Old Hill railway station
Encyclopedia
Old Hill railway station serves the Old Hill
area of Sandwell
, in the West Midlands
of England
. The station is managed by London Midland
, who provide the majority of train services; Chiltern Railways
also operate a small number of trains. It is situated on the Birmingham-Stourbridge line
.
, and was at the junction of the line from Birmingham
to Stourbridge Junction
with lines to Dudley
and via Halesowen
to Longbridge
; these two lines have long since been closed. The original station buildings have also been removed.
This junction meant that the station was built staggered, with the Birmingham-bound platform offset by a short distance.
A further junction in the Stourbridge direction allowed trains to traverse the Bumble Hole Line, which ran to Dudley. This line closed in 1964.
To the East of the current station there were private railway sidings to serve Palmer Timber's Yard, which have now long been removed.
The timber station buildings originally on this site were badly damaged by fire on 13 September 1967, and this prompted the station to be modernised - with the opening of the new building on the 22 May 1968.
Note: the station bridge is in a different location to that of the original bridge, which was towards the Stourbridge end of the platform.
With rationalising of signalling, the signal box that served Old Hill was demolished in 1973.
, with alternate trains continuing to Dorridge
or Stratford-upon-Avon
. On Sundays, trains are hourly.
There are additional services at peak times, including occasional Chiltern Railways services to London Marylebone
.
Old Hill
Old Hill is a locality in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell in West Midlands, England. It is a district of Cradley Heath.-General description:...
area of Sandwell
Sandwell
Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands with a population of around 289,100, and an area of . The borough is named after Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of both the Black Country, and the West Midlands conurbation, encompassing the urban towns of Blackheath,...
, in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The station is managed by London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
, who provide the majority of train services; Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
also operate a small number of trains. It is situated on the Birmingham-Stourbridge line
Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line
The Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line is a commuter railway line from Birmingham Snow Hill to Worcester via Stourbridge and Kidderminster. It is part of the Snow Hill Lines, with trains operated by London Midland and Chiltern Railways using by and diesel units...
.
History
The station opened in 1866. Historically, it was part of 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...
, and was at the junction of the line from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
to Stourbridge Junction
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...
with lines to Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
and via Halesowen
Halesowen
Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
to Longbridge
Longbridge railway station
Longbridge railway station serves the Longbridge area in the south-west of Birmingham, England. It is on the Cross City Line. The station and all trains calling there are operated by London Midland.-History:...
; these two lines have long since been closed. The original station buildings have also been removed.
This junction meant that the station was built staggered, with the Birmingham-bound platform offset by a short distance.
A further junction in the Stourbridge direction allowed trains to traverse the Bumble Hole Line, which ran to Dudley. This line closed in 1964.
To the East of the current station there were private railway sidings to serve Palmer Timber's Yard, which have now long been removed.
The timber station buildings originally on this site were badly damaged by fire on 13 September 1967, and this prompted the station to be modernised - with the opening of the new building on the 22 May 1968.
Note: the station bridge is in a different location to that of the original bridge, which was towards the Stourbridge end of the platform.
With rationalising of signalling, the signal box that served Old Hill was demolished in 1973.
Services
The typical Monday-Saturday daytime service is every 30 minutes, between Stourbridge Junction and Birmingham Snow HillBirmingham Snow Hill station
Birmingham Snow Hill is a railway station and tram stop in the centre of Birmingham, England, on the site of an earlier, much larger station built by the former Great Western Railway . It is the second most important railway station in the city, after Birmingham New Street station...
, with alternate trains continuing to Dorridge
Dorridge railway station
Dorridge railway station serves the village of Dorridge in the West Midlands of England. The station is served by Chiltern Railways, who manage the station, and also by London Midland.-History:...
or Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon railway station
Stratford-upon-Avon railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. It was once a through station on the Great Western Railway route from Birmingham to Cheltenham, but has been the terminus of the line since 1976.There are plans for a new...
. On Sundays, trains are hourly.
There are additional services at peak times, including occasional Chiltern Railways services to London Marylebone
Marylebone station
Marylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
.