Soho Station

LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton

Soho station was located on the Stour Valley line and was opened on 2nd May 1853, shortly after the line opened. Soho station was originally by Muntz's French Walls Works, but by the later 1880s it had been rebuilt, to the west of Soho Street. It served the eastern part of Smethwick, and included goods sheds and sidings. The footbridge between the two platforms can be seen sited adjacent to the road overbridge with the booking office located at road level on the down side of the railway. A pathway ran down an embankment from Soho Street to the up platform. Like many stations located in heavily populated areas near to the city centre, the station attracted a large number of passengers in the period up to the start of the twentieth century but then rapidly lost out to public road transport. Not only were the trams and buses more convenient being operated on routes through the populated areas, but they were more frequent too. The decline of the station was inevitable although it did manage to survive the Second World War and to enter into the ownership of British Railways to be finally closed to passengers on 23rd May 1949.

Ref: lnwrsoho2280 TJ Edgington Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 45288 is seen waiting to depart Soho station on the last day of passenger service

Ref: lnwrsoho2199 DJ Norton A general view of Soho Station signal cabin and the station's extensive sidings seen on 5th August 1957

Ref: lnwrsoho2199a DJ Norton Close up showing Soho Station signal cabin and the sidings which could cater for up to 150 wagons

Ref: lnwrsoho2199 DJ Norton Close up of an unidentified ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 locomotive in the short headshunt opposite the goods yard

Ref: lnwrsoho1514 M Mensing Ex-LMS 0-6-0 4F No 44444 is seen starting a down freight out of Soho station's sidings in June 1961

Ref: lnwrsoho3425 LNWR Society Looking towards the rebuilt Soho Street overbridge ready for the electrification of the Stour Valley line

Ref: lnwrsoho3426 LNWR Society Smethwick poor children's FAF outing are seen waiting for a train on the up platform in 1911

Ref: lnwrsoho3434 Stations UK Looking towards Soho Street road overbridge in 1964 with little evidence below of the remains of the station

Ref: lnwrsoho3427 Anon A line of automobiles, with a number of drivers, are parked on some inlaid track in Soho goods yard

Ref: lnwrsoho3428 National Library of Scotland A 1902 Ordnance Survey map showing Soho station, its goods yard, industrial sidings and Soap Works Junction

Ref: lnwrsoho3429 National Library of Scotland A 1902 OS map showing Soho station with main building fronting on to Soho Street and its goods yard

Ref: lnwrsoho3430 National Library of Scotland A 1913 Ordnance Survey map showing Soho station, its goods yard, industrial sidings and Soap Works Junction

Ref: lnwrsoho3431 National Library of Scotland A 1913 OS map showing Soho station with main building fronting on to Soho Street and its goods yard

Ref: lnwrsoho3433 National Library of Scotland A 1938 Ordnance Survey map showing Soho station, its goods yard, industrial sidings and Soap Works Junction

Ref: lnwrsoho3432 National Library of Scotland A 1938 OS map showing Soho station with main building fronting on to Soho Street and its goods yard