SideTracked - Darlaston

About SideTracked Caches

This cache belongs to the SideTracked series. It is not designed to take you to a magical place with a breath taking view. It's a distraction for the weary traveller, but anyone else can go and find it too. More Information can be found at the SideTracked Website.

Darlaston railway station

Darlaston station lies on the Walsall–Wolverhampton line, serving trains running between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street. The first station on the site was opened in 1837 by the Grand Junction Railway, one of the first main line railways in the country.

On 14 September 1863 another station named Darlaston was opened on the Darlaston Loop of the South Staffordshire line. The 1837 station then became known as James Bridge. On 1 November 1887 the 1863 station closed and the 1837 station changed its name to James Bridge for Darlaston. In March 1889 the name changed again to Darlaston and James Bridge.

The station was closed in 1965, though the line remained open. The station and platforms were demolished, and little trace of them remained.

In September 2017, the West Midlands Combined Authority proposed reopening the station as part of the region's £4 billion transport plan, along with Willenhall. Plans for the new station were published in August 2018, with the station proposed to be located on Kendricks Road, slightly north-west of the original station site. Planning permission was granted in October 2020 and construction started the following year. Following some delays, the new station opened on 19 March 2026.

The cache

You are looking for a camoed bison. Note that the cache is not in the cemetery.