LNWR station
The station was formally opened on 1 June 1854, although it had already been in use for two years. The station was constructed by Messrs. Fox, Henderson & Co. and designed by Edward Alfred Cowper of that firm. When completed, it had the largest single-span iron and glass roof in the world, spanning a width of 212 feet (65 m) and being 840 feet (256 m) long. It held this title for 14 years until St Pancras station opened in 1868. The main entrance building on Stephenson Street incorporated Queen's Hotel, designed by J. W. Livock, which was opened on the same day
1960s rebuild
The station was rebuilt in the 1960s as part of the West Coast Main Line modernisation programme. In 1964, demolition of the original New Street station and Queen's Hotel began and was not completed until 1966. The new New Street station was finished in 1967. The 1960s station is currently (as of 2013) being redeveloped.
The Queens Hotel was what is now the building(s) on the left hand side of this photo of Stephenson Street. I don't remember anything but a sign saying 'Queen's Hotel', nothing about North Western Hotel at all.
Shortie. I'd always assumed Queens started out as the building to the left in the corner, near the old Exchange building on Stephenson Place. I too wonder when, or indeed if, the whole of the expanse along Stephenson St was ever formally named the 'Queens and North Western Hotel' i.e. was there just an amalgamation of the two distinct buildings? This sketch implies the whole building on Stephenson Street and the building in Stephenson Place were known as Queen's Hotel with a nodding acknowledgement to LMS. So maybe calling it Queen's and North Western Hotel on the postcard in post #18 was simply advertising to highlight the NWR train service. Viv.