IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Halfords Lane, SMETHWICK, B66 1EL

Looking across to the heavy rail platforms.

This was originally part of the Great Western Railway's main line between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, opened in 1854. In 1931, 31 years after the opening of West Bromwich Albion's stadium a few yards up the road, the GWR opened a halt, partly on the site pictured here, which was used only on match days. The Hawthorns Halt closed in 1968, although a fairly skeletal passenger service continued to pass this way until 1972 when trains between Birmingham Snow Hill, Wolverhampton Low Level and Langley Green were withdrawn. The line remained open for the occasional freight train to a scrapyard at Handsworth, but it looked as though this grand old route had effectively disappeared for ever. All that changed in 1995, when the line was reopened for a completely new service connecting a reopened Snow Hill and the Kidderminster line; this was partly intended to relieve congestion at New Street station. This time The Hawthorns was a fully fledged station with a regular service. In 1999 the Midland Metro opened providing a tram service between Birmingham and Wolverhampton mainly following the old Great Western line; the tram stop can be seen in the foreground. Passengers therefore now have the choice of tram or train to travel from here into central Birmingham.

Part of the Midland Metro tram system.

Shared between trains and trams.

The line runs from Wolverhampton in the north into Birmingham Snow Hill station, in the centre of Birmingham. Photo Image is looking directly at the shelter/platform this picture was taken from.

North west of Snow Hill the Midland Metro tram lines and Network Rail's route to Stourbridge run in parallel - some of the stations/tram stops are shared such as this one which is conveniently close to West Bromwich Albion's ground. Originally, this was part of the Great Western Railway's main line between Birmingham and Wolverhampton; the original four-track formation has allowed the two networks to be accommodated.

There are few people about on a quiet Saturday afternoon, but this station sees big crowds when West Brom are playing at home.

Stations built as part of the resurrection of services between Smethwick and Birmingham Snow Hill were to a standard design, readily identifiable by the footbridges and lift towers. A train to Dorridge has just left The Hawthorns.

The towering floodlights belong to The Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion.