Stourbridge Basin facts for kids

Stourbridge Basin was a special place where a railway line met a canal. It was located in Stourbridge, a town in the West Midlands, England. This basin was built in the 1850s.

Imagine a busy hub where goods could be easily moved! The last part of the railway line, about 700 meters long, was only used for carrying goods. These goods would arrive at the basin and then be transferred onto boats on the Stourbridge Canal.

Why Stourbridge Basin Closed

The railway line connecting Stourbridge Basin to the main Stourbridge Town station closed in 1967. This happened even after it survived the Beeching Axe. The Beeching Axe was a plan in the 1960s to close many railway lines in Britain to save money.

After the closure, the bridges over Foster Street and Birmingham Street were taken down. This meant the railway link was completely broken. The area where goods were exchanged, including the part of the canal east of Stourbridge High Street (A491 road), was then changed into an industrial estate.

Later, another part of the railway line was closed. This happened when Stourbridge Town station was moved back a few yards. A bus station was then built on the land that was freed up.

Today, the rest of the line is still used for trains in the town area.