Willenhall and Darlaston Stations

We're bringing rail travel back to Willenhall and Darlaston by investing £85 million in two new stations. Construction is underway, marking a major milestone in reconnecting these communities to the rail network for the first time in over 50 years.

The 2 stations at Willenhall and Darlaston were closed in 1965. Now, the population in the area has grown. The area is also being regenerated. Without a rail service, the roads are congested and journey times are long.

Latest works

Construction of the new stations is progressing at pace.

At Darlaston, the platform canopies have been installed and work is progressing on the construction of the platform surfaces. Overhead line electrification, track works and flood mitigation measures are also finished. The site compound is currently being relocated to enable construction of the station car park to continue, with drainage works set to follow shortly after.

At Willenhall, work continues on the platform plank underlayer, and the canopy structures are now in place. Highways works along Bilston Street are also progressing to support the installation of foundations for the station's lift and stair structures. In the coming weeks, platform foundation works will begin, alongside initial work on the new car park.

Project benefits

The new stations will also open up rail travel to the local community. This will have a wide range of benefits, including:

• making it easier to travel for work, education or leisure
• reduced congestion on the roads
• encouraging greener alternatives to the car
• improved station access for everyone

The project will create more than 120 jobs during construction and restore more than a hectare of brownfield land. Brownfield land is land that was used for industrial or commercial purposes in the past.

The stations

Willenhall and Darlaston will each have two platforms suitable for 4-car trains. The stations will also have:

• pedestrian footbridges, stairs and lifts
• ticket machines and information systems
• passenger help points on each platform
• secure bike parking
• car parks
• a pick-up and drop-off area

Once open, both stations will be served by a train service offering convenient connections to Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton, and other nearby stations. These frequent services will improve accessibility for commuters, leisure travellers, and local businesses.

Our partners

We’re working on this project with:

• Transport for West Midlands
• West Midlands Trains (operators of West Midlands Railway)
• Network Rail
• Department for Transport
• Walsall Council
• Kier Group, principal contractors
• SLC-AECOM Joint Venture