Hamstead railway station

File:Hamstead and Great Barr Station - lnwrgb62.jpg

File:Hamstead and Great Barr Station - lnwrgb4460.jpg

File:Great Barr station bench 1.jpg

The station was opened by the Grand Junction Railway (GJR) on 4 July 1837, and was named Hamstead and Great Barr; it was renamed Great Barr by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR, the successor to the GJR) on 1 May 1875. The same year an LNWR Type 3, 'size C' signalbox was erected at the station. The platforms were originally on opposite sides of the road bridge, with the down (Walsall-bound) platform to the west, but that platform was resited opposite the up platform on 25 March 1899. Sidings, controlled by the signalbox, served the adjacent Hamstead Colliery, west of the station and north of the line.

The line through the station was electrified in 1966 as part of the London Midland Region's electrification programme.{{cite book| last=Nock| first=O.S.| title=Britain's New Railway| location=London| publisher=Ian Allan| year=1966| pages=147–159}} The actual energization of the line from Coventry to Walsall through Aston took place on 15 August 1966.{{cite book| last=Gillham| first=J.C.| title=The Age of the Electric Train - Electric trains in Britain since 1883| location=Shepperton| publisher=Ian Allan| year=1988| page=169}} The road bridge was replaced and the signalbox removed as part of the works (the nameplate from the signalbox is now in Chasewater Railway Museum{{cite web |title=Signage |url=https://chasewaterrailwaymuseum.blog/category/signage/ |website=Chasewater Railway Museum |access-date=5 April 2020 |language=en}}). The station was renamed Hamstead on 6 May 1974.{{cite book |last=Butt |first=R.V.J. |title=The Directory of Railway Stations |year=1995 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Yeovil |isbn=1-85260-508-1 |id=R508 |pages=108, 113 }}{{cite journal |editor1-first=J.N. |editor1-last=Slater |date=July 1974 |title=Notes and News: Stations renamed by LMR |journal=Railway Magazine |volume=120 |issue=879 |publisher=IPC Transport Press Ltd |location=London |issn=0033-8923 |page=363 }}

File:Hamstead Train Station In Birmingham - Train lines looking towards Birmingham 16.02.2020.jpg

Occasionally, such as during Storm Dennis in February 2020, the nearby River Tame overflows and floods the station.

The wooden ticket office is located on the Birmingham New Street-bound platform and is staffed part-time seven days per week. A self-service ticket machine is situated outside this structure for use when the office is closed and for collecting pre-paid tickets. A modern waiting shelter is located on the opposite side, with customer help points, CIS screens and automated announcements on both sides used to offer train running information. Both platforms have step-free access from the street.{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/hsd/details.html| title=Hamstead (Birmingham) (HSD)| website=National Rail Enquiries}}

The typical Monday-Saturday daytime service sees two trains per hour in each direction between Walsall and Birmingham New Street (and through towards {{rws|Wolverhampton}}).{{Cite web| url=https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/20190424/Mwwuw5TuQCfXAGWnZV54EMY2Qa6tgyvAKxl_dSCWQMk/wm02_web.pdf| website=West Midlands Railway| title=Timetable - Chase Line}} Services are reduced to one train per in the evenings and on Sundays.GB eNRT May 2017 Edition, Table 70

All trains serving the station are operated by West Midlands Trains.

In the case of engineering work on the line (which often occurs on Sundays), Hamstead is usually the last stop for trains to Birmingham from Walsall or the Chase Line. Such services deviate from normal running at Perry Barr North Junction and enter New Street through Soho, merging with the Birmingham to Wolverhampton line just south of Smethwick Rolfe Street. A replacement bus service operates on these days to Hamstead from New Street, calling Duddeston, Aston and Witton beforehand.

Hamstead also serves:

• Perry Hall Park (west end)
• Sandwell Valley
• RSPB Sandwell Valley

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Hamstead railway station}}

{{stn art lnk|HSD}}

• [http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/hamstead.php Rail Around Birmingham and the West Midlands: Hamstead railway station]
• [http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/greatbarr.htm Railways of Warwickshire entry]

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{{s-rail-national|next=Perry Barr|previous=Tame Bridge Parkway|toc=West Midlands Railway|route=Chase Line}}

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{{s-rail-national|next=Perry Barr|previous=Newton Road|toc=LNWR|route=Chase Line|status=Historical|note2=Line and station open|note=Line open, station closed}}

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{{West Midlands railway stations|open}}

Category:Railway stations in Birmingham, West Midlands

Category:DfT Category E stations

Category:Former London and North Western Railway stations

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1837

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1899

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1899

Category:Railway stations served by West Midlands Trains

Category:Great Barr