line declined steeply, and the passenger service had been discontinued from 18 January 1965. All the intermediate stations between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley were closed to passengers. The Walsall Area Passenger Group made strenuous efforts during 1974 to get the line reopened to passengers. A reconstructed and modernised station was opened at Walsall in 1980, giving impetus to the idea. The group were successful, and passenger services were reinstated between Walsall and Hednesford on 10 April 1989. The line north of Hednesford had been reclassified operationally as a goods line, and re-equipping it for passenger operation was stated to be excessively costly. However in November 1993 it was announced that the line would be reopened to passengers, but then the necessary work was greatly delayed and the services did not begin until March 1997. There were 13 trains each way daily. Dudley Freightliner Terminal As passenger use ceased, it was considered that Dudley station would be a good location for a freightliner terminal, particularly as the rail connectivity was good. It was opened on 6 November 1967. However the facility lasted only 21 years and was closed on 17 April 1988. Cannock mineral traffic Although coalmining in the Cannock area had declined substantially in the post-war period, there were still several operational collieries in 1965. These declined, but changing activity by the coal and electricity generating industries resulted in novel traffic flows. Nevertheless in the late 1970s substantial closure had taken place, and even a new opencast location at Essington Wood closed in 1992. Rugeley 'B' power station opened in 1970. Incidents On 22 December 1859 one passenger jumped from a Walsall to Birmingham train near Perry Barr railway station and was killed, and others were injured, due to the train, using South Staffordshire Railway rolling stock, being derailed by one of its carriages shedding a tyre. The present day At present (2022) heavy rail passenger operation takes place from Bescot (now named Bescot Stadium) to Walsall; and on to Rugeley; and from Lichfield City Station to Lichfield Trent Valley. The line from Lichfield Trent Valley to Wichnor Junction has (2022) only one regular passenger service, the 08:11 Leeds to Plymouth, but it is used from time to time by trains between Burton and Birmingham when engineering works or other causes make the route through Kingsbury unavailable. Locations Dudley – Walsall – Wichnor route Dudley; temporary station, opened 4