The station opened in 1852. The line had passenger usage until about the early 1880s, when it began to slump at several stations, leading to the line becoming a largely freight only operation in 1887. It would remain open for goods traffic, which was considerable at this time, as the district had become highly industrialised in the then heyday of the Black Country's industrial past.
As the local industry declined and road transport became more common, the station entered a post-World War II decline.
Despite the name, and being located just 1.6 miles (2.6 km) north-east of the town centre of Dudley (which has not had its own railway station since 1964), Dudley Port station is not actually situated within the boundaries of the Borough of Dudley, but rather in the adjacent Sandwell borough. The name Dudley Port emerged during the 19th century, due to the extensive number of warehouses and wharves emerging around the Birmingham Canal to serve industries in Dudley. The area initially became known as Dudley's Port, before the title Dudley Port was adopted.[1]
Dudley Port Station was originally known as Dudley Port High Level Station, as a Low Level Station was situated on the South Staffordshire line from Dudley to Walsall, which passes beneath.
High Level was dropped from the station's name when the Low Level station closed in 1964 as a result of the Beeching Axe.
The upper level was revamped in the mid-1980s and officially re-opened by West Midlands County councillor Gordon Morgan in 1989.
Today's usage
Plaque commemorating the rebuilding of Dudley Port station's upper level in 1989
During Monday–Saturday daytime, there is a train every half hour, which calls at all stations between Wolverhampton and Walsall via Birmingham New Street. On Sundays, there is typically one train per hour between Birmingham and Wolverhampton only and a morning peak service to Crewe which calls at all stations.[2]
Three main West Midlands Railway express services used to call at this station - the first is a morning peak service from Stafford to New Street, the second evening peak service from Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury and the third was the final service from Birmingham New Street to Crewe.
Low Level station
Dudley Port (Low Level)
A picture of Dudley port station's lower level in 2001. The diagonal brick structure on the right is a former stairway.
There was a Low Level Station on the former South Staffordshire Line that had opened in 1850, which provided a rail connection from Dudley Port to Dudley railway station. The line had reasonable passenger usage until about the early 1880s, when it began to slump at several stations, leading to the line becoming a largely freight only operation in 1887. It would remain open for goods traffic, which was considerable at this time, as the district had become highly industrialised in the then heyday of the Black Country's industrial past. It closed in July 1964 as passenger services were phased out along the line due to the Beeching Axe and the blue brick station building was demolished three years later, although the railway remained open to goods trains until 1993.
Just to the north of Dudley Port Low Level was the junction for the connecting line to the GWR Snow Hill Line via Great Bridge. To the south was the junction for the short connecting line to the Stour Valley Line.
West Midlands Metro
Phase Two of the West Midlands Metro is seeing the line reopening between Walsall, Dudley Port railway station, Dudley railway station and the Merry Hill Shopping Centre for trams. The closed section of the South Staffordshire Line through Dudley is under construction and was due to re-open in 2022–2023,[3][needs update] as a Midland Metro tramway. However due to delays and cost overruns the line is expected to open as far as Dudley by 2025. The section to Brierley Hill will begin construction after the first section is complete. Funding has not yet been secured for the final section to Merry Hill.
The lower level would open as a West Midlands Metro stop.
Reopening
The Midland Metro is set to be extended from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill, with goods trains running alongside it, with the former South Staffordshire Line being reopened for this use by 2023. A new Midland Metro stop is set to be open on the site of the former Dudley Port Low Level Station. Due to cost issues, it was announced in July 2022 that the Metro will be built in two phases with the section to Dudley opening first with the extension to Brierley Hill and Merry Hill dependent on additional funding.
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