▁History ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁Ol ton ▁station ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁on ▁the ▁G WR ' s ▁Oxford ▁& ▁B irmingham ▁Branch ▁and ▁its ▁prime ▁role ▁was ▁as ▁a ▁sub urban ▁passenger ▁station ▁for ▁B irmingham ▁commut ers , ▁explaining ▁why ▁the ▁book ing ▁office ▁was ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁down ▁platform . ▁ ▁Ol ton ▁originally ▁had ▁two ▁signal ▁boxes , ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁which ▁only ▁had ▁ 1 0 ▁le vers . ▁It ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁McK en zie ▁and ▁Holland ▁and ▁located ▁at ▁the ▁ ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁up ▁platform ▁which ▁was ▁replaced ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁but ▁was ▁ultimately ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁Exp ansion ▁Ol ton ▁station ▁originally ▁had ▁a ▁two - platform ▁configuration ▁with ▁basic ▁facilities , ▁but ▁taking ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁Development ▁( Lo an ▁Gu arante es ▁and ▁Gr ants ) ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁the ▁Great ▁Western ▁Railway ▁continued ▁to ▁quad ru ple ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁Main ▁Line ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁Lap worth , ▁re building ▁five ▁stations ▁including ▁Ol ton ▁with ▁two ▁wide ▁island ▁platforms ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁Current ▁layout ▁The ▁station ▁was ▁re built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁the ▁new ▁approach ▁' Station ▁Drive ' ▁was ▁also ▁constructed . ▁ ▁The ▁station ▁now ▁has ▁one ▁wide ▁island ▁platform ▁with ▁trains ▁to ▁, ▁ ▁and ▁London ▁stopping ▁one ▁side ▁and ▁to ▁B irmingham ▁and ▁Wor c ester ▁the