Birmingham New Street

[lapal_fan]

This 'Grand Central' thing. I've done a very quick dig around, no more than a few wiki pages. New Street or it's predecessors on the same site were in operation from 1852 and formally named and opened in 1854. At the time it was like nothing previously seen, 40 trains per hour and the world's largest single span roof. A record it kept for 14 years, not bad going in the white heat of industrial expansion across the globe.

It was initially known as 'The Grand Central Station at Birmingham' a slightly grandiose title for a station in a town (wouldn't be a city for another 30 years). But that was how it was referred to, prior to the building of the New York version.

New Street is the largest and busiest station in the UK outside of central London.

I wouldn't worry too much about looking small time. It's more about knowing your history and being a bit more on the front foot against upstarts like mouthy Manchester.

Consider me a learneded people man.

[MakemineVanilla]

This 'Grand Central' thing. I've done a very quick dig around, no more than a few wiki pages. New Street or it's predecessors on the same site were in operation from 1852 and formally named and opened in 1854. At the time it was like nothing previously seen, 40 trains per hour and the world's largest single span roof. A record it kept for 14 years, not bad going in the white heat of industrial expansion across the globe.

It was initially known as 'The Grand Central Station at Birmingham' a slightly grandiose title for a station in a town (wouldn't be a city for another 30 years). But that was how it was referred to, prior to the building of the New York version.

New Street is the largest and busiest station in the UK outside of central London.

I wouldn't worry too much about looking small time. It's more about knowing your history and being a bit more on the front foot against upstarts like mouthy Manchester.

If Barry Island can have its 'Pleasure' Park, I am sure Birmingham can have its 'Grand Central'.

As Jonathan Meades pointed out, Birmingham is the national capital of quotidian irony.  

[TrinityRoadSteps]

The railway station will still be Birmingham New Street

It's only the shopping centre above it that carries the name Grand Central

It is a vast improvement on what was there before and when the platforms are finished they will be more open and have much more space for passenger flow. But it has not addressed the operational problems at New St which are, mainly, lack of capacity and the slow speeds necessary in the station areas. Unfortunately a golden opportunity to address this problem was lost when the Bull Ring was redeveloped. Too late now and we are stuck with too many trains trying to get into too few platforms 

[Wainy316]

What work is actually going to be done on the platforms? I can't really see how they've git much room to work with.

[Mic09]

There are no seats nor bins on platforms. That is all I need from a train station. Sushi isnt my first priority. 

[Stevo985]

Isn't the reason they don't put bins on platforms so that people can't hide bombs in them?

 

Or is that some weird urban myth I heard once and accepted as fact?

[Mic09]

Isn't the reason they don't put bins on platforms so that people can't hide bombs in them?

 

Or is that some weird urban myth I heard once and accepted as fact?

It would be silly. All other european countries have bins, in England its really rare, I don't get it.

[Stevo985]

I remember exactly who told me that. It was a platform attendant at Leeds station. I asked him where the nearest bin was and he told me they didn't have bins so people couldn't hide bombs in them, and that I should just put the rubbish on the floor.

[bickster]

I remember exactly who told me that. It was a platform attendant at Leeds station. I asked him where the nearest bin was and he told me they didn't have bins so people couldn't hide bombs in them, and that I should just put the rubbish on the floor.

I think its correct. Bins started disappearing off UK streets shortly after the IRA bombed Warrington, where the bombs were in bins.

[NurembergVillan]

I remember exactly who told me that. It was a platform attendant at Leeds station. I asked him where the nearest bin was and he told me they didn't have bins so people couldn't hide bombs in them, and that I should just put the rubbish on the floor.

I think its correct. Bins started disappearing off UK streets shortly after the IRA bombed Warrington, where the bombs were in bins.

I thought only Muslims did bombs?

[TrinityRoadSteps]

What work is actually going to be done on the platforms? I can't really see how they've git much room to work with.

They have taken out a lot of the rooms that were built on the platforms which gives the platforms a wider feel. Most of them are done now I think its just 4/5 that is still being worked on. Platforms 1 and 12 are not quite as open but have still been made slightly wider 

[TrinityRoadSteps]

There are no seats nor bins on platforms. That is all I need from a train station. Sushi isnt my first priority. 

They have installed some bench seating on the platforms now. But it's limited as the plan is to keep people upstairs as long as possible to reduce crowding on the platforms. Personally I don't think that plan will work. They announce trains at New St now and tell people to wait in one of 4 coloured lounges dependent on what platform the train will go off . 

 

As for the bins. It is true that there were no bins on any major railway station for many years following IRA bombing. But slowly they are returning and using clear bin bags so the contents can been seen. I don't believe there are any at New St though

[The_Rev]

Yeah, it was the IRA bombings at Victoria and Paddington on the same day in '91 which caused bins to be removed from certain stations, they didn't even have bins at my local station (Nuneaton) for 15+ years after that bombing because the London-Holyhead-Dublin ferry trains stopped there. 

 

As for New Street, well, it's gone from being the third nicest train station in the city centre to the second nicest.   

 

[bickster]

Yeah, it was the IRA bombings at Victoria and Paddington on the same day in '91 which caused bins to be removed from certain stations, they didn't even have bins at my local station (Nuneaton) for 15+ years after that bombing because the London-Holyhead-Dublin ferry trains stopped there. 

 

As for New Street, well, it's gone from being the third nicest train station in the city centre to the second nicest.   

 

So its still not as nice as Five Ways then?

[The_Rev]

I was thinking of Jewellery Quarter actually! :lol:

[YLN]

Bit of a monstrosity no? Blocks a lot of sunlight from the streets around I thought. Looks great from far away, so I can see why it would have gotten through the design/planning stages - All futuristic - but up close it just looks like someone vomited a bit of building.

[PongRiddims]

Look, Birmingham died when they closed the Yardbird, no new choo choo garage is ever gonna fix that fact, the Yardbird was LIFE

[villa4europe]

went there for the 1st time last weekend, typical construction project where there is a large element of retail and no doubt huge LADS, walking round with my construction head on its still not ready, the snagging list must be huge but at a guess they've either blagged it or put in a counter claim and reached an agreement to hand over a 98% finished building, example off the top of my head would be the ramp exit, look at the finish around the curtain walling, they haven't constructed the reveals let alone plaster and paint them

still there were plenty of people walking round catching flies and taking photos, the main atrium area is impressive

and if you want another example of a rushed retail project opening before its ready head down to the mail box, had a meeting there last thursday, that's even further off being finished, they didnt even half the tiled skirting on, plasterboard walls unfinished, barriers everywhere not actually blocking anything off, just in the way

2 big projects "completed" in a half assed manner

[ender4]

Isn't the reason they don't put bins on platforms so that people can't hide bombs in them?

 

Or is that some weird urban myth I heard once and accepted as fact?

It would be silly. All other european countries have bins, in England its really rare, I don't get it.

In Tokyo, there are no street bins anywhere.   (well i found one in the whole of Tokyo called a dust box).

Its just not something they do. They expect you to take all your rubbish home with you, and everyone does.  No litter anywhere. Cleanest streets i've ever seen.

[chrissmith921]

Cardiff Central > that thing.

No fancy ass stores, no mucking about - just platforms and trains.

Plus a platform 0, so screw all you guys