Smethwick West railway station
Encyclopedia
Smethwick West was a railway station on the Great Western Railway
between Stourbridge Junction station
and Smethwick Junction
. It was opened as Smethwick Junction railway station in 1867.
It closed in 1996, being replaced by a new railway station, Smethwick Galton Bridge
, which serves two railway lines.
in 1867. It was located on the Great Western Railway line running between Smethwick Junction
and Stourbridge Junction station
. The junction connected the Great Western route to the Stour Valley Line, what is now part of the West Coast route. In 1956 the British Transport Commission
renamed the station to Smethwick West.
With the run down of Birmingham Snow Hill, passenger services were diverted to Birmingham New Street
from 1967; and Smethwick West became a station on the route between Birmingham New Street, Stourbridge Junction and Worcester Foregate Street
.
Reduced levels of local services continued from Snow Hill to Wolverhampton Low Level
; with four trains per day from Snow Hill to Langley Green
, via Smethwick West, using Class 122
units, nicknamed "bubble cars". These services ended in March 1972; and the Great Western route to Birmingham Snow Hill also closed in 1972. A single freight-only line to Coopers Scrap Yard, on the Great Western line in Handsworth was kept in use.
The route to Snow Hill was restored in 1995.
when the Jewellery line opened to Birmingham Snow Hill. Smethwick West was due to close in 1995 upon the opening of Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station, but an administrative error meant that it was unable to be closed until 1996. For this one year period, Smethwick West was served by one train per week to satisfy the "not closed" criteria. As of January 2010. the platforms for Smethwick West were still in situ, and trains continue to pass through the site. The station lies adjacent to Smethwick Junction.
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
between Stourbridge Junction station
Stourbridge Junction railway station
Stourbridge Junction railway station is a railway station on the Birmingham, Worcester and Kidderminster Line in West Midlands, England. Stourbridge Town Branch Line runs from the station to Stourbridge town centre...
and Smethwick Junction
Smethwick Junction
Smethwick Junction is a junction on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line. With Galton Junction, northbound trains on the West Coast Main Line's Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line can join the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line in a westbound direction.Until the re-opening of...
. It was opened as Smethwick Junction railway station in 1867.
It closed in 1996, being replaced by a new railway station, Smethwick Galton Bridge
Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station
Smethwick Galton Bridge is a railway station in Smethwick, West Midlands, England.The station is situated where two lines cross at different levels: the line from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stourbridge Junction crosses over the Stour Valley Line by means of a bridge. There are four platforms, two on...
, which serves two railway lines.
History
Smethwick Junction railway station was opened by the Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
in 1867. It was located on the Great Western Railway line running between Smethwick Junction
Smethwick Junction
Smethwick Junction is a junction on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line. With Galton Junction, northbound trains on the West Coast Main Line's Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line can join the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line in a westbound direction.Until the re-opening of...
and Stourbridge Junction station
Stourbridge Junction railway station
Stourbridge Junction railway station is a railway station on the Birmingham, Worcester and Kidderminster Line in West Midlands, England. Stourbridge Town Branch Line runs from the station to Stourbridge town centre...
. The junction connected the Great Western route to the Stour Valley Line, what is now part of the West Coast route. In 1956 the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
renamed the station to Smethwick West.
With the run down of Birmingham Snow Hill, passenger services were diverted to Birmingham New Street
Birmingham New Street Station
Birmingham New Street is the main railway station serving Birmingham, England, located in the city centre. It is an important hub for the British railway system, being served by a number of important long-distance and cross-country lines, including the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line,...
from 1967; and Smethwick West became a station on the route between Birmingham New Street, Stourbridge Junction and Worcester Foregate Street
Worcester Foregate Street railway station
Worcester Foregate Street railway station, opened by the Great Western Railway in 1860, is situated in the centre of the city of Worcester, in Worcestershire, England. It is physically the smaller of the two stations serving the city, but is more centrally located...
.
Reduced levels of local services continued from Snow Hill to Wolverhampton Low Level
Wolverhampton Low Level railway station
Wolverhampton Low Level was a railway station on Sun Street, in Springfield, Wolverhampton, England .It was built by the Great Western Railway, on their route from London to Birkenhead via Birmingham...
; with four trains per day from Snow Hill to Langley Green
Langley Green railway station
Langley Green railway station serves the Langley Green area of Oldbury in Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. It is located on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line...
, via Smethwick West, using Class 122
British Rail Class 122
The British Rail Class 122 diesel mechanical multiple units were built by Gloucester RC&W in 1958. Twenty single-car driving motor vehicles, called "Bubble Cars", were built, numbered 55000–55019...
units, nicknamed "bubble cars". These services ended in March 1972; and the Great Western route to Birmingham Snow Hill also closed in 1972. A single freight-only line to Coopers Scrap Yard, on the Great Western line in Handsworth was kept in use.
The route to Snow Hill was restored in 1995.
Closure
Smethwick West was essentially replaced by Smethwick Galton Bridge railway stationSmethwick Galton Bridge railway station
Smethwick Galton Bridge is a railway station in Smethwick, West Midlands, England.The station is situated where two lines cross at different levels: the line from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stourbridge Junction crosses over the Stour Valley Line by means of a bridge. There are four platforms, two on...
when the Jewellery line opened to Birmingham Snow Hill. Smethwick West was due to close in 1995 upon the opening of Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station, but an administrative error meant that it was unable to be closed until 1996. For this one year period, Smethwick West was served by one train per week to satisfy the "not closed" criteria. As of January 2010. the platforms for Smethwick West were still in situ, and trains continue to pass through the site. The station lies adjacent to Smethwick Junction.