Rail transport in Staffordshire

Railway lines in Staffordshire, past and present

Rail transport in Staffordshire has a long history. Stafford itself is a major "crossroads" on the West Coast Main Line, handling passenger and freight services between London and Scotland along with traffic travelling between Manchester and Birmingham. Stoke-on-Trent was once a major railway centre, especially for traffic associated with the coal mining and pottery industries, but in recent years this traffic has almost completely disappeared.

Lichfield City on the Cross-City Line.

History

The decline of the railways

Staffordshire's railways were considerably reduced by the Beeching Axe in the 1960s. The famous Loop Line along with several other routes were closed, while several stations, such as Uttoxeter, only narrowly missed closure. A considerable number of coal mines retained their railway connections, but with the decline of the industry, very few survive.

Stone, Barlaston, Norton Bridge and Wedgwood last saw rail services in 2003, but Stone may re-open in its own right due to heavy local campaigning. Etruria, no longer used by local workers, closed in 2005.

Current lines

Closed lines

Heritage railways

External links


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