Many of you will know where the old Tettenhall railway station is. Today it is home to Cupcake Lane cafe with the nearby former goods shed hosting the Tettenhall Transport Heritage Centre. Recently, South Staffordshire MP and Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, has called for a new Tettenhall railway station. The MP claims it would bring ‘many economic benefits’ to the area.
A new railway station at Tettenhall would not be near the Tettenhall village area. The former railway station at Tettenhall is situated off Henwood Road in an area that is today part of the Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve. The line here closed to passengers in 1932. A station in the Tettenhall area would have to be situated on the existing line between Wolverhampton and Bilbrook. The proposed new station has been backed by prospective MP for Wolverhampton South West, Stuart Anderson and Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street. Letters were posted in the local area in an attempt to discover what sort of support a new station would have.
Where could a new Tettenhall railway station be located?
There are at least two possible locations for a new Tettenhall railway station, though both call into question the use of the Tettenhall name as they would be over a mile from Tettenhall village. The first potential spot is the one that has been used by Stuart Anderson and Andy Street in promotional photographs. This is near the bridge over the railway line at Barnhurst Lane / Pendeford Avenue, close to Aldersley High School. There is space for a small station here, if it was similar to the two platforms at nearby Bilbrook. A station here would be 1.20 miles along the track from Bilbrook Railway Station and approximately 2.67 miles from Wolverhampton Railway Station. It would serve the area well, with an immediate catchment area including Claregate to the south, Palmers Cross to the west and Barnhurst (Dovecotes estate) to the north.
Another possibility is near the bridge that separates Oxley Moor Road and Aldersley Road at Blakeley Green. There is a field to the south of the bridge that forms the northern boundary of Aldersley Leisure Village.This land is likely owned by City of Wolverhampton Council. A station here would be approximately 2.15 miles from Wolverhampton Railway Station and 1.74 miles from Bilbrook Railway Station. This would be closer to a central distance between the two. There is good space here for a car park and there are less properties in the immediate area. This might mean less chance of objections should a station reach the planning stage. A station here would also link well to the Stafford Road and Oxley / Bushbury area.
The two possible locations aren’t far from each other – only around 857 metres in a straight line.
Would ‘Tettenhall Railway Station’ be an appropriate name?
Something that has been raised on social media is whether the station should be called ‘Tettenhall’. The line between Wolverhampton and Bilbrook runs well over a mile away from Tettenhall village. This question about possible names was posed by Stuart Anderson in his consultation letter to local residents. If not Tettenhall Railway Station, other options, depending on location of the proposed station include:
- Aldersley Railway Station
- Claregate Railway Station
- Barnhurst Railway Station
- Blakeley Green Railway Station
- Aldersley & Claregate Railway Station
- Palmers Cross Railway Station
Is there a need for a new station when there are adequate bus services?
A further question posed is whether there is a need for a new railway station when there are adequate bus routes in place. The National Express Number 6 bus route between Wolverhampton and Wobaston calls at both proposed sites for a new railway station. The number 5 Wolverhampton to Codsall passes nearby.
A bus between Wolverhampton and Barnhurst Lane takes around half an hour at rush hour. This length can be because the bus often gets caught on the narrow section of Aldersley Road near the junction that meets Lowlands Avenue and Hordern Road. Another issue is that National Express only use single decker buses on this route. This leads to over full buses during peak times that cannot allow any more passengers to board. The number 5 to Codsall stops at Claregate island at its nearest to the locations proposed for a possible new station.
A new station on this line would see the journey to Wolverhampton or back at around 5 minutes. The journey is between Wolverhampton and Bilbrook is 6 minutes.
What are your thoughts? Is a new railway station needed here? If so, where should it be located and what should it be called?
It’s a fantastic idea. It’ll take loads of traffic off the roads at peak times and therefore there will be less pollution. I think either position would be good but it would concern me about traffic build up on Aldersley Road where it goes to one lane underneath the bridge. If it’s by Barnhurst Lane it would be great for students travelling to Aldersley high from the town centre and will open the school up to people who want to attend but find it un accessible at the moment because of the bus routes. For me it can’t come quick enough, I love the idea.
Oxley moor , Blakeley green best location as parking will be available.. can’t come quick enough save money on taxis , parking , also help me travel to from work
Either will do but Blakeley Green seems like the better option unless other proposals are put forward.
I think there is a need, plus it’s not just about getting to Wolverhampton. I’d like to be able to get to other places beyond Bilbrook more quickly, such as Codsall, Albrighton, Telford and Shrewsbury if at Bathurst and if the other location also makes the Stafford area more accessible too, then that’s even better. I used to live in Bilston with easy tram access to Birmingham, a train more locally would help me get there too. I’ve often said there could be a station where the Barnhurst location is. How long will it take to materialise though, wherever it goes?
A trip to Wales from the area would be nice. A concerted effort to back to proposals may be needed.
It’s only just over a mile for Bilbrook station and a trip to Wales
The Barnhurst one is too close to the Bilbrook stop…..this is a train, not a bus. If there has to be one at all it needs to be at Blakeley Green, better parking, less noise pollution. Major disadvantage is that it will end at Wolverhampton station which is not convenient for everyone, especially those with mobility issues and/or small children, whereas the bus drops people off at various different points across Wolverhampton. No, it’s a nonsense to even think of calling it Tettenhall station, it will serve a different locality.
Both locations are in wv6 post code area which is the original Tettenhall Borough before taken over by Wolverhampton in 1963. Although a mile from the village centre the name Tettenhall is more recognizable outside Wolverhampton than say Blakely Green or Palmer’s Cross. Just saying!
It is more recognisable – but if it were to be named so, people would have a surprise when they got off and were around a mile or more away from the village. Aldersley might work, especially if it’s near to the grounds of the leisure village, which is of course known these days for the darts and shows it has hosted.
The opening of the railway that linked Baggeridge with Oxley was a lengthy affair and only served as a passenger railway between 1925 and 1932, although contractors trains did carrying patients to the hospital at Tettenhall during the First World War. The main purpose of the railway was freight. Having a station to serve the community is some thing to be considered, but the location of the new proposed station is a long distance from Tettenhall. It may have a value for car parking, however and enable people to reach places such as Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham by train. Should a station be constructed there, the most likely service provider would be West Midlands Trains, I suppose.
Monday’s (15 February 2021) Express and Star article “West Midlands Mayor’s pledge on new train station” still talking about a new station for Tettenhall “The West Midlands Mayor said opening up a station at Tettenhall was his “next ambition, with a funding bid for the scheme due to be submitted to Ministers this week.” Is this an attempt to boost property prices in Tettenhall at the expense of places closer to the railway? There is no way Tettenall is an accurate name.
I would be very concerned about the potential station being near Aldersley and Palmers Cross schools. The area there is very busy at school start and end times. I can’t see where any parking could be other than on residential streets. Also only one side of the road has a footpath and has to have someone to cross children and families over the road as it’s not a safe place to cross the road. It doesn’t seem a very safe place to site any potential station.