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The Hawthorns station

Coordinates: 52°30′18″N 1°57′50″W / 52.505°N 1.964°W / 52.505; -1.964
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The Hawthorns
National Rail Midland Metro
The Hawthorns station: the West Midlands Metro platforms to the left, the railway platforms to the right.
General information
LocationSmethwick, Sandwell
England
Coordinates52°30′18″N 1°57′50″W / 52.505°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
2018/19Increase 0.502 million
2019/20Increase 0.509 million
2020/21Decrease 84,980
2021/22Increase 0.225 million
2022/23Increase 0.266 million
Location
Map
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
The Hawthorns
Midland Metro
West Midlands Metro tram stop
West Midlands Metro platforms
General information
LocationThe Hawthorns, Smethwick
Sandwell
England
Line(s)Line 1 (Edgbaston Village – Wolverhampton St George's/Wolverhampton Station)
Platforms2
History
Opened1999
Passengers
2015/16Approx. 1,100 daily[1]

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. There is a park and ride facility at the tram stop.

History

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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.

Outside the main station entrance is a sculpture called "Aspire" by Anuradha Patel.

Services

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Train

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Most trains are operated by West Midlands Railway. The Monday to Saturday daytime service sees four trains in per hour each direction, operating westbound towards Kidderminster via Stourbridge Junction and eastbound towards Birmingham Snow Hill. Eastbound services run to either Dorridge or Whitlocks End, with one of each extending to Stratford-upon-Avon. Many trains continue beyond Kidderminster to Worcester Foregate Street and/or Shrub Hill.[3][4] Extra services are laid on around the time of football matches to assist fans in travelling to and from the match.

Chiltern Railways also serve the station with one train to Stourbridge Junction on weekdays only, from London Marylebone. There is no return service from The Hawthorns.[5]

Tram

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On Mondays to Fridays, West Midlands Metro services in each direction between Edgbaston Village and Wolverhampton St George's/Wolverhampton Station 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.[6]

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

References

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  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. ^ a b "The Hawthorns Station 1931 - 1968:1995 - Present". Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Train timetables and schedules | The Hawthorns". West Midlands Railway.
  4. ^ "Train times | Snow Hill Lines - Worcester to Birmingham Snow Hill, Solihull and Stratford upon Avon | 21 May until 9 December 2023". West Midlands Railway. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Timetable | 22 May 2023 - 8 December 2023: London to High Wycombe, Bicester, Oxford, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Birmingham". Chiltern Railways. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Midland Metro timetable". Network West Midlands. Retrieved 11 July 2019.

Further reading

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