Trains at Walsall Station over the years

Walsall Station has three platforms. The Walsall to Wolverhampton via Birmingham New Street was the first one to be electrified. The line to Rugeley Trent Valley saw electrification completed by 2019. So had diesel trains before then. London Midland until 2017, then West Midlands Railway (with London Northwestern Railway trains) since then.

Birmingham New Street to Rugeley Trent Valley line

In the years before Walsall to Rugeley Trent Valley was electrified, London Midland used the Class 170 DMU's from Birmingham New Street. Mostly going via Perry Barr or sometimes via Soho and Handsworth. Trains from Birmingham stopped at platform 1, while trains from Rugeley arrived at platform 2.

London Midland 170517 seen in 2014 at Walsall Station platform 1.

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London Midland 170508 seen in 2014 at Walsall Station platform 2.

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The line was electrified between 2017 and 2019, and by the time it opened, the line was run by new franchise operator West Midlands Railway. These Class 350 EMU's would also be used by London Northwestern Railway on the lines between Birmingham New Street and London Euston or to Liverpool Lime Street. Under West Midlands Railway the trains from Rugeley Trent Valley would go beyond Birmingham New Street to Birmingham International.

London Northwestern Railway 350 266 seen in 2021 at Walsall Station platform 2.

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London Northwestern Railway 350 259 seen in 2023 at Walsall Station platform 1.

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London Northwestern Railway 350 240 seen in 2023 at Walsall Station platform 2.

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London Northwestern Railway 350409 seen in 2024 at Walsall Station platform 1.

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London Northwestern Railway 350122 seen in 2024 at Walsall Station platform 1.

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London Northwestern Railway 350409 seen in 2024 at Walsall Station platform 2.

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Wolverhampton via Birmingham New Street to Walsall line

Trains on this line always usually go via Aston, Witton and Perry Barr, and terminate at platform 3. Until 2019, it was the only platform to be electrified. Under London Midland, they used the Class 323 EMU's on the line to and from Wolverhampton via Birmingham New Street.

 London Midland 323202 seen in 2016 at Walsall Station platform 3.

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London Midland 323201 seen in 2016 at Walsall Station platform 3.

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After West Midlands Railway took over in late 2017, they replaced the Class 323's on the line with the Class 350 EMU's.

London Northwestern Railway 350 106 seen in 2018 at Walsall Station platform 3.

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From 2024 West Midlands Railway have started to introduce the new Class 730's on the line, but on my last visit to Walsall on a Sunday, they weren't running, so ended up going on the Class 350's instead (on the Birmingham New Street to Rugeley Trent Valley line). Although did travel to Smethwick Galton Bridge earlier, and caught a Class 350 to Birmingham New Street, and switched lines.

London Northwestern Railway 350 238 seen in 2024 at Smethwick Galton Bridge Station (low level) platform 4.

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Soho EMU Depot

The only place to see the Class 730's not in service in the West Midlands is at the Soho EMU depot near the Soho Loop. You can also see them from the train. Some have come into service on the Wolverhampton to Walsall via Birmingham New Street line (but I'm not sure on what days). And they are due to enter service on the Cross City Line from April 2024.

West Midlands Railway 730 006 seen at Soho EMU Depot during 2023.

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Train view of West Midlands Class 730's during 2023 from the train.

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West Midlands Railway Class 323's and Class 730's seen at Soho EMU Depot from the train in 2024.

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Photography by Elliott Brown