Wolverhampton Low Level Railway Station - Closure

Closure

Closure of the station was made likely by the West Coast Mainline electrification scheme in the 1960s which included the Stour Valley Line and a new High Level station. From late 1963 to March 1967 the Low Level saw a considerable increase in traffic, but this was only while the electrification work was in progress, and many services were temporarily diverted away from High Level.

When the Stour Valley Line reopened, the services through Low Level were quickly reduced. The last Paddington to Birkenhead express ran in March 1967, and in 1968 Shrewsbury services switched to the High Level. By 1970, the only services left running from Low Level were local trains to Birmingham Snow Hill. This service ceased in 1972.

In 1970, the station was converted to a Parcels Concentration Department. Much of the trackwork was removed, the north signal box was demolished and the platforms were greatly modified. It opened on 6 April 1970 and was very successful, handling up to 8,000 parcels each day.

However, British Rail's policy on parcel handling soon changed, and the station was closed on 12 June 1981.

The building was listed as Grade II on 25 March 1986. It remained as the British Rail Divisional Engineer's Department until it was purchased by Wolverhampton Council in May 1986, who immediately renovated and preserved the exterior. Meanwhile, the route of the trackbed between Bushbury and Birmingham Snow Hill was preserved in case of future reopening of the line.