104-674: The South Staffordshire Railway (SSR) was authorised in 1847 to build a line from Dudley in the West Midlands of England through Walsall and Lichfield to a junction with the Midland Railway on the way to Burton upon Trent , with authorised share capital of £945,000. It was supported by the newly-formed London and North Western Railway (LNWR) and the Midland Railway, giving each company access to important areas. It completed its main line in 1849. As collieries in
208-542: A banqueting centre . The museums in Dudley celebrate the geological and industrial heritage of the town and the surrounding Black Country region, and its role in the Industrial Revolution . The Black Country Living Museum is an open-air living museum , which consists of reconstructed buildings from the surrounding area forming a living replica of an industrial village, with demonstrators portraying life in
312-524: A market town , Dudley was one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution and grew into an industrial centre in the 19th century with its iron, coal, and limestone industries before their decline and the relocation of its commercial centre to the nearby Merry Hill Shopping Centre in the 1980s. Tourist attractions include Dudley Zoo and Castle , the 12th century priory ruins , and the Black Country Living Museum . Dudley has
416-551: A church school from the mid-19th century, but this was closed during the 1970s and was used as a community centre for several years before being transferred to the Black Country Museum in 1989. The site of the school remained undeveloped until 2008, when work began on a new health centre. There are 11 scheduled ancient monuments in Dudley and the surrounding district, and 260 listed buildings, including 6 Grade I listed and 19 Grade II* listed buildings. The town
520-496: A distance of five miles. However the section of line presented to the Board of Trade inspecting officer for approval for passenger operation was not approved. Goods traffic (not needing that approval) started on 1 March 1850. On 1 May 1850 the line to Dudley was fully opened, the deficiencies having been rectified. This opening included an east-to-south spur enabling direct running from Bescot Junction to Dudley. The first Dudley station
624-485: A failed siege of the castle following the baron's decision to support Empress Matilda 's claim to the throne during The Anarchy . The castle provided the centre from which the town and borough grew, with early coal and iron workings helping establish Dudley as a major market town during the Middle Ages , selling not only agricultural produce, but also iron goods at a national level. Working iron and mining for coal
728-457: A gradual loss of goods and mineral business too. In 1965 a major round of passenger service closures was imposed, although the cessation of services on the Hednesford and Rugeley section was reversed from 1989. This Walsall to Rugeley service and a very short section at Lichfield are the only remaining passenger operations on the former SSR system Birmingham and the surrounding area acquired
832-686: A history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, its name deriving from the Old English Duddan Leah , meaning Dudda's clearing, and one of its churches being named in honour of the Anglo-Saxon king and saint, Edmund . Mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Dudelei , in the hundred of Clent in Worcestershire , the town was listed as being a medium-sized manor in the possession of Earl Edwin of Mercia prior to
936-560: A line that served the small communities on the way to Old Hill and Halesowen . The site was later used as a Freightliner terminal by Freightliner , until an unpopular closure on 26 September 1989. A proposal to re-open the segment of line between Dudley and Dudley Port was unveiled in December 2014, to allow for a light rail link from the town centre to the main line, but this plan was scrapped in May 2016 as Dudley Council favoured keeping
1040-478: A mile from Dudley town centre, these are Dudley Port and Tipton . They are within the town of Dudley but outside the borough boundary as parts of Sandwell are considered within Dudley Town. The nearest station to the town within the Dudley borough is Coseley. All of these stations are on the same line, served by local services operated by West Midlands Trains . The nearest regular intercity services run from
1144-645: A north-east to north-west connection was installed on 1 June 1859, connecting the SSR to the BWDR route to Wolverhampton. It was laid with mixed gauge track, but the broad gauge rails were removed on 1 April 1869. The SSR had running powers over the BW&;DR to Wolverhampton, although it is believed they were never exercised. The South Staffordshire Railway Act 1855 ( 18 & 19 Vict. c. clxxv) of 23 July 1855 gave authorisation to build from Wednesbury SSR to Darlaston on
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#17327724072791248-574: A railway before, so this was a considerable precedent. After an initial period, McClean contracted train operation to the LNWR in 1852. In 1853 James Allport became General Manager of the Midland Railway, and from that time relations between that company and the SSR became strained. Through running at Wichnor Junction was discontinued at Allport's insistence, and exchange sidings had to be built there for handing over goods wagons. A "Wichnor" passenger station also had to be built, just inside SSR territory, for
1352-506: A saloon carriage in the siding. One of the engines with steam up had attached to its tender the V crossing of the junction over which we had to pass to get to Burton... Mr Needham [the superintendent of the Midland], who had bivouacked all night in the saloon, refused to allow the LNW train to pass. On asking Mr Needham for what purpose the force of Midland men was requisitioned, he told me that it
1456-411: A significant influence within the company from the outset, but now their involvement diminished. The LNWR lease was anticipated to be for 99 years. However, in common with many other railway leases, the advantages of outright control were compelling. Moreover the LNWR feared that the Midland Railway might get control of the line, establishing a significant presence in LNWR territory. The lease continued for
1560-604: A site of special scientific interest ( SSSI ), considered to be one of the most notable geological locations in the British Isles. A part of the Much Wenlock Limestone Formation , it was heavily mined for centuries because of its large limestone deposits, and is also the location of one of the largest fossil sites in England. The town lends its name to the "Dudley locust", (also 'Dudley Bug'),
1664-460: A time, but arrangements were made to transfer the SSR company to LNWR ownership. The transfer was ratified by the London and North Western Railway (New Works and Additional Powers) Act 1867 ( 30 & 31 Vict. c. cxliv) of 15 July 1867. The SSR network was now part of the LNWR, although there were running powers protections retained for the Midland Railway. This was a double edged sword, for it gave
1768-494: A trilobite with the scientific name Calymene blumenbachii that was found in these limestone pits in 1749 by Charles Lyttleton. In the 1830s, Scottish geologist Sir Roderick Murchison visited the Wren's Nest to collect fossils as part of his research. 65% of his palaeontological evidence featured in the 1839 publication "The Silurian System" was from Dudley. 9 %26 10 Vict. Too Many Requests If you report this error to
1872-562: A triumphal journey towards Burton. In the South Staffordshire Railway Act 1847 there were powers to build from Walsall to Cannock , which was becoming an important centre of extractive industry. The SSR did not progress this work at the time, but got an extension of time in 1854. In addition a three mile branch line was now authorised from near Pelsall on the SSR Lichfield line, to Norton Canes . Although
1976-464: A wartime measure, and the line closed completely on 6 April 1981. A two-mile branch line was authorised by an act of Parliament in 1878, earlier (1855) powers having lapsed; it ran eastward from the SSR line near Pelsall to Leighs Wood colliery. The line opened on 14 November 1878, serving only a colliery and a brickworks; it closed in August 1965. A west to north curve was provided at Pleck, connecting
2080-764: A widening local area. The first railways in Birmingham had their terminals on the then eastern margin of the city, around the Curzon Street station of the Grand Junction Railway and the London and Birmingham Railway ; the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway had a terminus at Lawley Street , a little further out. In the earliest days this was acceptable; the hilly nature of the centre of Birmingham would have been difficult for early railways to approach, and interchange, particularly between
2184-648: Is expected to begin operation in 2025, connecting Dudley to Edgbaston Village in Birmingham City Centre, and to Wolverhampton station Dudley covers an area of the South Staffordshire Coalfield , which contributed heavily to its growth and industrialisation during the 18th century Industrial Revolution. North-west of the town centre lies the Wren's Nest Nature Reserve , the first British nature reserve in an urban area and
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#17327724072792288-604: Is often given as 9th April, but all that happened then was the running of a special for Directors, followed by a celebratory lunch at the George Hotel, Lichfield, attended by the mayor of the city and the High Sheriff of Staffordshire. Passenger services for ordinary mortals had to wait until 1st June. That day saw the opening of a permanent station at Walsall, on the present site... A South Staffs station at Lichfield Trent Valley opened in August, eleven months after one on
2392-511: Is the M5 , with the closest junction situated in Oldbury, 3 miles (4.8 km) south-east of the town. The nearest international airport is Birmingham Airport , around 19 miles (31 km) to the east. The nearest local airport is Wolverhampton Airport , which is about 10 miles (16 km) to the west of the town. Dudley was the terminus point of two tram routes which opened in the later part of
2496-656: Is the administrative centre of the Dudley Metropolitan Borough , governed by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council . The borough, which also includes the towns of Halesowen and Stourbridge , had a population of 312,925 as of the 2011 census. In 2012 the Dudley Metropolitan Borough made an unsuccessful bid to receive city status, losing out to Chelmsford , Perth , and St. Asaph . Dudley presently has two parliamentary constituencies , Dudley North and Dudley South , which cover
2600-464: Is the work of human extermination effected in so short a time as ... in Dudley". The report led to the installation of clean water supplies and sewage systems. Later the extensive development of council housing during the early 20th century relocated the occupants of local slum housing. Following the Reform Act of 1832 , Dudley returned one Member of Parliament (MP), a privilege first enacted in
2704-487: The 2019 general election , the current Members of Parliament (MPs) elected from these seats to the House of Commons are Marco Longhi and Mike Wood , both Conservatives . The 13th-century ruins of Dudley Castle overlook the town; it is a Grade I listed structure. Dudley Zoo is built into the castle grounds, and houses a large collection of endangered species, and also the largest collection of Tecton buildings in
2808-544: The Anglican Diocese of Worcester . Dudley Council House in Priory Road was financed by the then Earl of Dudley , and was officially opened by Duke of Kent in December 1935. Dudley Town Hall (an events venue) opened on St James's Road in 1928; it stands next to council offices which were converted from the old Police Station in 1939, after the construction of a new building on nearby New Street. Dudley
2912-508: The Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway . The "Dudley" part of the BW&DR name represented a branch line that very closely duplicated most of the SSJR route. Although this had been authorised, the BW&DR agreed to leave the SSR (as it soon became) to build it, with running powers for BW&DR trains. There was a safeguard for the BW&DR if the SSR failed to build the line promptly. The BW&DR obtained an authorising act of Parliament,
3016-489: The Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Dudley Railway Amendment Act 1847 ( 10 & 11 Vict. c. cclix) to sell its line to the Great Western Railway, and remarkably the act authorised installation of mixed gauge (standard and broad gauge) track on the BW&DR. When the line opened in 1854 local passenger trains operated on the broad gauge. The SSR intersected and was crossed by the BW&DR at Wednesbury and
3120-618: The Board of Health , before the town was eventually incorporated into a municipal borough in 1865. It became a county borough in 1888 under the Local Government Act . For many years the town (but not the castle, which was outside the boundary in Staffordshire ) formed part of an exclave of the county of Worcestershire . Despite the more recent changes in county boundaries, the town and borough still remain part of
3224-531: The Cannock region rose in importance, it built a second main line from Walsall to Rugeley , as well as numerous short spurs and connections to lines it intersected. Colliery working in the Cannock area expanded enormously, and mineral traffic carryings increased in step. In 1850 the entire company's operation was leased to a private individual, John Robinson McClean , the first time this was ever done. His lease
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3328-602: The Dudley Canal – most of which passes beneath the town in the Dudley Tunnel and is accessible only by boat because there is no towpath. The open sections of canal are popular with walkers, cyclists, fishermen, and narrowboat users. Many of the canalside towpaths have been upgraded for cycling, and some sections are part of the National Cycle Network . St James's Church at Eve Hill had
3432-530: The Merry Hill Shopping Centre . Dudley town centre has been served by a bus station at the junction of Birmingham Street and Fisher Street since 1952. The original bus station was cleared in 1984 and replaced by the current bus station, which became fully operational in 1987. The original bus station was on the slope at right angles to the current bus station. It was replaced by a "temporary car park" which remained in use until work began on
3536-522: The Norman Conquest , with William Fitz-Ansculf as Lord of the Manor in 1086. Dudley Castle , constructed in 1070 by William's father Ansculf de Picquigny after his acquisition of the town, served as the seat of the extensive Barony of Dudley, which possessed estates in eleven different counties across England. Of historical significance, the town was attacked by King Stephen in 1138, after
3640-475: The Parliament of 1295 . The town was re-incorporated as a Municipal Borough in 1865, later becoming a County Borough in 1889. Dudley was developed substantially in the early 20th century, with the construction of many entertainment venues including a theatre and cinemas, with two indoor shopping centres being added later in the century. The grounds of Dudley Castle were converted into a zoo in 1937 by
3744-819: The Sandwell & Dudley in Oldbury , which was rebuilt in 1984 to serve the two boroughs. Dudley railway station located in the town centre was closed under the Beeching cuts in 1964. It opened in 1860 on the junction between the South Staffordshire and the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton lines, and in its heyday was a hub of services east to Birmingham (via a junction at Great Bridge), Walsall and Lichfield ; north to Wolverhampton , Tipton and Coseley ; and south-west to Stourbridge , as well as
3848-477: The 16th and 17th centuries, but the advent of the Industrial Revolution began to reverse this trend. In the early 17th century, Dud Dudley , an illegitimate son of Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley and Elizabeth Tomlinson, devised a method of smelting Iron ore using coke at his father's works in Cradley and Pensnett Chase , though his trade was unsuccessful due to circumstances of the time. Abraham Darby
3952-555: The 1847 session a more modest scheme was authorised by the Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Junction Railway Act 1847 ( 10 & 11 Vict. c. cx) from the North Staffordshire Railway at Uttoxeter to Cannock, making an end-on connection with the (proposed) SSR line there. Several years passed without much progress, largely due to failure to generate share subscriptions, and attempts to bring one of
4056-454: The 18th and 19th centuries because of the increase in industry , with the main industries including coal and limestone mining. Other industries included iron, steel, engineering, metallurgy, glass cutting, textiles and leatherworking. During this time living conditions remained very poor, with Dudley being named "the most unhealthy place in the country" in 1851. Health Inspector William Lee stated that "In no other part of England and Wales
4160-534: The 19th century. The first route, linking the town with Tipton and Wednesbury, opened on 21 January 1884 operating steam trams, the route being electrified in 1907 before being closed in March 1930 and replaced by Midland Red buses along the route. The second route opened a year later, linking the town with Birmingham and heading through the centre of nearby Tividale village on the Dudley-Tipton border. This line
4264-623: The Dudley estate, now held by the Sutton family, had become severely in debt and was first mortgaged to distant relative John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland , before being sold outright in 1535. Following Dudley's execution in 1553, the estate returned to the Sutton family, during whose ownership the town was visited by Queen Elizabeth during a tour of England. In 1605, conspirators of the Gunpowder Plot fled to Holbeche House in nearby Wall Heath , where they were defeated and captured by
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4368-510: The Earl of Dudley, with buildings designed by architect Berthold Lubetkin . A reported 250,000 people attempted to visit the site upon the first day of opening. In World War II , Dudley was bombed on several occasions. On 19 November 1940 a Luftwaffe bomb demolished a public house in the town centre and damaged several nearby buildings including St Thomas's Church and the new Co-Operative department store, but there were no fatalities. However, on
4472-658: The Grand Junction Railway, now to be part of the LNWR. The SSJR got its authorising act of Parliament, the South Staffordshire Junction Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. ccc) on 3 August 1846, with permitted share capital of £525,000. At the same time, another company, the Trent Valley, Midlands and Grand Junction Railway was authorised. It was to make a line from Walsall northwards through Lichfield to join
4576-552: The Great Western Railway too was taking steps to make a presence locally. The OW&WR and the GWR were later to align with one another under the GWR name, but for the time being they were far from friendly to one another. Moreover there was a rapid development in manufacturing industry in the area. There was a huge demand for transport of raw materials in and completed goods out, and factories were established in newly developed locations . Interconnection between railways of diverse ownership
4680-587: The L&;BR and the GJR, were simplified by their proximity. As railway traffic developed, and it became clearer what the dominant traffic flows were, the limitations of this configuration became important, and led to a number of proposed changes. The earliest railways generally limited themselves to connecting pairs or small groups of major centres, but soon the benefit of amalgamations became apparent, so that larger companies serving larger areas began to develop. This led to
4784-470: The LNWR reciprocal running powers from there to Dudley. The connecting line was known as the Sedgeley Loop and it ran to a position alongside the new Stour Valley station and beyond it to form a junction with it. There was already a Low Level station at Dudley Port on the SSR main line, but the intention was to have a High Level station alongside the new Stour Valley station. However space at that point
4888-456: The LNWR, as owner of the SSR network, running powers over the Midland Railway into Burton. This was an attractive benefit, of which the LNWR intended to take full advantage. The LNWR sent a goods train to exercise the running powers to Derby via Wichnor Junction. The train found the line blocked at the junction. Neele wrote, Arriving at Wichnor Junction I was surprised to see a large number of platelayers, about, two or three engines in steam, and
4992-626: The Midland Metro extension in 2020 which will also see the current bus station demolished. Work on a replacement bus station is set to start in January 2024 with buses using stops in nearby roads for around eighteen months. Midland Red used to operate bus services in the town, mostly from its own bus depot, which opened in 1929. This depot was located on Birmingham Road and passed to West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive in 1973, along with operation of all bus services in Dudley. The depot
5096-478: The Midland Railway main line (heading towards Burton-on-Trent) at Wichnor. It too was authorised on 3 August 1846, by the Trent Valley, Midlands and Grand Junction Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cccxvi), with capital of £420,000. The two companies had been in discussion and saw there were advantages in combining, and this was allowed for in their respective acts of Parliament. Final agreement for this
5200-617: The OW&;WR enabled through working by SSR trains from Kidderminster to Birmingham via the Sedgeley loop, but this service was operationally difficult and it was discontinued south of Dudley in 1867, with only two through New Street to Dudley services each way on weekdays. The connecting service for the short run from Dudley to Dudley Port prospered; it and the Walsall trains together were nicknamed "The Dudley Dasher". The Sedgeley loop service
5304-429: The act of Parliament authorised the share capital, the company had to obtain the share subscriptions, as well as acquire the necessary land. The board decided on a modest start to construction, by building from Walsall to Bescot on the former Grand Junction Railway route. This was quickly accomplished, and the line was opened on 1 November 1847; temporary station premises were used at Walsall, south of Bridgeman Place, and
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#17327724072795408-524: The building was in use as a bingo hall until 2009, when it was purchased by Dudley Council with a view for demolition. After long public opposition the building was leased to campaigners in December 2016, with the intent to restore it to theatre use; however the lease was revoked by the council in February 2018, citing a lack of progress. It was demolished in 2023 despite a campaign to save it. The Plaza Cinema remained open until October 1990. The building
5512-465: The closure of many businesses in the town. The development of the Merry Hill Shopping Centre between 1985 and 1990 also saw the loss of most of the town centre's leading name stores, which relocated to take advantage of the tax incentives offered by Merry Hill's status as an Enterprise Zone . The 2007–2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession resulted in even more of the retail units in
5616-573: The construction of the Dudley Canal , made Dudley into an important industrial and commercial centre. The first Newcomen steam engine , used to pump water from the mines of the Lord Dudley's estates, was installed at the Conygree coal works a mile east of Dudley Castle in 1712, though this is challenged by Wolverhampton, which also claims to have been the location of the first working Newcomen engine. Dudley's population grew dramatically during
5720-489: The continuing through connection was not, apparently because of the perceived danger of working passenger trains from both east and west into the single line station. Use of the loop for trains terminating at Dudley Port started on 14 October 1853, but it was not until a connection was provided at the west end of the Stour Valley station, enabling the use of the BW&SVR platforms by through trains, that through running
5824-537: The creation of the present-day metropolitan borough , which included the nearby towns of Stourbridge and Halesowen . Dudley was struck by an F1/T2 tornado on 23 November 1981, as part of the record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak on that day. The tornado touched down in Woodsetton , subsequently passing through Dudley town centre, causing moderate damage, before dissipating. The declining industry in Dudley has given rise to high unemployment, resulting in
5928-594: The engineering of the line was relatively simple, there was a problem over the lack of a turntable at the Cannock terminus that resulted in a delay to the opening of the line, until 31 January 1858. The Norton Canes branch opened on the same day. A prospective railway company called the Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Junction Railway had tried to get parliamentary authority to build from Uttoxeter to Dudley, connecting Manchester in to its network as well by means of running powers. It had been rebuffed, but in
6032-528: The epithet The Workshop of the World , supporting a huge range of diverse manufacturing industries. As the requirements of industrial customers became more advanced, it became a feature of Birmingham industry was that one manufacturer would make the basic part of a product, and for that piece to be transferred to another manufacturer for finishing. This resulted in a very large number of increasingly specialised makers, dependent on efficient local goods transport, over
6136-415: The exchange of engines on through passenger trains. SSR passengers heading for Derby had to change at Burton. Whatever Allport's objective was, this pushed the SSR closer to the LNWR. Towards the end of the 1850s the LNWR interests worked hard to make McClean's lease unworkable; the LNWR clearly wanted to acquire the line. In 1858 McClean and the company agreed to discontinue the lease arrangement, and this
6240-787: The forces of the Sheriff of Worcestershire. During the English Civil War Dudley served as a Royalist stronghold, with the castle besieged twice by the Parliamentarians and later partly demolished on the orders of the Government after the Royalist surrender. It is also from around this time that the oldest excavated condoms , found in the remains of Dudley Castle, were believed to have originated. Dudley had become an incredibly impoverished place during
6344-436: The formation of (among others) two large groups with significant presences in Birmingham: In August 1845, the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway (OW&WR) was obtaining authorisation to build its line. This was a competitive threat to the established railways, but serious financial problems delayed the progress of the OW&WR. Eventually it became aligned with the Great Western Railway (GWR), but that remained in
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#17327724072796448-427: The future for the time being. As well as these organisational changes, practical difficulties were becoming important in handling traffic that did not start or end its journey in Birmingham, and the Curzon Street stations became a difficult obstruction to such traffic. The formation of the LNWR eliminated a competitive tension that had existed (between the London and Birmingham Railway and the Grand Junction Railway); at
6552-500: The idea was approved. The necessary powers were included in the South Staffordshire Railway Leasing Act 1850 ( 13 & 14 Vict. c. lviii). The issued capital of the SSR was calculated as £669,375 and the rent charge was to be 2% of this in the first year, amounting to £13,387 10s., doubling after the first year and increasing to 5% after 14 years. The lease between McClean and the company became effective from 1 July 1850. No individual had ever been authorised by Parliament to lease
6656-407: The large railway companies on board as a financial sponsor were also fruitless. A further reduction in scope was necessary, and the title of the Cannock Mineral Railway (CMR) was adopted. Further prevarication followed until in June 1857 the LNWR appeared as guarantor. The line was finally built, between Cannock and Rugeley only, opening on 2 November 1859; it was worked by the LNWR. A colliery line
6760-655: The line available for the now confirmed West Midlands Metro extension to Brierley Hill, then later Stourbridge . Dudley bus station is in the town centre and has many connections to surrounding towns, cities, and communities, including Birmingham, Halesowen, Smethwick , Stourbridge , Walsall, West Bromwich , and Wolverhampton, amongst others. The bus station also has coach services run by National Express , mostly to and from London or Wolverhampton . Other places served include holiday destination Blackpool , and London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports. There are also small bus stations located at Russells Hall Hospital and
6864-488: The line connected to a junction on the GJR main line, called Bescot Junction. It is probable that the first trains were operated by the LNWR using their own rolling stock. There was no station at the junction. Prior to the opening of the Walsall line, there had been a station further north-west on the GJR line called "Walsall". It was now renamed Bescot Bridge, and it was used for journeys from Wolverhampton and further north to Walsall, by changing there to road transport. Of
6968-481: The line was satisfactory, the junction connecting to the Midland Railway at Wichnor had not been installed. Wynne approved the line for passenger operation between Walsall and Lichfield, a distance of 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles. The company did not open that section at once, but waited until the remainder of the Wichnor route was ready. Wynne inspected the remainder of the line on 4 April 1849 and approved it, and it opened on 9 April 1849. However Boynton says: The date
7072-424: The main Trent Valley line below. The Midland had running rights to Walsall and the LNWR had running rights through Wichnor Junction to Burton and Derby, capital of the Midland system. The temporary Walsall station was closed and the new permanent station, described by a newspaper as "splendid" was put into use. Now the company extended its line southwards to Dudley, from a new junction off the Walsall to Bescot line,
7176-423: The main line only just completed, John Robinson McClean , the engineer to the SSR company, together with supporting business people, approached the SSR with an offer to lease the railway. The LNWR and MR were substantial shareholders and were opposed to the arrangement, fearing that the line would ally itself with competitors, but the majority of the shareholders considered that the offer was advantageous to them, and
7280-424: The main line sections originally authorised, there now remained the connection from Walsall to Wichnor Junction, joining the northward Midland Railway main line on the way to Burton: the length of this section was 17 miles. A construction contract was allocated on 17 May 1847. The work proceeded well enough, and on 1 March 1849 Captain Wynne of the Board of Trade inspected the line for passenger working. While much of
7384-422: The majority of the former urban districts of Brierley Hill and Sedgley , along with parts of Coseley , Amblecote and Rowley Regis ; an area in the eastern section of the town was also transferred into the new borough of Warley . Most of this land had been held by the Lords of Dudley, and contained within the Dudley registration district and parliamentary borough. In 1974, further reorganization led to
7488-584: The old GJR route from Bushbury to the SSR route towards Walsall. It was authorised by an act of Parliament on 28 June 1877 and opened on 1 March 1881. On the same day the Portobello curve opened, connecting the GJR route into Wolverhampton LNWR station directly from the south-east for the first time. This enabled a Walsall to Wolverhampton passenger service. It was discontinued from 1964 but reinstated from 2000 with an hourly diesel multiple unit service, but closed to passengers once again from 2008. In 1849 with
7592-527: The old GJR route. A single line opened on 14 September 1863 from the Darlaston former GJR station to Wednesbury. The Darlaston station was renamed James Bridge and a platform was provided on the Darlaston branch . The line was doubled on 22 December 1872. At first there was an intensive passenger service, of 56 daily trains; but the introduction of street-running trams practically wiped out the business and
7696-511: The passenger service was discontinued in 1887. The line was closed north of the Lloyds Works Siding at Fallings Heath on 24 December 1963; most of the rest of the line (except for a siding at the southern extremity) closed at the beginning of 1968. The 1855 act also authorised a branch from Wednesbury to a triangular junction with the Stour Valley line at Tipton , penetrating a heavily industrialised area around Princes End. There
7800-799: The passing of the Dudley Town Act 1791 ( 31 Geo. 3 . c. 79), was governed by the Court Leet of the Lords of Dudley. From 1791, the Town Commissioners were the main local authority although the Court Leet continued to meet until 1866. In 1836 the Dudley Poor Law Union was formed, consisting of Dudley itself, and the parishes of Sedgley, Tipton , and Rowley Regis. In 1853 the Town Commissioners were superseded by
7904-707: The region from that time. Work began in 2022 to recreate a typical Black Country town centre using original buildings such as the Woodside Library and replicas of other lost buildings such as the Elephant & Castle pub which stood at the junction of Stafford Street and Cannock Road in Wolverhampton. The pub, whose lower section is clad in traditional Victorian glazed tiles, opened within the museum's village in Autumn 2022. The Dudley Museum and Art Gallery
8008-528: The same night a landmine was dropped in the Oakham area of the town and demolished a section of council houses in City Road, resulting in the deaths of 10 people and injuring many others. On 12 August 1941, four people were killed when another landmine was dropped in nearby Birch Crescent. These were the only fatal air raids on Dudley. Following local government reforms in 1966, Dudley was expanded to include
8112-399: The same time the LNWR and the Midland Railway did not see themselves as direct competitors, so that a collaborative approach now seemed possible. Walsall and Dudley were important manufacturing towns, and it was to be expected that a railway connection between them would be put forward. The South Staffordshire Junction Railway was proposed to connect the two towns, with junction connections to
8216-457: The town and its surrounding area. In October 2017, proposals to revise constituency boundaries were published that would reduce Dudley to just one constituency. The town itself would be divided between multiple constituencies, including ones predominantly based in neighbouring council areas such as Wolverhampton and Sandwell . The proposals were criticised by then MP for Dudley North, Ian Austin As of
8320-458: The town centre becoming vacant, with the Woolworths store on Market Place closing in December 2008 when the company went bankrupt, and Beatties closing its store – the last department store in the town – in January 2010, after more than 40 years due to falling trade. The town had been a manorial borough from the end of the 13th century, and from at least the 16th century until
8424-673: The town centre. The Town Hall also acts as an entertainment venue, hosting dances, theatrical performances, and concerts. Until 2011, the JB's nightclub was situated on Castle Hill, after relocating from an earlier site in King Street (behind Pathfinders clothes store) in the 1990s. Claimed to have been the longest-running live music venue in the UK, the club hosted early performances by acts such as U2 , Dire Straits , and Judas Priest . It closed after going into administration and has since reopened as
8528-549: The town is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley . In the 2011 census , it had a population of 79,379. The Metropolitan Borough, which includes the towns of Stourbridge and Halesowen , had a population of 312,900. In 2014, the borough council adopted a slogan describing Dudley as the capital of the Black Country , a title by which it had long been informally known. Originally
8632-404: The world. Under proposals by Dudley Zoo, in partnership with Dudley Council, St. Modwen, and Advantage West Midlands, the zoo is to be regenerated, which will see a former freightliner site redeveloped with a tropical dome, Asiatic forest, two aquatic facilities and walkthrough aviaries. It was expected to cost £38.7 million in 2007. There are many canals in and around Dudley, the main one being
8736-597: Was a terminus north-east of Tipton Road; for a time the SSR Was the only railway with a presence in Dudley. In 1852 the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway opened its line as far as Dudley, and the South Staffordshire Railway opened a new station adjacent to the OW&WR station, but not connected to it. The OW&WR continued northwards the following year. The configuration of the two stations
8840-534: Was accomplished on 6 October, ratified by an act of Parliament, the South Staffordshire Railway Act 1847 ( 10 & 11 Vict. c. clxxxix), of 9 July 1847. The 1847 act also confirmed a change of name for the combined company, which was to be called the South Staffordshire Railway; the combined share capital was fixed at £945,000; in addition the act granted running powers over the Midland Railway from Wichnor Junction to Burton. Although
8944-476: Was being constructed in Birmingham, and as New Street station it opened fully in 1854. The Stour Valley line crossed over the Dudley to Walsall line of the South Staffordshire Railway at Dudley Port . The South Staffordshire Railway Act 1851 ( 14 & 15 Vict. c. xciv) had authorised a short connecting line to the Stour Valley line with running powers into the LNWR High Level station, and gave
9048-668: Was closed in 1993 and demolished a year later to make way for the Castle Gate roundabout, at the eastern end of the town's new southern by-pass. The island was built in 1997 and the bypass opened on 15 October 1999. Dudley is served by main roads which give a direct route to neighbouring towns. The longest of these roads are the B4176 (which runs to Wombourne, Bridgnorth and Telford ) and the A461 (which passes through Wednesbury and Walsall, finally reaching Lichfield). The nearest motorway
9152-473: Was descended from Dud Dudley's sister, Jane, and was the first person to produce iron commercially using coke instead of charcoal at his works in Coalbrookdale , Shropshire in 1709. Abraham Darby was born near Wrens Nest Hill near the town of Dudley and it is claimed that he may have known about Dud Dudley's earlier work. Dud Dudley's discovery, together with improvements to the local road network and
9256-577: Was electrified in 1904 and remained open until 30 September 1939, when it too was replaced by Midland Red buses. In 2021, a 11 km (6.8 mi) long line bringing 2 new lines of the West Midlands Metro , running from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill via Dudley, began construction to re-instate a tram service along the South Staffordshire Line , before running through the town centre and towards Merry Hill . Phase one
9360-530: Was essential in this environment, and the SSR's position cutting across the grain of many main lines resulted in the construction of a number of junctions and spurs to enable transfer traffic. The Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway was opened in 1852. Usually referred to as the Stour Valley Line , it was an affiliate of the LNWR providing a more satisfactory route between Birmingham and Wolverhampton for that company. A new central station
9464-444: Was eventually discontinued on 15 June 1964. In 1846 another line between Birmingham and Wolverhampton had been authorised, on the same day as the original South Staffordshire Junction Railway: it was the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Dudley Railway . It was nominally independent but very obviously aligned towards the Great Western Railway, which was to build towards Birmingham through the medium of another nominally independent company,
9568-542: Was extremely limited, as the Loop line was sandwiched between the Stour Valley line and the canal. Although the Sedgeley Loop and the connection to the Stour Valley line beyond were double track, the SSR station was built as a single line. The Board of Trade inspecting officer, Captain Galton , declined to allow opening of the section of line east of the station. The loop itself to the new SSR High Level station were acceptable, but
9672-426: Was formally agreed on 21 January 1858. Negotiations to agree the financial implications of the disengagement were extremely protracted, and McClean's lease terminated on 1 February 1860. He was compensated for the loss of profit for the residue of his lease; the sum was £110,099, which Boynton says, "made an already wealthy man stupendously rich". From that date the LNWR took over the lease. The Midland Railway had been
9776-598: Was formerly home to a number of cinemas and theatres, including the Criterion, Gaumont, Odeon, and Plaza. The Dudley Hippodrome was one of the largest theatres in the West Midlands, built along with the adjacent Plaza Cinema just prior to the Second World War in 1938. The 1,600-seat Art Deco venue was constructed to replace the earlier Opera House, which had burned down in 1936. After its closure in 1964,
9880-506: Was formerly located in the town centre, having first opened in 1912, but was closed by Dudley Council in 2016 as part of cost-cutting measures, despite widespread public opposition. Some of the museum collections were later relocated to a permanent exhibit at the local archives centre on Tipton Road, adjacent to the Black Country Living Museum. According to ONS, there are two railway stations in Dudley, both just over
9984-414: Was in practice as early as the 13th century. The first mention of Dudley's status as a borough dates from the mid-13th century, when Roger de Somery, then Baron of Dudley, approved of the establishment of a market in nearby Wolverhampton . An inquisition after his death further established the value and importance of the borough, with mentions of the town's growing coal industry. By the early 16th century
10088-619: Was opened on 1 February 1858 from Norton Junction to Norton Crossing Junction, a distance of 2 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles. The Cannock Chase Railway was authorised in 1860 to provide a link between the Cannock Mineral Railway and the Marquis of Anglesey's colliery interests. It ran east from Hednesford to Rawnsley , with a spur to Heathy Leasows to connect with the Littleworth Tramway. The Cannock Chase Railway
10192-623: Was opened on 7 October 1862, and was worked by the collieries themselves. A continuation of the Norton branch from Norton Crossing Junction opened on 25 April 1879. The line continued to East Cannock Junction on the Walsall to Rugeley line, forming a through route. Dudley Dudley ( / ˈ d ʌ d l i / DUD -lee , locally [ˈdʊdləi̯] ) is a market town in the West Midlands , England, 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Wolverhampton and 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Birmingham . Historically part of Worcestershire ,
10296-592: Was permitted. This started on 2 January 1854, with a through passenger service between Dudley and Birmingham. In 1852 construction of the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway reached Dudley, and was continued to Tipton in 1853. The OW&WR was merged with other railways to form the West Midland Railway (WMR) in 1860 and in turn the WMR was absorbed into the Great Western Railway by an act of Parliament of 1 August 1863. The opening of these portions of
10400-473: Was reported that the London and North Western were coming down with a body of 300 men and three engines intending to force their way into Burton, and that it had been determined to resist. Instructions came to me by telegraph: once more at the appointed time in the afternoon, a passage must be claimed. Some wiser counsels had prevailed at Derby, for when the time came, the opposing force had disappeared, and we made
10504-458: Was some delay in completing it, but it was opened on 14 September 1863. The south curve at Tipton to Tipton Station Junction was opened on 1 January 1883, and was not used for passenger traffic, except much later for diversionary purposes. A Walsall to Wolverhampton passenger service operated (to the northward curve) and its fate varied greatly, as there were better routes available for such a connection. The passenger services were withdrawn in 1916 as
10608-400: Was still unsatisfactory, and an improved station connected to the OW&WR line platforms was opened in 1859. The core main line network of the SSR was thus completed. For some time it had been obvious that the original pattern of the earlier main lines was imperfect, and steps were taken to improve matters. In addition the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway was building its line, and
10712-410: Was successful, but the London and North Western Railway wanted control of the network for its own strategic purposes, and it manoeuvred to get the SSR shareholders to transfer the lease to the LNWR; in 1867 the LNWR acquired ownership of the SSR. Short distance passenger operation in the Walsall area was always buoyant, but in the post-1945 period a decline set in, and industrial retrenchment resulted in
10816-568: Was then taken over by Laser Quest , until its closure and demolition in 1997. As of January 2017 the site remains undeveloped. The Odeon Cinema was converted into a Kingdom Hall for Jehovah's Witnesses in 1976. A present-day Odeon currently exists at the Merry Hill Shopping Centre. Dudley is currently home to a multiplex Showcase Cinema and Tenpin bowling alley, located in the Castle Gate complex north-east of
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