The Hawthorns station

The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns station: the West Midlands Metro platforms to the left, the railway platforms to the right.
General information
Location	Smethwick, Sandwell England
Coordinates	52.505°N 1.964°W / 52.505; -1.964
Grid reference	SP025897
Managed by	West Midlands Trains
Transit authority	Transport for West Midlands
Platforms	4 2 (train) + 2 (tram)
Other information
Station code	THW
Fare zone	2
Classification	DfT category E
Key dates
1931	Opened as The Hawthorns Halt
27 April 1968	Closed
24 September 1995	Reopened as The Hawthorns
Passengers
2019/20	0.509 million
2020/21	84,980
2021/22	0.225 million
2022/23	0.266 million
2023/24	0.284 million
Location
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

The Hawthorns
West Midlands Metro tram stop
West Midlands Metro platforms
General information
Location	The Hawthorns, Smethwick Sandwell England
Line(s)	Line 1 (Edgbaston Village – Wolverhampton St George's/Wolverhampton Station)
Platforms	2
History
Opened	1999
Passengers
2015/16	Approx. 1,100 daily

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

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.

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.

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.

• 
  The original Hawthorns Halt in 1966
• 
  The railway platforms in 2004.
• 
  "Aspire" sculpture outside the station entrance

Services

Train

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. 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.

Tram

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.

Further reading

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

External links

• Train times and station information for The Hawthorns station from National Rail
• Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands: The Hawthorns station