The Midland Railway branches around Walsall were built to give the Midland Railway independent access to Wolverhampton, and to a colliery district at Brownhills. The Midland Railway had a stake in the South Staffordshire Railway giving it access to Walsall, and the Walsall and Wolverhampton Railway (W&WR) was opened in 1872. At first the W&WR was independent and neutral, but it was acquired by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR), and then sold by that company to the Midland Railway.
The South Staffordshire Railway too was acquired by the LNWR and the Midland Railway's rights over it were uncertain. The Midland company sponsored the Wolverhampton, Walsall and Midland Junction Railway (WW&MJR), running east from Walsall to join the Midland Railway main line at Water Orton. It opened in 1879. A Brownhills branch line was opened from a junction on the WW&MJR line in 1882.
Although the Midland Railway got its desired access to Wolverhampton, the LNWR developed a network of lines that dominated the area, and the Midland never established itself, although it did open its own goods station at Wolverhampton. The W&WR section closed completely in 1965 and the WW&MJR section lost its passenger service in 1965, although it remains open for freight traffic and occasional special passenger trains.