton Station (March 2015). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

At the time services to Shrewsury were diverted to the Low Level, these then continued to Birmingham New Street via the Stour Valley Line, rather than the ex-GWR line to Birmingham Snow Hill (that line was closed by the early 1970s).

In the 1980s a parcels siding was converted into a south facing bay platform (now platform 5).

The Iron Horse sculpture by Kevin Atherton was installed at the station in 1987, between platforms 2 and 3. Eleven other Iron Horses were installed on the line towards Birmingham New Street.

One of Kevin Atherton's Iron Horse's at Wolverhampton Station (March 2015). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

A new through platform was opened in 2004 (platform 4).

Platform 4 seen at Wolverhampton Station (July 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Management of the station was taken over by West Midlands Railway from Virgin Trains in April 2018.

West Midlands Railway at Wolverhampton Station (March 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Work to build a new station building began at the beginning of 2019. It is near Railway Drive.

Construction begins on the new Wolverhampton Station (March 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

By the end of 2019, the new station building was more or less complete, but the 1960s buildings to the right were still standing, and wouldn't be demolished until September 2020. (Delays due to the pandemic).

The new Wolverhampton Station building is almost complete (December 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The new station building was opened around September 2020, this includes the new conourse with ticket barriers.

The new concourse at Wolverhampton Station (July 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

In 2022, the Midland Metro Alliance laid more tracks on Railway Drive in front of the new Wolverhampton Station building, as well as building a one platform tram stop. There is now retailers in station including The Co-operative Food and Costa Coffee (Costa has vacated Queen's Building in Victoria Square near Piper's Row).

Wolverhampton Station (December 2022). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Victorian subway

From Wednesfield Road to the back of the station is a railway bridge dating back to 1880. To the left of the bridge, there used to be a pedestrian subway (built into a brick viaduct) with access to the station, but this was closed by 2019.

Closed subway at Wolverhampton Station (July 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Wolverhampton Station Tram Stop

Wolverhampton Station Tram Stop at Wolverhampton Station, Railway Drive, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LE

It opened on the Wolverhampton Station Metro extension in September 2023.

Wolverhampton Station Tram Stop (September 2023). Photography by Elliott Brown