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NewSt Station 2015

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Navigation Street footbridge reopened for the first time in over 2 years (coinciding with the Great Birmingham 10K - expected overcrowding)



Oh Hill Street - pavement and bollards by the footbridge exit (still not opened)




New wall going up on Station Street under John Lewis

 
Hi mallby2 and Alan , just seen this posting, I really do remember using a Platform ticket at New street this would have been around 58/60,61. Paul
 
They did make you pay for a platform ticket when they put the barriers in when they did the last rebuild. They had ticket machines just to the left of the barriers but often they did not work so I had to get a platform ticket from the ticket office when seeing someone off on the train. Then most times that I went there the ticket inspectors had gone off duty so I did not bother. Now of course I have my bus pass which gets me through the barriers.

Actually when I discovered the lifts I did not bother as they did not check tickets of the people using the lifts.
 
I have to say David sometimes when no one around, I did use the station without paying, though not often, I can't remember anyone asking to see the tickets bought though.Paul
 
Davis
When I was with my mother in a wheelchair I noticed that they did not check the lifts. this was unlike the old (pre 2015) Reading station. this was designed to be barrier free, but when they in trodiced barriers they had a cctv camera by each lift and the lift button would only work if the person in the control room thought you were justified in using it (no intercom). I was furious once when I had a wonky ankle and had to use the stairs becuase the operator ignored me
 
Some more photos of the redevelopment.

Bullring link bridge view to St Martin's Queensway



View from John Bright Street / Lower Severn Street (old and new)




Station Street near the New Alex Theatre towards John Lewis and Hill Street entrance / eye




Station Street - rear of Bullring link bridge

 
Ladbrokes reflected on the Stephenson St facade, seen from Caffe Nero



Similar view from 11 months ago

 
Some more photos from today.

Think they will install ticket barriers here (similar to Moor St and Snow Hill)



Steps down to platform 12B (also access 12A from here)




Steps up to the Navigation Street footbridge recently reopened




Handy signs near the Stepenson Street entrances






My first photos in over 2 years of the inside of the Navigation Street footbridge (was a quick exit)








Nothing has been done to it internally by the looks of it!
 
Little change from St Martin's Queensway




The route to New St / Corporation St looks a bit different. Exposed ceilings of Grand Central.






Carphone Warehouse and Holland & Barrett (not sure if they are reopening or not)



Top of the ramp - barriers blocking off Midland Metro view!

 
The reverse of the above, except the walkway past the former Holland & Barrett is now open (the other side is closed).

But there is access to Foot Locker (if anyone goes there)

Keep to the left on the ramp. The right side is still closed off (new paving etc)



Head to the right past Holland & Barrett



Unfinished ceiling of Grand Central



Also laying new flooring (I think)



I did walk over nice new flooring towards the Bullring link bridge.
 
Some new cladding on Station Street



Hill Street entrance now open - Spanish steps



There was a lift further down, but think they closed that other entrance?

All of the roadway on Station Street is currently blocked off




The new entrance looks like this inside




For those without mobile phones ...
Lost luggage to the left.



Grand Central is coming. Can also get free cash from here.




Will items here cost more than the Bullring (that to me looks premium)




Pair of Virgin Trains above the side facing the Bullring



 
BBC 2 TV programme last night (31st May) Demolition The Wrecking Crew showed the removal of the two concrete floors above New Street Station. Still available on BBC iPlayer
 
I believe that I have made my views on this disaster of a building project, without meaning to offend anyone, this whole project from beginning to end has always looked a total dogs breakfast, and now nearing completion, I have to agree with the previous forum member, that it is indeed very ugly. Paul
 
The demolition firm were working over a live station, with passengers below them. Had to avoid making too much noise during the day.

They built a special machine here in Birmingham just to cut through the steel girders and weak 1960s concrete.

They even monitored noise levels.
 
ellbrown said:
day.

They built a special machine here in Birmingham just to cut through the steel girders and weak 1960s concrete.

.
Click to expand...
Just been watching programme on TV about 2000 year old structural concrete still doing its job. Obviously without steel reinforcement.
 
Some long overdue photos.


Grand Central



Slowly cladding the back










Scaffolding outside the Hill Street eye




A look down Station Street



 
A very wet New Street Station. Rain was quite heavy! (was actually out looking for the Big Hoot owls)


Bullring view of the station - St Martin's Queensway - Moor Street Link Bridge








Hill Street / Navigation Street side








Station Street view

 
Whilst the opening for New Street has been announced for September, work will inevitably carry on to finish what has been only an improvement to infrastructure and passenger access. Whilst these changes are impressive, train operation is the same as before. The chaos of Monday 3rd August is yet another repeat of a long saga of passenger troubles. Overhead wire problems in the Derby Tunnel led to train delays and cancellations all day. In the days of British Rail a co-ordinated staff response would have reduced these issues to a minimum. With the present arrangement of Network Rail running the station, a security company looking after crowd control, Virgin Trains dealing with customer information and London Midland on the ticket barriers, a disjointed customer service was the result. Accurate information as to services was not always forth-coming, even with the so called technology that provides up to date information to the staff on duty. So people were often left to wander from information screen to information screen to find their service.

On the platforms the new station structure has created even more overhead concrete instead of the less as originally promised. This has led to more diesel fumes being trapped down with the passengers. Not all trains at New Street are electric trains. Cross Country, Arriva, London Midland and Virgin all have diesel stock that use the station. Think of all the noxious particles that diesel engines emit, then think of the long term danger to both the staff and the public.
 
Isn't there what we would have called a station master who takes overall responsibility for activity on the station. Am I being naïve? So we shall have electric trams to save us from noxious buses in Corporation St. but the fumes will get us in the station. Surely there is an EC directive to save us from this fate!
 
A friend of ours visited Birmingham last weekend, and was blown away with the (ultra, uber, city centre), including New Street station, and the new library. She felt the modernisation a great success!!, its only us old die hards that miss the wonderful old city of our childhood and youth that cannot see it. Paul
 
Some photos taken before I spent another day in Worcester




Seen in the Stephenson Street entrance






The end of the Navigation Street footbridge - you can now access the footbridge again (been open again for months) for the B end platforms.








Some photos from the train - with the yet-to-be-clad footbridge, and the cladded station facade behind (still to be competed)



 
The view from what was Worcester Street at St Martin's Queensway






Down / up Station Street. From John Lewis to the Bullring link bridge





 
The view from Swallow Street and Brunel Street







The last bit of the late '60s station gets hidden



This was from Brunel Street



 
The first eye with graphics tests. Hill Street eye. The other two have not been installed yet. This changed every few seconds.

Below John Lewis











 
devonjim said:
Isn't there what we would have called a station master who takes overall responsibility for activity on the station.
Click to expand...

About 17 years ago I met a lady from Nigeria who told me that she was Duty Station Manager at New Street Station. I did happen to see her sometime later when I was passing through the station and we stopped for a brief chat. She told me that this was just a temporary job she was doing while she was over in this country while her husband was on a fixed term appointment as a surgeon at the QE. In BR days one would have had to be a career rail employee with at least 30 years service to have risen to this level.
 
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