page_title: Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
section_title: Opening of the line
hierarchical_section_title: Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway / Opening of the line
caption_attribution_description: English: Wolverhampton railways, England, in 1849
context_page_description: The Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway was authorised in 1846. It agreed to joint construction with others of the costly Wolverhampton to Birmingham section, the so-called Stour Valley Line. This work was dominated by the hostile London and North Western Railway, which used underhand and coercive tactics. The section between Shrewsbury and Wellington was also built jointly, in this case with the Shropshire Union Railway.
  The S&BR opened from Shrewsbury to its own Wolverhampton terminus in 1849. The Stour Valley Line was still delayed by the LNWR, but the S&BR eventually got access to it in 1852. By this time it was obvious that the LNWR was an impossible partner, and the S&BR allied itself to the Great Western Railway, which reached Wolverhampton in 1854. The S&BR merged with the GWR in 1854. With the S&BR and other absorbed railways, the GWR obtained a through route between London and the River Mersey at Birkenhead, and to Manchester and Liverpool by the use of running powers.
context_section_description: Oakengates tunnel, 471 yards, took some time to complete; although it was short, it was to be bored through solid rock. 
  The S&BR opened its line as far as from Shrewsbury to Oakengates station, as well as the joint line on 1 June 1849. The LNWR opened its line from Stafford, joining the joint line at Wellington, on the same day. The rest of the S&BR through to a temporary station at Wolverhampton was opened on 12 November 1849. The Wolverhampton station was a small affair immediately south of the Wednesfield Road. It was at this stage not connected to any other railway, so one platform was enough for the passenger business.
caption: Wolverhampton railways in 1849
exif: {}