Olton  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1528099.jpg) | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | Olton,Metropolitan Borough of Solihull England | ||||
| Grid reference | SP134822 | ||||
| Managed by | West Midlands Trains | ||||
| Transit authority | Transport for West Midlands | ||||
| Platforms | 2 | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Station code | OLT | ||||
| Fare zone | 4 | ||||
| Classification | DfT category E | ||||
| History | |||||
| Opened | 1869 | ||||
| Passengers | |||||
| 2020/21 |  0.106 million | ||||
| 2021/22 |  0.285 million | ||||
| 2022/23 | 0.343 million | ||||
| 2023/24 | 0.396 million | ||||
| 2024/25 | 0.463 million | ||||
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Olton railway station serves theOlton area of the town ofSolihull, in theWest Midlands ofEngland. The station is operated byWest Midlands Trains. The entrance, seen in the centre where the station's booking office is located, leads into a tunnel which runs under the tracks providing an access staircase and lift to the island platform. The station also has a car park and bicycle racks.
Olton station was opened in 1869[1] on theGWR'sOxford & Birmingham Branch and its prime role was as a suburban passenger station forBirmingham commuters, explaining why the booking office was located on the down platform.
Olton originally had two signal boxes, the first of which only had 10 levers. It was built byMcKenzie and Holland and located at theLeamington Spa end of the up platform which was replaced in June 1913 but was ultimately closed in 1933.
Olton station originally had a two-platform configuration with basic facilities, but taking advantage of theDevelopment (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act 1929 (20 & 21 Geo. 5. c. 7), theGreat Western Railway continued to quadruple theBirmingham Main Line as far asLapworth,[1] rebuilding five stations including Olton with two wide island platforms in 1932. The new approach 'Station Drive' was also constructed.
The station now has one wide island platform with trains toSolihull,Leamington Spa and London stopping one side and toBirmingham andWorcester the other. The platform building has been significantly reduced by the removal of its roof canopy.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham, discussing railway accidents in the city, notes that:[2]
Police-officer Kimberley was killed in the crush at Olton Station on the Race Day, Feb. 11th, 1875.
The station is served by West Midlands Trains on theSnow Hill Lines.[3][4]
Services operate every 30 minutes in each direction.
On Sundays, there is an hourly service each way between Stourbridge Junction and Dorridge.
Olton is no longer served by Chiltern Railways services as of the May 2023 timetable change.[5][6] Services used to run southbound towardsBanbury,High Wycombe andMarylebone.
| Preceding station |  National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acocks Green | West Midlands Railway Leamington/Stratford-Worcester Snow Hill Lines | Solihull | ||
