World War One plaque unveiled at railway station

A World War One memorial commemorating more than 60 rail workers who died has been restored at Wolverhampton railway station.

The plaque lists people who worked in the goods department of the London & Northwestern Railway (LNWR) in the Wolverhampton district and died in the conflict.

West Midlands Railway (WMR), which restored the memorial at the station, attended the unveiling on Friday, along with members of the Royal British Legion and city mayor Linda Leach.

It was originally erected at the station and thought to have been later moved to the passenger footbridge in the 1950s or 1960s, but had now now been reinstalled on the concourse, WMR said.

A minute's silence to remember the lives lost was held on Friday.

The plaque lists staff who carried out a range of roles, including goods porters, clerks, loaders and guards.

Places of birth for those remembered included Walsall, Darlaston, Wolverhampton, Pedmore, Willenhall, West Bromwich, Redditch and Brownhills.

Some are buried in local cemeteries, while others are also commemorated at memorial sites in France and Belgium.

WMR said it worked with the Railway Heritage Trust to commission architectural signage company Lewis Howes to bring the inscription "back to pristine condition and create a bespoke hardwood frame as a backing".

Head of property at WMR Robert Goode said: "It's possible that relations of these LNWR staff members are still living in Wolverhampton today.

"To any who want to reach out to us, we'd be happy to host you at the station to see the plaque in person."

Railway Heritage Trust director Tim Hedley-Jones said: "We are very pleased to have worked with West Midlands Railway to provide a grant to support restoration of this war memorial.

"It is a fitting reminder of the sacrifice local people and railway workers made in World War One."

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