{{Short description|Railway station and tram stop in Smethwick, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Use British English|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox station | name = The Hawthorns | symbol_location = gb | symbol = rail | symbol2 = birmingham | image = The Hawthorns railway station and tram stop, West Midlands (geograph 5662116).jpg | caption = The Hawthorns station: the West Midlands Metro platforms to the left, the railway platforms to the right. | borough = Smethwick, Sandwell | country = England | coordinates = {{coord|52.505|-1.964|type:railwaystation_region:GB_scale:10000|display=inline,title}} | grid_name = Grid reference | grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|SP025897|25|SP025897}} | manager = West Midlands Trains | platforms = 4<br />2 (train) + 2 (tram) | code = THW | zone = 2 | classification = DfT category E | transit_authority = Transport for West Midlands | years1 = 1931 | events1 = Opened as ''The Hawthorns Halt'' | years2 = 27 April 1968 | events2 = Closed | years3 = 24 September 1995 | events3 = Reopened as ''The Hawthorns'' | mpassengers = <!--{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{increase}} 0.509 million}}--> {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 84,980}} {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 0.225 million}} {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 0.266 million}} {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 0.284 million}} {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2024/25 |passengers={{increase}} 0.334 million}}

| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |mapframe=yes |mapframe-zoom = 13 }} {{Infobox station | name = The Hawthorns | symbol_location = birmingham | symbol_location2 = gb | symbol2 = | symbol = birmingham | type = West Midlands Metro tram stop | image = The Hawthorns tram stop - geograph.org.uk - 999434.jpg | alt = | caption = West Midlands Metro platforms | address = The Hawthorns, Smethwick | borough = Sandwell | country = England | line = Line 1 (Edgbaston Village/Millennium Point&nbsp;– Wolverhampton St George's/Wolverhampton Station) | platforms = 2 | opened = 1999 | passengers = Approx. 1,100 daily<ref>{{cite web|title=2016 West Midlands Travel Trends Covering Report|url=https://westmidlandscombinedauthority.org.uk/media/1512/papers-transport-delivery-committee-7-november-2016.pdf|publisher=West Midlands Combined Authority|access-date=23 January 2017|pages=39|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202011135/https://westmidlandscombinedauthority.org.uk/media/1512/papers-transport-delivery-committee-7-november-2016.pdf|archive-date=2 February 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> | pass_year = 2015/16 }} '''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.<ref name=RABWM/>

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.<ref name=RABWM>{{cite web|title=The Hawthorns Station 1931 - 1968:1995 - Present|url=http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/hawthorns.php|publisher=Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands|access-date=28 Oct 2013|archive-date=29 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202642/http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/hawthorns.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

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. <Gallery mode="packed"> File:Brush 4 at The Hawthorns.jpg|The original Hawthorns Halt in 1966 File:The Hawthorns station in 2004.jpg|The railway platforms in 2004. File:Centro_Interchange_The_Hawthorns.JPG|"Aspire" sculpture outside the station entrance </gallery>

==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 {{rws|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/travel-information/journey-planning/timetables?station=The%20Hawthorns&crs=THW|title=Train timetables and schedules {{!}} The Hawthorns|website=West Midlands Railway}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/media/3840/download?inline|title=Train times {{!}} Snow Hill Lines - Worcester to Birmingham Snow Hill, Solihull and Stratford upon Avon {{!}} 21 May until 9 December 2023|website=West Midlands Railway|archive-date=22 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522115542/https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/media/3840/download?inline|url-status=live}}</ref> Extra services are laid on around the time of football matches to assist fans in travelling to and from the match.{{Citation needed|date=April 2026}}

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timetables.chilternrailways.co.uk/#/timetables/2087/Table%202|title=Timetable {{!}} 22 May 2023 - 8 December 2023: London to High Wycombe, Bicester, Oxford, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Birmingham|website=Chiltern Railways|access-date=26 May 2023|archive-date=22 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522141338/https://timetables.chilternrailways.co.uk/#/timetables/2087/Table%202|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Tram=== {{update-section|date=April 2026}}

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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Midland Metro timetable|url=https://journeyplanner.networkwestmidlands.com/Timetables/Download/cen_01MM1_%20_H_y11_15/15/West%20Midlands%20Metro_MM1/False?_ga=2.213757213.808157522.1562880704-355056203.1562880704|publisher=Network West Midlands|accessdate=11 July 2019}}</ref>

From 5 April 2026, some southbound services run to a temporary terminus at Millennium Point, on the yet-to-be completed new line to Digbeth.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Birmingham tram extension welcomes first passengers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8j3753243o |access-date=5 April 2026 |work=BBC News |date=5 April 2026}}</ref>

{{S-start|noclear=yes}} {{s-rail|title=West Midlands Metro}} {{tram line|previous=Kenrick Park|route=Line 1|next=Handsworth Booth Street|col={{Midland-Metro-colour|1}} }} {{rail insert}} {{rail line two routes|previous=Smethwick Galton Bridge|next=Jewellery Quarter|route1=West Midlands Railway<br /><small>Birmingham-Worcester via Kidderminster</small> |col1={{WMT colour}} |route2=Chiltern Railways<br /><small>London-Birmingham-Stourbridge</small> |col2={{Chiltern colour}}}} {{Disused Rail Insert}} {{rail line|previous=West Bromwich|next=Handsworth and Smethwick|route=Great Western Railway<br /><small>Birmingham-Wolverhampton (1931–1968)</small>|col={{GWR colour}}}} {{S-end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite book|title=Worcester to Birmingham|first1=Vic|last1=Mitchell|first2=Keith|last2=Smith|at=figs. 99-100|publisher=Middleton Press|year=2007|isbn=9781904474975|oclc=263292710}}

==External links== {{commons category|The Hawthorns station}} {{stn art lnk|THW|B714LW}} *[http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/hawthorns.php Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands: The Hawthorns station]

{{West Midlands railway stations|open}} {{Railway Stations served by Chiltern Railways}} {{Railway stations served by West Midlands Trains}} {{West Midlands Metro}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawthorns, The railway station}} Category:Railway stations in Sandwell Category:Tram stops in Sandwell Category:DfT Category E stations Category:Former Great Western Railway stations Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1931 Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1968 Category:Railway stations opened by Railtrack Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1995 Category:Railway stations served by Chiltern Railways Category:Railway stations served by West Midlands Trains Category:West Bromwich Category:Reopened railway stations in Great Britain