# Dudley Port railway station

Dudley Port railway station serves the Dudley Port and Great Bridge areas of Tipton, West Midlands, England. Situated on both the Stour Valley Line and Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line, the station is operated by West Midlands Railway.

## Upper Level station
### History

The station opened in 1852. 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 Borough of Dudley, but in Sandwell. The name Dudley Port emerged during the 19th century, due to the many warehouses and wharves being built along the Birmingham Canal. The area initially became known as Dudley's Port, before the title Dudley Port was adopted.
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. The previous arrangement of one side platform, and one island platform (the bay serving the branch to Dudley Town) was demolished and the station today consists of a singular island platform situated between the running lines.
The station's facilities have been criticised by local residents and local officials alike since seating arrangements are within a bus shelter on the platform, and the ticket office is actually situated within a shipping container.

### Today's usage
#### Services

Dudley Port is served by West Midlands Railway services between Walsall and Wolverhampton, under a franchise agreement with the Department for Transport.
During Monday–Saturday daytime, there is a train every half hour, which calls at all stations between Wolverhampton and Walsall via Birmingham New Street. The first service of the day extends from Walsall to Rugeley Trent Valley, as well as one late evening service. On Sundays, there is typically one train per hour between Walsall and Wolverhampton, with some additional morning/evening peak services that start/terminate at Birmingham New Street.
Three main West Midlands Railway express services used to call at this station - the first a morning peak service from Stafford to New Street, the second an evening peak service from Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury and the third the final service from Birmingham New Street to Crewe.
Previously, Dudley Port was considered the main intermediate station between Birmingham and Wolverhampton due to being formed on two levels and being the junction to Dudley Town. This status was transferred to Sandwell and Dudley station as Dudley Port's junction status was removed with the closure of the low-level platforms and a large car park being built at Sandwell and Dudley.
| Preceding station | National Rail | National Rail | National Rail | Following station |
| Sandwell & Dudley | | West Midlands Railway Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line | | Tipton |
| | Disused railways | Disused railways | Disused railways | |
| Dudley | | Great Western Railway Birmingham Snow Hill–Dudley Branch (1866–1964) | | Great Bridge South |
| Dudley | | South Staffordshire Railway Later LNWR, then LMS, finally BR South Staffs Line (1850–1964) | | Great Bridge North |

## Low Level station
### History

The Low Level Station stood on the former South Staffordshire Line opened in 1850, which connected Dudley Port with 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 remained open for goods traffic, which was considerable at this time, as the district had become highly industrialised in the Black Country's heyday. 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.

### Services

The low level station would generally see local stopping services between Dudley Town and Walsall. Great Western Railway services to Birmingham Snow Hill via Great Bridge ran through, but did not stop. Services from Birmingham New Street to Dudley generally ran via the Sedgeley curve and the high level platforms, however some of these services did run via Walsall and Bescot, using the low level platforms.

### Reopening as West Midlands Metro

vteWest Midlands Metro Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension :
Legend :
Phase Two of the West Midlands Metro will see the line reopening to carry trams between Walsall, Dudley Port Lower Level, Dudley railway station and the Merry Hill Shopping Centre. The closed section of the South Staffordshire Line through Dudley is under construction and was due to re-open in 2022–2023,. 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.