Railway Timeline

1862 - LNWR line from Birmingham to Aston extended to Sutton Coldfield
1865 - Earlier proposal by MR for line through park is abandoned due to ‘monetary pressure’
1871 November - Survey of proposed line and ‘book of references’ published
1872 January 17th - Sutton Coldfield Corporation appoints a Railway Committee
1872 June 19th - Case goes before House of Lords Committee
1872 August 6th - Branch from Water Orton through Streetly to Walsall authorized
1873 May - Exact route of line staked out through Sutton Park
1874 July 30th - W,W & MJR absorbed by Midland Railway
1875 Spring - Construction of WWMJR begins
1879 May 19th - Branch opened for goods
1879 July 1st - Branch opened for passengers
1884 December 15th - Opening of mainline extension from SC to Lichfield
1917 January 7th - Stretch from Sutton Park to Aldridge reduced to single line ‘worked by tablet’
1921 March 20th - Double track restored
1923 January 1st - The 1921 Railways Act sees the MR grouped into the LMS
1925 January 1st - Sutton Coldfield Town station closed
1964 December 7th - Sutton Park goods station closed
1965 January 18th - Stopping passenger services withdrawn
1968 January 7th - Line becomes goods-only (NB from 1970 to 1983 some summer season passenger trains ran on Fridays/Saturdays)