The Hawthorns station

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.  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

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.