A Birmingham Snow Hill is seen standing at the south-east end of the down platform at Wolverhampton Low Level station shortly before passenger services were withdrawn in 1972. Parcels vans can be seen standing at the up platform. Photo by Ian Baker

Prior to the final closure of Wolverhampton Low Level it was converted into a parcels depot. The line between the north of the station and Cannock Road Junction closed in 1969 and was lifted. The north end of the station was then converted into a hard standing and loading area. There were alterations to the station and track layout and the depot opened on 6 April 1970. It served an area stretching between Lichfield and Kidderminster and at its height it was handling 8000 parcels per day.

The BR[LMR] timetable for the summer of 1971 showed six departures and six arrivals Monday-to-Friday with an extra train in each direction on Saturdays.

On 6 March 1972 the Snow Hill service was ‘suspended’. It was never reinstated and the main line towards Birmingham was closed and lifted. This left only the former MR connection to the Walsall line.

The signal box was closed after the last passenger trains had left.

Parcels trains worked in from the former MR line via Heath Town Junction. There was a fleet of nearly 50 road vans to serve the depot and it became so successful that extra sidings had to be laid.

Despite the success of the depot a change in the BR parcel handling policy led to the Wolverhampton Low Level depot being closed on 1 June 1981. The Engineers’ Department continued to use it until May 1986 which was shortly after the station had been given Grade II listed status.

After BR had departed from the site the link to the Walsall line was lifted and Wolverhampton City Council purchased the site. The station then lay derelict for many years while a number of proposals were made for its use. It was considered as a terminus for the Midland Metro and as a transport museum.

In 2005 a £30 million development proposal was agreed. The station’s original building was restored and new facilities including a hotel and a retail area were provided. The development was completed by 2014.

Tickets from Michael Stewart and route map by Alan Young

To return to main page click here