LMS Route: Grand Junction Railway
LMS Route: Birmingham - Soho Road - Perry Barr - Birmingham

Witton Station

Witton station opened in two phases: to passengers on 1st May 1876 and for goods in 1887. It was built by the LNWR on the former Grand Junction Railway line which ran between Vauxhall, later Curzon Street, to the original Wolverhampton station re-named Wednesfield Heath in 1855. The layout of the station was the conventional two platform faces, opposite each other, with the up and down main lines between them, Access to the station was via Station Road which ran from Witton Lane and via two paths, one to each platform, from Brookvale Road. On the Railway Clearing House (RCH) map - the RCH was the organisation that managed the process of goods and passengers travelling by two or more railway company's routes - the passenger station was marked '(for Villa Grounds)'. This was the first reference to a sporting activity associated with the station but in this instance it referred to the cricket ground located adjacent to the Great Hall which itself was opposite Staffordshire Pool and Aston Villa football club. Bob Essery writes in Part One DJ Norton's pictorial survey of Railways in the West Midlands 'Witton Station was not a blockpost; the signal post was opposite the goods station. Witton was shown in timetables as "Witton for Aston Lower Grounds". These were behind (north of) Aston Parish Church and were known as Serpentine Grounds (this was a local, not railwayman's expression as the entrance was from Serpentine Road)'.

A goods yard, or wharf as its described on maps - this reflected the use by early railways of canal terminology - was located on the down side of the line sited to the Wolverhampton side of Witton station. The sidings of the goods yard were connected via a loop line and held 225 wagons. The Railway Clearing House Hand Book of Stations' notes that Witton, in addition to handling passenger, parcels and goods facilities also provided services for Furniture Vans, Carriages, Portable Engines and Machines on Wheels. The Wharf also provided crane power capable of lifting up to twenty tons. The station also serviced private sidings for Crawfords and ICI. The following businesses are known to have used the wharf at one time or another:

• Davis W. H. coal merchants
• Allen T. F. & Son, coal merchants
• Drury J. B. coal merchants
• Evans Wm. J. coal merchants
• Birmingham Co-operative Society Ltd coal merchants
• Barsons George. coal merchants
• Hamstead Officials Coal Company Ltd
• Lovell C. Shaw & Sons Ltd shipping agents

Ref: lnwr_wit1527 C Gilbert Looking towards Aston station with Witton station's main passenger building seen on the left on 5th August 1930

Ref: lnwr_wit1527a C Gilbert Close up of the passenger facilities accommodated in the buildings on both platforms of Witton station

Ref: lnwr_wit1528 C Gilbert Looking towards Perry Barr from the Aston end of Witton station's up platform on 5th August 1930

Ref: lnwr_wit1528a C Gilbert Close up of the Birmingham side of Witton station's two platform buildings with the main structure on the right

Ref: lnwr_wit2297 DJ Norton Partial view of some of Witton goods yard's sidings as seen looking back from a passing down train

Ordnance Survey Maps and Schematic Drawing

Ref: lnwr_wit2296 J Copsey View of Witton Goods Station's goods shed and nine sidings which could hold up to 225 wagons

Ref: lnwr_wit2298 A Doherty An 1887 6 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing Witton Station on the right and Witton Warf on the left

Ref: lnwr_wit3683 A Doherty A 1902 6 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing Witton Station on the right and Witton Warf on the left

Ref: lnwr_wit3684 A Doherty A 1913 6 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing Witton Station on the right and Witton Warf on the left

Ref: lnwr_wit3685 A Doherty A 1938 6 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing Witton Station on the right and Witton Warf on the left

Ref: lnwr_wit3686 A Doherty A 1913 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing Witton Warf's sidings and Goods shed including wagon turntable

Ref: lnwr_wit3687 A Doherty A 1938 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing Witton Warf's sidings and Goods shed including wagon turntable