Cannock Railway Station
Situated in the north of the West Midlands conurbation, Cannock is the second largest town in Staffordshire and is twinned with Datteln in Germany.
Having featured in the Domesday book of 1086, the town of Cannock was a small rural community until the mid to late 19th Century when mining caused a rapid growth in the area and many industries moved there due to its coal reserves. The last colliery in the town closed in 1967.
Nearby is Cannock Chase, often referred to locally as The Chase. The area has been designated as the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is managed by Forestry England. It is the smallest AONB in mainland Britain, covering just 68 km2. There are a number of visitor centres, museums and waymarked paths, including Heart of England Way and the Staffordshire Way.
Also nearby is Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery – which contains nearly 5,000 burials from both the First and Second World War. The burials are mainly German and Austrian nationals with a very small number of Ukrainians.
Cannock railway station was opened in 1858 by the South Staffordshire Railway and in 1859, the Cannock Mineral Railway opened a connection to Rugeley. It was closed by British Railways in 1965 as part of the Beeching Axe, but reopened in 1989.
The usage of Cannock railway station (and the line overall) increased rapidly to unprecedented levels and by 2013, it was busy enough to warrant electrification of the railway line, which was completed in 2019, enabling an increased service frequency and speed of services from Cannock, including a direct electric train service to London for the first time.
Attractions:
The Prince of Wales Theatre, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Shopping Centre, Cannock Park, Shoal Hill Common, The Puzzle Room, Chase Leisure Centre & Golf Course and many bars, cafés and restaurants.
Address:
Cannock Railway Station, Cannock WS11 8NQ