Open day for historic railway station

Rolfe Street to feature in Heritage Open Days line-up.

Smethwick Rolfe Street station will be welcoming visitors this weekend as part of this year’s Heritage Opens Days.

West Midlands Railway operates the station, and will be marking the occasion between 1000 and 1600 on Saturday 15th September. During this time, the exhibition room in the station building will be open for visitors. The recently refurbished space will be home to a special display about the history of Smethwick Rolfe Street station and the central role it has played in the local community over the years.

The day will also celebrate the production of the community mural, which is situated on platform one. In 2017, students from Sandwell College created the mural, based on the theme Smethwick Going Forward. The artwork has become a popular feature at the station, helping to create a bright and welcoming environment for passengers.

While there has been significant improvement at the station in recent years, many of the original Victorian design features in the main building still remain today. Smethwick Rolfe Street station was built in 1890 by the previously-named London & North Western Railway.

To celebrate the open day replica LNWR tickets will be issued to visitors at the ticket office. Activity sheets will also be available for children, including the opportunity to colour in the station’s mural for themselves.

Peter Chapman, customer service assistant at West Midlands Railway said: “Smethwick has an incredibly rich history here in the heartland of the West Midlands. The station is a fine example of Victorian engineering and we’re welcoming everyone to come along on Saturday and learn a bit more about the history of their local area. Also, with many other Heritage Open Days events taking place within walking distance of the station, travelling by train would be an ideal way to visit Smethwick this weekend.”

Booking is not required, so visitors can turn up at the station any time between 1000 and 1600.

Other local attractions taking part in Heritage Open Days this year will include Smethwick Heritage Centre, the Pumping Station at Galton Valley and Sandwell Archives.