Cradley Heath is a stop on the Birmingham Snow Hill to Worcester line in the West Midlands between Old Hill and Lye.
A WMR service prepares to depart for Stourbridge Junction
Information
Type:
National Rail
(Snow Hill Lines)
Station code:
CRA
Opened:
1863
Platforms:
2
The station was opened as Cradley in 1863 by the Stourbridge Railway, this was later taken over by the Great Western Railway. The station platforms were originally staggered either side of the level crossing but following a rebuild of the station in 1984 both platforms were put on the same side of the crossing [1].
Being in a heavily industrialised area the station was flanked by a large number of sidings. These have now all gone (though much industry remains). The station has gained a bus station next to the main building instead. Access between the platforms is via a footbridge (or the road). The station is managed by West Midlands Railway. There are up to six trains an hour in each direction. Mostly by WMR though some peak time trains are by Chiltern Railways.
Main station building
Station sign, the bus station is behind
Footbridge
View down the platforms
WMR 172 333 arrives with a Birmingham bound service
[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Worcester to Birmingham (Middleton Press, 2007) Fig. 75
