It was to make a line from Walsall northwards through Lichfield to join the Midland Railway main line (heading towards Burton-on-Trent) at Wichnor. It too was authorised on 3 August 1846, with capital of £420,000. The two companies had been in discussion and saw there were advantages in combining, and this was allowed for in their respective Acts. Final agreement for this was accomplished on 6 October, ratified by an Act of 9 July 1847. The 1847 Act also confirmed a change of name for the combined company, which was to be called the South Staffordshire Railway; the combined share capital was fixed at £945,000; in addition the Act granted running powers over the Midland Railway from Wichnor Junction to Burton. First construction: Walsall to Bescot Although the Act of Parliament authorised the share capital, the Company had to obtain the share subscriptions, as well as acquire the necessary land. The Board decided on a modest start to construction, by building from Walsall to Bescot on the former Grand Junction Railway route. This was quickly accomplished, and the line was opened on 1 November 1847; temporary station premises were used at Walsall, south of Bridgeman Place, and the line connected to a junction on the GJR main line, called Bescot Junction. It is probable that the first trains were operated by the LNWR using their own rolling stock. There was no station at the junction. Prior to the opening of the Walsall line, there had been a station further north-west on the GJR line called "Walsall". It was now renamed Bescot Bridge, and it was used for journeys from Wolverhampton and further north to Walsall, by changing there to road transport. Walsall to Wichnor Of the main line sections originally authorised, there now remained the connection from Walsall to Wichnor Junction, joining the northward Midland Railway main line on the way to Burton: the length of this section was 17 miles. A construction contract was allocated on 17 May 1847. The work proceeded well enough, and on 1 March 1849 Captain Wynne of the Board of Trade inspected the line for passenger working. While much of the line was satisfactory, the junction connecting to the Midland Railway at Wichnor had not been installed. Wynne approved the line for passenger operation between Walsall and Lichfield, a distance of miles. The company did not open that section at once, but waited until