Is "New Street" being used less now as the name of Birmingham's main station??

[The Planner]

Changing Newport to Bristol Channel Port will go down well

 

[BrianW]

New Street (the street itself) was old even then. The earliest conclusive reference to the name dates back to the 14th century though some historians believe it may have been laid out as early as the 12th century.

IIRC Birmingham's New Street station is not actually ON New Street but close to it- it's not unusual in that regard; indeed many stations are miles fro the placwe they 'serve'.

Oxford's New College was new in 1379; I guess it might be 'swayed' by some appropriate sponsorship (like Bicester Village or Lady Philip Green Topcollege?)

As an aside, if I was from Chiltern Trains, I'd be more annoyed that the travel instructions don't mention the option of going to Moor Street!

Agreed. Another aside- are trains running at all?

The venue- The International Convention Centre website https://www.theicc.co.uk/find-us/
says: If you’re jumping on the train you’ll find three stations to choose from, all in the city centre, and all just a short walk from the ICC with New Street Station the closest.

 

[Western Sunset]

As thread drift continues, don't mention New Brighton...

 

[Dr Hoo]

New Street (the street itself) was old even then. The earliest conclusive reference to the name dates back to the 14th century though some historians believe it may have been laid out as early as the 12th century.

(Having been born and brought up in Birmingham.)

I had always been taught that it went back further than that. William Fitz-Ansculf, son of one of William the Conqueror’s leading supporters, inherited his father’s extensive range of manors in the Midlands and was based at Dudley Castle at the time of the Domesday Book (1086). Fitz-Ansculf was the local ‘overlord’, superior to the local Lord of the Manor from the de Bermingham family. Birmingham was a relatively insignificant bridging point on the River Rea at the time where the original heart of the settlement was the ‘Duck’s Path’, corrupted to ‘Digbeth’. A road was built to connect it to Dudley Castle, called Novus Vicus. (This is that Latin equivalent of New Street.) It is quite probably the oldest 'New Street' in Britain.

Interestingly it is about the same time that the new stone castle was built in what used to be known as Monkchester (subsequently Newcastle-upon-Tyne) in around 1087.

New Street Station was widely described as Grand Central, back in around 1850 when it was being promoted as an improvement on the original two distinct stations (Grand Junction Railway and London & Birmingham Railway) at Curzon Street and the even more remote Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway (later Midland Railway) station sandwiched between those lines out at Lawley Street.

Early illustrations of 'New Street' after it had been opened were sometimes captioned as 'Grand Central'. Long before Grand Central in New York, let alone Grand Central Trains.

Perhaps the Conservative Party Conference organiser's PR intern is actually a history graduate?

 

[Djgr]

Of course not. But what do expect from these clowns?

 

[DaleCooper]

As thread drift continues, don't mention New Brighton...

Even more confusing if the SI unit Newton becomes Ton.

 

[snowball]

New College, Oxford, founded 1379, is about the seventh-oldest Oxford college.

 

[dggar]

(Having been born and brought up in Birmingham.)

I had always been taught that it went back further than that. William Fitz-Ansculf, son of one of William the Conqueror’s leading supporters, inherited his father’s extensive range of manors in the Midlands and was based at Dudley Castle at the time of the Domesday Book (1086). Fitz-Ansculf was the local ‘overlord’, superior to the local Lord of the Manor from the de Bermingham family. Birmingham was a relatively insignificant bridging point on the River Rea at the time where the original heart of the settlement was the ‘Duck’s Path’, corrupted to ‘Digbeth’. A road was built to connect it to Dudley Castle, called Novus Vicus. (This is that Latin equivalent of New Street.) It is quite probably the oldest 'New Street' in Britain.

Interestingly it is about the same time that the new stone castle was built in what used to be known as Monkchester (subsequently Newcastle-upon-Tyne) in around 1087.

New Street Station was widely described as Grand Central, back in around 1850 when it was being promoted as an improvement on the original two distinct stations (Grand Junction Railway and London & Birmingham Railway) at Curzon Street and the even more remote Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway (later Midland Railway) station sandwiched between those lines out at Lawley Street.

Early illustrations of 'New Street' after it had been opened were sometimes captioned as 'Grand Central'. Long before Grand Central in New York, let alone Grand Central Trains.

Perhaps the Conservative Party Conference organiser's PR intern is actually a history graduate?

Should have got rees-mog to proof read it.

 

[Western Sunset]

He'll probably arrive by stagecoach...

 

[BrianW]

He'll probably arrive by stagecoach...

New Stagecoach? Although a Bentley is rather more likely.

 

[Western Sunset]

The original extract mentioned taxis. Do they have any hansom cabs to ply between New St (other stations/names available) and the ICC?

 

[DelW]

It would make more sense for the station and the shopping centre to share the same core name - 'Grand Central' Station, and 'Grand Central' Shopping Centre.

One issue is that shopping centres can and do have their names changed if their owners see a commercial benefit. IIRC the previous version at New Street was called The Pallasades, a name which didn't seem to be widely used.

I had always been taught that it went back further than that. William Fitz-Ansculf, son of one of William the Conqueror’s leading supporters, inherited his father’s extensive range of manors in the Midlands and was based at Dudley Castle at the time of the Domesday Book (1086). Fitz-Ansculf was the local ‘overlord’, superior to the local Lord of the Manor from the de Bermingham family. Birmingham was a relatively insignificant bridging point on the River Rea at the time where the original heart of the settlement was the ‘Duck’s Path’, corrupted to ‘Digbeth’. A road was built to connect it to Dudley Castle, called Novus Vicus. (This is that Latin equivalent of New Street.) It is quite probably the oldest 'New Street' in Britain.

Interesting, I knew it was in existence before the earliest maps, but I'd never heard that particular explanation of its origin. It does fit in with the geography of the settlement shown on the early maps, with the built up area expanding up the hill from the river crossing located at roughly the junction of Digbeth and Deritend.

 

[anamyd]

I think the problem is the Grand Central sign is big and so some people go by that. I saw someone in the comments of a trains at video at Birmingham New Street (yes, it was in the title) saying something like "nice video at Birmingham Grand Central station".

 

[Purple Train]

I know several people from Birmingham, and am originally from the Black Country, and I've never heard it referred to anything except New Street.

It would make more sense for the station and the shopping centre to share the same core name - 'Grand Central' Station, and 'Grand Central' Shopping Centre.

Maybe they should rename the shopping centre...

(Besides, I wouldn't say that information, especially about anywhere further north than the Watford Gap, taken from the Tory Conference website and probably written by someone in an ivory tower, is indicative of a wider trend in names given to the station.)

 

[zero]

Newbury can become Bury, Bury can become Oldbury and Oldbury can become Veryoldbury.

 

[Purple Train]

Newbury can become Bury, Bury can become Oldbury and Oldbury can become Veryoldbury.

And Old Hill could become Ancient Incline...

 

[duncanp]

The original extract mentioned taxis. Do they have any hansom cabs to ply between New St (other stations/names available) and the ICC?

There are trams and buses between New Street station and the ICC as well.

 

[Purple Train]

I wonder if the person who wrote the original directions was this particular "senior Young Conservatives member"?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-63102132 (link to BBC article)

Young Tory chairman apologises for 'Birmingham is a dump' tweet​

The chairman of a group of young Conservative Party members has apologised for calling Birmingham "a dump" on the eve of the party's annual conference.
Daniel Grainger tweeted the comment on Saturday which provoked critical responses, including from the West Midlands mayor.
Andy Street told him to leave and "take anyone with the same views with you".
Mr Grainger deleted the tweet and apologised.

 

[Western Sunset]

Memo to politicos - Never Tweet

 

[Jimini]

IIRC the previous version at New Street was called The Pallasades, a name which didn't seem to be widely used.

That’s the one I remember from my uni days in 1996-9. If one thing about living in Brum ever stuck in my memory more than anything else, is was the fact that pretty much everyone arranged to meet “on the ramp”, and everyone knew exactly what they meant!

 

[Sprinter107]

That’s the one I remember from my uni days in 1996-9. If one thing about living in Brum ever stuck in my memory more than anything else, is was the fact that pretty much everyone arranged to meet “on the ramp”, and everyone knew exactly what they meant!

Thats right. Still the same now. Still refer to "the ramp"

 

[Dr Hoo]

That’s the one I remember from my uni days in 1996-9. If one thing about living in Brum ever stuck in my memory more than anything else, is was the fact that pretty much everyone arranged to meet “on the ramp”, and everyone knew exactly what they meant!

Yeah, just before popping into McDonalds for a cheap meal. (Rather than, say, the a la carte restaurant in the nearby Midland Hotel, as it was.)

 

[NoRoute]

One issue is that shopping centres can and do have their names changed if their owners see a commercial benefit. IIRC the previous version at New Street was called The Pallasades, a name which didn't seem to be widely used.

The architecture and design of the Pallasades was quite different though, the Pallasades was a separate floor over the top of the station and you used to take a set of escalators down from the Pallasades, leaving the shopping centre and entering the station below, they were like two separate units with a clear divide.

The striking thing about Grand Central is how integrated the station and platforms are with the shopping centre, they are inter-meshed, there's not the same distinction between them so to say the shops are called X while the station is called Y makes little sense.

 

[Typhoon]

As it is not on New Street, could it be called Birmingham Station Street Station?

(Leave it alone, there is every chance that Grand Central will be renamed some time in the future. (Almost) everyone knows which one it is, if they don't there are a number of websites that will direct them.)

The venue- The International Convention Centre website https://www.theicc.co.uk/find-us/
says: If you’re jumping on the train you’ll find three stations to choose from, all in the city centre, and all just a short walk from the ICC with New Street Station the closest.

They'll go by cab
If anyone is in the area, and is asked for directions by delegates, send them down Dudley Street, they might meet a few real people, Brummies.

 

[P Binnersley]

Oldbury and Oldbury can become Veryoldbury

Alas it became Sandwell & Dudley instead.

 

[BrianW]

Alas it became Sandwell & Dudley instead.

Should have been Pete and Dud?

 

[Sprinter107]

It won't be long before the shopping centre gets a makeover, and the name gets altered to something else. It was the Birmingham Shopping Centre, then The Pallisades, then Grand Central. Itll soon get a relaunch.

 

[Spaceship323]

If someone went to a ticket office and asked for the fare to B'ham Grand Central, would staff know where they were asking for?

On a train from Bedworth my partner asked the Conductor for a ticket to Grand Central, he issued without question a ticket to New Street. She's from Birmingham and has called it G.C. as long as I've known her

 

[midland1]

I have known people ask for tickets the NEC for B'han Int. staff know where they want.

 

[Wolfie]

As it is not on New Street, could it be called Birmingham Station Street Station?

(Leave it alone, there is every chance that Grand Central will be renamed some time in the future. (Almost) everyone knows which one it is, if they don't there are a number of websites that will direct them.)


They'll go by cab
If anyone is in the area, and is asked for directions by delegates, send them down Dudley Street, they might meet a few real people, Brummies.

Send them to Handsworth....