The Hawthorns station

The Hawthorns station is a railway station and tram stop, opened in 1995 in Smethwick, near Birmingham, West Midlands, England. The station shares its name with the local football ground, The Hawthorns, the home of West Bromwich Albion F.C., which it serves.

The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns station, the Midland Metro platforms to the left, the railway platforms to the right.
LocationSmethwick, Sandwell
England
Coordinates52.505°N 1.964°W / 52.505; -1.964
Grid referenceSP025897
Managed byWest Midlands Trains
Transit authorityTransport for West Midlands
Platforms4
2 (train) + 2 (tram)
Other information
Station codeTHW
Fare zone2
ClassificationDfT category E
Key dates
1931Opened as The Hawthorns Halt
27 April 1968Closed
24 September 1995Reopened as The Hawthorns
Passengers
2015/16 0.440 million
2016/17 0.437 million
2017/18 0.435 million
2018/19 0.502 million
2019/20 0.509 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
The Hawthorns
Add→{{rail-interchange}}
West Midlands Metro tram stop
Midland Metro platforms
LocationThe Hawthorns, Smethwick
Sandwell
England
Line(s)Line 1 (Birmingham – Wolverhampton)
Platforms2
History
Opened1999
Passengers
2015/16Approx. 1,100 daily[1]

History

Between 1931 and 1968, The Hawthorns Halt partly occupied the site of the current station, opened by the Great Western Railway on their London (Paddington) to Birkenhead via Birmingham (Snow Hill) line. It served football specials only, and had minimal facilities, as such it was not deemed worthy of 'station' status. It consisted of three platforms: platform 3 catering for return travel to Stourbridge, with platforms 1 and 2 being sited the other side of Halfords Lane.[2]

The present station was opened in 1995, as part of the "Jewellery Line" project to restore services to Birmingham Snow Hill, this time it opened as a fully fledged station with regular services on the cross-city Snow Hill Lines. In 1999 the Midland Metro tram line opened between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, adding two tram platforms alongside the two railway platforms.[2]

Its passenger numbers are assisted with free parking and its close proximity to Junction 1 of the M5. Pedestrian and vehicular access is via Halfords Lane.

  • The railway platforms in 2004.
  • General view.

Services

Train

Most trains are operated by West Midlands Railway. The Monday to Saturday daytime service sees trains approximately every 10 minutes in each direction, operating between Stourbridge Junction, Birmingham Snow Hill, and either Dorridge or Whitlocks End. Many trains continue beyond Stourbridge to Kidderminster, Worcester Foregate Street or Great Malvern, and some continue beyond Whitlocks End or Dorridge to Stratford-upon-Avon.[3] Extra services are laid on around the time of football matches to assist fans in travelling to and from the match.

Chiltern Railways services operate in peak hours only, between Kidderminster and London Marylebone. Four Chiltern trains call at The Hawthorns in each direction.

Metro

West Midlands Metro services operate at frequent intervals, between Grand Central and Wolverhampton St Georges. Mondays to Fridays, Midland Metro services in each direction between Birmingham and Wolverhampton run at six to eight-minute intervals during the day, and at fifteen-minute intervals during the evenings and on Sundays. They run at eight minute intervals on Saturdays.[4]

Preceding station   Midland Metro   Following station
Kenrick Park   Line 1   Handsworth, Booth Street
National Rail
Smethwick Galton Bridge   West Midlands Railway
Snow Hill-Worcester		   Jewellery Quarter
Smethwick Galton Bridge   Chiltern Railways
London-Kidderminster		   Jewellery Quarter
Disused railways
West Bromwich   Great Western Railway
Birmingham-Wolverhampton (1931–1968)		   Handsworth and Smethwick

References
  1. "2016 West Midlands Travel Trends Covering Report" (PDF). West Midlands Combined Authority. p. 39. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  2. "The Hawthorns Station 1931 - 1968:1995 - Present". Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  3. Table 71 National Rail timetable, May 2016
  4. "Midland Metro timetable". Network West Midlands. Retrieved 11 July 2019.

Further reading
  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2007). Worcester to Birmingham. Middleton Press. figs. 99-100. ISBN 9781904474975. OCLC 263292710.
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