Most of the present route was opened in 1837 as part of the original Grand Junction Railway (GJR), one of the first railway trunk routes. Built as a long distance trunk route, the original GJR line did not directly serve either Walsall or Wolverhampton, instead running around the outskirts of both of them. A station on the original line called "Wolverhampton" was opened at the edge of the town centre, this was later renamed in 1855 after the centrally located Wolverhampton (High level) station on the Stour Valley Line was opened, Wednesfield Heath was then closed in 1873. A station called "Walsall" (also known as "Bescot Bridge") was also opened, located some distance from the town, this station was closed in 1850, shortly after the present station opened on the South Staffordshire Line, it was reopened as , in 1881 and then closed in 1941.