The Hawthorns station

The Hawthorns Add→{{rail-interchange}} Add→{{rail-interchange}}
General information
Location	Sandwell
Coordinates	52.505°N 1.964°W / 52.505; -1.964
Managed by	West Midlands Trains
Platforms	4 2 (train) + 2 (tram)
Other information
Station code	THW
Fare zone	2
Key dates
1931	Opened as The Hawthorns Halt
27 April 1968	Closed
24 September 1995	Reopened as The Hawthorns

The Hawthorns
West Midlands Metro tram stop
Midland Metro platforms
General information
Location	The Hawthorns, West Bromwich Sandwell England
Line(s)	Line 1 (Birmingham – Wolverhampton)
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 Sandwell, 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.

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.

• 
  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. 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.

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