Small Heath (SMA)

Small Heath is a station just outside the centre of Birmingham in between Bordesley and Tyseley on what is now the Chiltern Main Line though only local services stop at the station.

Information
Type:	National Rail (Chiltern Main Line)
Station code:	SMA
Opened:	1863
Platforms:	2

Small Heath was opened by the GWR as Small Heath & Sparkbrook (a name it kept into the 1960s) on it's line from London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside in 1863. The station was located in a busy area and used to have a large goods yard, being situated between the A45 road and the Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) factory (now closed). The station was built to serve the factory.

The station had 4 platforms on 2 islands though only 1 is in use now. The platforms used to have canopies but these were demolished [1], now passengers have to rely on the ubiquitous "bus shelter" for protection from the elements. The station building is built on the B4145 bridge which crosses the tracks with stairways down to the platforms.
Only London Midland trains stop at the station, usually twice an hour outside of peak hours. Services South of Small Heath go on to both Whitlocks End and Dorridge. North of Small Heath services usually go to Stourbridge Junction but can go as far as Worcester.

LM 172 342 stops at the station

Notice the station building and the disused second island

LM 172 336 departs heading for Tyseley

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham Moor Street (Middleton Press, 2006) fig. 102