Press release -
Smethwick 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 15 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’ (LNWR).
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.
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For further information on this release, call our press office on 03300 955150 or email press.office@wmtrains.co.uk
About Heritage Open Days
Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over 2,500 organisations, 5,000 events and 40,000 volunteers. Every year in September, venues across the country throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history. It’s a chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all free.
Heritage Open Days 2018 will be taking place from 6-9 & 13-16 September.
For more information visit https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/
For information on the event at Smethwick Rolfe Street station visit https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/smethwick-rolfe-street-station
About West Midlands Trains
West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services.
- London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast mainline to and from London Euston.
- West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street.
For more information on these services visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
The West Midlands Trains franchise started on 10 December 2017 and will run until 2025/26.
West Midlands Trains operates 1,300 services a day, manages 150 stations and provides over 70 million passenger journeys a year. Over the course of the franchise, West Midlands Trains will be investing £1 billion into the rail network to deliver new trains, improved routes and station upgrades. This will include 400 new train carriages across the network and space for an extra 85,000 passengers into Birmingham and London at peak times.
The franchise is a joint venture between Abellio (70.1% share) and East Japan Railway Company / Mitsui & Co., Ltd (29.9% share in a 50:50 split). Abellio is the international passenger transport subsidiary of the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. In the UK, Abelllio operates ScotRail and Greater Anglia train services, Merseyrail services in a joint venture with Serco and buses through Abellio London. For more information visit www.abellio.com
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