 On 1 December 1853 the line opened between Dudley and Tipton, which included a curve to join the Stour Valley Line of the London and North Western Railway.This was encouraged by Parson who still wished to ally the line with the LNWR, and trains could now run to Wolverhampton over that company's line from Tipton.There was a delay in getting running powers into Oxford station over the GWR, as successors to the Oxford and Rugby Railway.