Rails In Wolverhampton - The Early Years

by Bev Parker

Wolverhampton's Temporary Station

The Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railway was forced to build a temporary station in Wolverhampton because work was still in progress on Queen Street station (High Level) and the Stour Valley Line. Some confusion has occurred over the years as to the location of this building, many people have speculated that it was situated on the Stafford Road site. In reality the station located there was only for goods, the railway company needed a site that was much closer to the town centre. The station was built between the railway line and the Union Inn on Wednesfield Road, by the side of what is now Broad Street Basin.

A single platform was built on top of the embankment, and the station was accessed via a walkway down the embankment. A loading area, possibly for carriages was reached via two tracks at the rear of the building.

The contract for the construction of Queen Street station was placed in July 1849 and the temporary station opened on 12th November of that year.

Work on Queen Street station was delayed because a decision was made to divert the canal.

It was later sold to the Shropshire Union Canal Company for use as a stable block and
general storehouse.

It was demolished in the mid 1970's at the same time as the Union Inn, when Broad Street Basin was redeveloped during the building of the
ring road.