Abandoned Dudley Station and Tunnel

For the last in the "ideas" series, join me as I explore the area in which Dudley railway station used to be. This is a fascinating search for its prior life with a spot of its history too.
A disused line with be located on the layout, most likely coming off the Bescot scene.
Update: Baseboards are due to go up soon!
Please check out Dudley Central, a great KZbin channel which depicts Dudley station in a modern image "what if" scenario, the channel is well worth a look!
/ generaljabba
Furthermore, Sandwell Junction is now part of the Model Rail Network! You can find the Facebook group via the following link
/ modelrailnetwork
Music:
Chopin - Funeral March
• Funeral March - Chopin...
Bizet - Les Toreadors
• Les Toreadors from Car...

[@22whizzo56]

Hi - the five wooden sleepers between the concrete sleepers were to hold an expansion joint for the CWR - Continuous Welded Rail. Also, two short lengths of Bullhead rail would have been laid on their side and bolted to the five wooden sleepers to stop them moving during any expansion or contraction.

[@Wessexshire]

Last time I walked through that tunnel and into the depot area was 1993, Right after it had closed. We absolutely loved it as all the infrastructure was still in place and it felt naughty to do so. We had walked all the way from Walsall along the canal, through the Netherton tunnel and back into Dudley along that very track. That’s bought back some memories.

[@northwesttrainsmodels]

great tour of the abandoned line, doesnt look like it would take much to reopen the land looks pretty clear and luckily hasnt been built on thanks for sharing

[@davewebster8365]

Interesting video you've done there. Love seeing old photographs of how a place used to look back in its hayday to what it looks like now. Hopefully you can do a future video if the line reopens.

[@jamiecattell5580]

I think that the station and railway line will eventually re open again. They should of kept this railway line, this would reduce the amount of Lorries and cars of the road. They should do an extension to the west midlands metro so the commuters from Dudley to else where in the Black Country. It is a shame that the beautiful 1950s architecture is left to ruins. They should still use the line a a freight line as well. I think that this all of these abandoned railway lines will be in se again. I bet that station would of been a mini Bescot Yard. Very good use of classical music towards the end. Another great video!

[@sandwelljunction6337]

Absolutely, the Midland Metro and freight line is just the beginning, chances are it'll be fully connected up to the network again in the coming years.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

They’re also extended the midland metro service to merry hill shopping centre

[@NGaugeVideo]

Absolutely fascinating. Looking forwards to when they open it to the metro line and have a freight line as well. I wonder if anybody has videos of the freightliner terminal in operation in the 90's? Great Video. Thanks👍

[@yonderblue72]

It's not Sandwell station it's Dudley station before Sandwell was formed

[@sandwelljunction6337]

I don't believe that I referred to it as Sandwell Station even once.

[@tidmouthmilk12]

Very interesting video. The whole line from Stourbridge to Dudley has been a great point of interest to me since I moved to Brierley Hill about 10 years ago. I used to pass the site of Dudley station on the bus once a week when I volunteered at the canal trust and I must admit it was quite exciting to see that huge forest suddenly gone and the whole area cleared again.

[@jalcones6574]

2:02 you can see my graffitti on there, love this place! Love just walking all the way through towards tipton, I've spent almost 3 and half hours walking through the tracks it goes for so long! Highly recommend it if you're a saddo and love places like this!

[@ryanstephenkristoferkearns1319]

Brilliant video.

[@egapnala65]

Used to walk out to Wednesbury along there Sunday afternoons when I lived there. A lot of the track was fenced off by the end of my time . I think the trams now use part of the same trackbed. Also walked the other way through the tunnel and decided to turn back after meeting a junction which had a live signal working on it. Happy days.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Excellent commentary from you mate

[@johnlaw3323]

Great vlog love the old photos what a fantastic station and as y7ou say all the work and effort that went into the buildings and structures. Where will the trams and freight line go to and from?

[@dudleyblokerave]

Nice video. I live very close to there.

[@robertbate5790]

Hi, a bit late perhaps, but I have just found this video. The wooden sleepers in the flat bottom section is where a breathing switch would have been. The rail end where chamfered similarly to point blades, but laid o that the slid along their length to allow expansion and contraction. I'm not certain as to why wooden sleepers though

[@manmeetsinghmahajan6183]

Nice one and waiting for new videos.

[@petersmith5277]

Very interesting as I remember touring industrial archeology and looking over great brick walls and seeing deep empty holes. The Black County is a bit alarming when one sees so much abandoned industrial sites and railways previously so extensive. There ought to be a law so when such industrial sites are put into cleanliness and attractive viewing. I hope the use of the old railways you showed around does get used for transport. One suggestion for your video tour is a good map over the Dudley area to make it easier to visualise an overall sense and locations. Thanks

[@brainimp]

Its right next to the black Country Museum, always baffled me that they never extended their grounds and opened up part of the line to run short trips using steam locomotives, kind of like what they do with the barges on the canal taking people on trips through the tunnels and back.

[@aliendon73]

I have to tell you that flat bottom rail also gets used on wooden sleepers, using Pan11 chairs. That small section of 5 sleepers between the NTF’s (concrete sleepers) was most likely used for a scarf switch or breather as it’s more commonly known. There are not any NTF’s that can accommodate a scarf switch yet. Good video, just please refer to wooden sleepers as wooden sleepers and the same for concrete please. As this can be irritating to anyone who works on the railway watching your videos. Keep up the good work 👍

[@christopherpearson4489]

why do people use the term "train" it is a RAILWAY (line,station,bridge,) the same goes for locomotives (or engines if you like) please keep our wonderful names for things as they should be thank you .PS great piece of history.

[@DudleyCentral]

Thanks for the shout-out! Really enjoyed your video, was it difficult to get onto the site? Joe

[@sandwelljunction6337]

No worries mate. Glad you enjoyed, it was quite fun to make as I love exploring and it was great to get into the history and see the old pictures! It used to be so different! It really shouldn't have been closed down, in the 1950's and 1960's it was a really busy and profitable station. Again, in it's 2nd life as FreightLiner terminal it was one of the most profitable in the UK in 1981! The mind boggles. No, very easy to get onto... but I suspect it won't be like that for much longer, I got chatting to some workmen who were clearing the site and putting up fences, so looks like the engineering work will be starting there either this year or next. Apparently they want to reconnect the line to the main rail network, so the tram and freight line may be just the beginning.

[@helenstone9711]

Awesome video!!! Im really into photography, is there a 'good' place to access the line Dudley end?

[@sandwelljunction6337]

Thanks. Unfortunately the site is now under construction for the Midland Metro extension and has heavy security.

[@brianwilliams7783]

Did I read somewhere that Beeching's aim was to mothball, not destroy, many of the structures? Ernest Marples, the Minister for Transport in the ConservativeGovernment, took the latter decision. Apparently, he owned a road construction firm and was "best mates" with Eddie Stobart. This is why working-class people vote Tory.

[@mattpalmer6054]

Although the one tunnel goes to Wednesbury can anyone explain what the purpose was of the tunnel next to it please?

[@sandwelljunction6337]

Not entirely sure myself, perhaps the line split off into a siding. But I've no concrete information.

[@jayh9529]

Autodidactic channel 👀💸

[@keithhaynes9462]

Boston mi mon