the remainder of the Wichnor route was ready. Wynne inspected the remainder of the line on 4 April 1849 and approved it, and it opened on 9 April 1849. However Boynton says: The date is often given as 9th April, but all that happened then was the running of a special for Directors, followed by a celebratory lunch at the George Hotel, Lichfield, attended by the mayor of the city and the High Sheriff of Staffordshire. Passenger services for ordinary mortals had to wait until 1st June. That day saw the opening 0f a permanent station at Walsall, on the present site... A South Staffs station at Lichfield Trent Valley opened in August, eleven months after one on the main Trent Valley line below. The Midland had running rights to Walsall and the LNWR had running rights through Wichnor Junction to Burton and Derby, capital of the Midland system. The temporary Walsall station was closed and the new permanent station, described by a newspaper as "splendid" was put into use. South to Dudley Now the Company extended its line southwards to Dudley, from a new junction off the Walsall to Bescot line, a distance of five miles. However the section of line presented to the Board of Trade inspecting officer for approval for passenger operation was not approved. Goods traffic (not needing that approval) started on 1 March 1850. On 1 May 1850 the line to Dudley was fully opened, the deficiencies having been rectified. This opening included an east-to-south spur enabling direct running from Bescot Junction to Dudley. The first Dudley station was a terminus north-east of Tipton Road; for a time the SSR Was the only railway with a presence in Dudley. In 1852 the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway opened its line as far as Dudley, and the South Staffordshire Railway opened a new station adjacent to the OW&WR station, but not connected to it. The OW&WR continued northwards the following year. The configuration of the two stations was still unsatisfactory, and an improved station connected to the OW&WR line platforms was opened in 1859. Branches and spur connections The core main line network of the SSR was thus completed. For some time it had been obvious that the original pattern of the earlier main lines was imperfect, and steps were taken to improve matters. In addition the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway was building its line,