What's the plan? Reworked Birmingham New Street

[Philip Elliott]

I don't honestly see how anyone could express a preference for the old New Street, whether they like the overall style / retail provision of the new station or not. The old station was dark, gloomy, cramped and no longer fit for purpose. I think it's a huge credit to the construction team that have worked on the station that it's finishing on time given that they've been working around a fully operating station the entire time. The way it has been managed has been excellent IMO, and whether you use any of the new shops or not, waiting for trains will be far more pleasant in future.

It is months away from being finished, work on the Navigation street footbridge starts next week. Most of the site has been available to the workers 24/7 but so much has been left to the last minute.

Also, the shopping centre was due to open a year ago.....

 

[Mugby]

I intend to visit in the next few weeks, is the Smallbrook Queensway main entrance now open?

If not, when will it be?

 

[Philip Elliott]

Sunday.

 

[deltic]

I think every construction worker in the West Midland has been on site over the last few days - never seen so much activity. I wonder how long before the station will be renamed Grand Central

 

[SS4]

I'm glad the rebuild will be ready for the Frankfurt (am Main for the pedants out there ) christmas market although I do admit it's going to be a right pain trying to get to and from work this weekend.

This isn't the topic for the Metro but I was looking at disruption on the Centro website and found

For a period of around 3 weeks towards the end of October while the line is connected into the new extension Metro will terminate at St Paul’s.

Details of this 3 week period are still being finalised and we will be publishing the alternate arrangements for getting to Snow Hill when they become available.

Once the works are complete Metro will run into the new Snow Hill stop which is situated on a bridge over the ring road and connection into the heavy rail station will be via stairs and walking via Livery St to Snow Hill second access or by walking up the Metro route past Snow Hill One and Two to the front entrance of Snow Hill station.

When the remainder of the route opens at the end of the year Bull Street will provide a level walking route through to the front entrance of Snow Hill station.

The new extension means that Metro will continue from St Paul’s to the new stop at Snow Hill then onto stops at Bull Street, Corporation Street and then Grand Central at New Street Station. This extension will open by the end of the year.

 

[Senex]

I'm glad the rebuild will be ready for the Frankfurt (am Main for the pedants out there ) christmas market although I do admit it's going to be a right pain trying to get to and from work this weekend

There was once a through train between Frankfurt an der Oder and Frankfurt am Main.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Passed through yesterday (Thursday). Workers like ants all-over the place.

Am I reading the pdf plan correctly in thinking that to get from the 'a' ends of platforms 1A to 5A to the 'a' ends of platforms 6A to 13A that you have to exit the ticket barriers and re-enter through a second set (or fight your way along to the 'b' ends of the platforms then up and down within that barriered area?

Is there a logical thought process behind that design feature? I am sure interchanging passengers will be most impressed by the new arrangements!

 

[The Planner]

I think every construction worker in the West Midland has been on site over the last few days - never seen so much activity. I wonder how long before the station will be renamed Grand Central

When they cough up to pay for all the data changes, signs etc... they baulked at it previously.

 

[the sniper]

Passed through yesterday (Thursday). Workers like ants all-over the place.

Am I reading the pdf plan correctly in thinking that to get from the 'a' ends of platforms 1A to 5A to the 'a' ends of platforms 6A to 13A that you have to exit the ticket barriers and re-enter through a second set (or fight your way along to the 'b' ends of the platforms then up and down within that barriered area?

Is there a logical thought process behind that design feature? I am sure interchanging passengers will be most impressed by the new arrangements!

There are only 12 platforms, but yeah that does look to be the case going by the PDF. Got to say though there was no evidence of it on the ground as of yesterday.

It's just like the good old days, having to cross from the LNWR to Midland side. Such is progress...

 

[Trog]

I'm glad the rebuild will be ready for the Frankfurt (am Main for the pedants out there ) christmas market although I do admit it's going to be a right pain trying to get to and from work this weekend.

Have always thought it was a little strange that they hold that in Birmingham after having gone to so much trouble to clear space in Coventry.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The new New Street seems to have been officially visited today by George Osborne and Patrick McLoughlin to "mark its completion".
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...-birmingham-new-street-station-transformation
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/transforming-the-rail-passenger-experience

There are 15 new lifts and 36 escalators, serving every platform.
From 20 September, 66 smartcard-enabled ticket gates will be ready to use.
This means passengers will be able to travel seamlessly between regional rail, bus and tram services, as part of a scheme introduced over the coming months and next year

 

[crosscity]

Am I reading the pdf plan correctly in thinking that to get from the 'a' ends of platforms 1A to 5A to the 'a' ends of platforms 6A to 13A that you have to exit the ticket barriers and re-enter through a second set (or fight your way along to the 'b' ends of the platforms then up and down within that barriered area?

Is there a logical thought process behind that design feature? I am sure interchanging passengers will be most impressed by the new arrangements!

It could be a bit of 'pot luck' if you are changing trains! If you arrive at the 'b' end, then you will have access to all platforms without the need to negotiate any barriers at all. Perhaps the signage on the platforms at the 'a' end will direct you to the 'b' end for the 'other side' platforms. If not I can see a lot of unhappy passengers who have to negotiate two lots of barriers to catch their connecting train.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

I do like the eye of Sauron on the exterior - the eye sees all!

Tolkien was a Brummie, he'd certainly approve!

 

[Bletchleyite]

When they cough up to pay for all the data changes, signs etc... they baulked at it previously.

The cost of renaming International to "Birmingham Airport (for the NEC)" (or somesuch) was I think a costed option on the WCML franchise last time round, the cost was significant enough.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I think its a shame that the Government didn't have the funds to build additional low level platforms at New Street; that way you could have routed Snow Hill services through New Street and allowed HS2 services to start from New Street instead of Curzon Street.

Having walked between Moor Street and New Street on Thursday its far from ideal and that's when the weather is decent.

 

[The Planner]

Low level platforms were looked at and the cost was prohibitive. Not sure how you could have HS2 going in there without a huge rebuild and the Snow Hill lines are actually going away from the station after Moor St. The walk would be the same distance but in a tunnel.

 

[ivanhoe]

As a 4 times a year visitor to New Street, I have been amazed by the progress on this 'site' . The station and surrounding area has been transformed and Birmingham is now a great destination for a visit. There is no doubt that the city is going through its own Renaissance and it shows that large public sector infrastructure projects attract considerable private sector investment. The good old mixed economy at work. Fair play also to rail staff who work there, making this building site a working station. Any comments about polishing and silk purses are wide off the mark. You don't just look at the station per see but the bigger regeneration picture.

 

[BHXDMT]

Passed through yesterday (Thursday). Workers like ants all-over the place.

Am I reading the pdf plan correctly in thinking that to get from the 'a' ends of platforms 1A to 5A to the 'a' ends of platforms 6A to 13A that you have to exit the ticket barriers and re-enter through a second set (or fight your way along to the 'b' ends of the platforms then up and down within that barriered area?

Is there a logical thought process behind that design feature? I am sure interchanging passengers will be most impressed by the new arrangements!

It appears to be a side effect of retaining the Smallbrook Queensway/Bullring entrance to the station. They've essentially made a through route from that entrance to the central atrium and ticket office/Grand Central, which just so happens to be right in between platforms 5 and 6!

Strange indeed.

 

[fairlie]

I think its a shame that the Government didn't have the funds to build additional low level platforms at New Street; that way you could have routed Snow Hill services through New Street and allowed HS2 services to start from New Street instead of Curzon Street.

Having walked between Moor Street and New Street on Thursday its far from ideal and that's when the weather is decent.

Once the trams are running (due to be by the end of the year) you'll be able to get a tram from New St to Snow Hill so that'll be a good alternative to walking to Moor St.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It appears to be a side effect of retaining the Smallbrook Queensway/Bullring entrance to the station. They've essentially made a through route from that entrance to the central atrium and ticket office/Grand Central, which just so happens to be right in between platforms 5 and 6!

Strange indeed.

True, though unlike some other stations (e.g. Stockport) there do appear to be sufficient barriers so as not to cause undue delay to interchange if a passenger does go that way.

 

[WestCoast]

Passed through today and caught a glimpse of the shopping mall above. To be honest, I'm really impressed. Also wondering how much revenue LM are losing at the moment due to no one checking tickets/non-operational barriers at New Street these past weeks.

 

[causton]

Passed through today and caught a glimpse of the shopping mall above. To be honest, I'm really impressed. Also wondering how much revenue LM are losing at the moment due to no one checking tickets/non-operational barriers at New Street these past weeks.

No more than they lose every time the barriers are open, which is most of the time anyway. The manual checks weren't *that* efficient anyway, you just wave anything and seem to get through as it is too busy for them to actually check!

 

[RichmondCommu]

Low level platforms were looked at and the cost was prohibitive. Not sure how you could have HS2 going in there without a huge rebuild and the Snow Hill lines are actually going away from the station after Moor St. The walk would be the same distance but in a tunnel.

I concur that the cost would have been too high but if trains on the Snow Hill line were routed via New Street then surely you could close Moor Street.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Passed through today and caught a glimpse of the shopping mall above. To be honest, I'm really impressed. Also wondering how much revenue LM are losing at the moment due to no one checking tickets/non-operational barriers at New Street these past weeks.

Tickets were being checked by Virgin Trains staff on Thursday when we passed through.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Once the trams are running (due to be by the end of the year) you'll be able to get a tram from New St to Snow Hill so that'll be a good alternative to walking to Moor St.

That's a very good point but it all depends on how frequent the trams are. Depending on the frequency and how horrid the weather is it might still be preferable to walk from Moor Street.

 

[Mojo]

I never thought Moor St to New Street was a particularly bad walk. During the daytime it can be done almost entirely undercover, with the exception of a ~10m section outside Moor St where you have to cross the road. In any case, how many customers will be interchanging rather than going off out into Birmingham, for which the HS2 station is equally as convenient.

 

[WestCoast]

The station concourse opened today in full with Grand Central above opening next Thursday. It is impressive; modern, bright and airy. An awful long way from the dated concourse and dingy Pallasades centre above.

While at platform level many feel nothing has really improved, the station above is IMO going to be a "destination station". I would say similar to St Pancras, but really with its modern architecture, probably the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof is a better comparison.

Yes the outside design is somewhat 'different' and some don't like it. I think it really works well with the general architectural direction that Birmingham is taking in terms of developments. It wouldn't work in other UK cities for sure, but in Birmingham alongside the Bullring, the new Central Library, the Mailbox and other modern pieces, New Street meshes in well.

Plus there's the beautiful Moor Street around the corner, so Birmingham has two top class stations now.

 

[iainbhx]

I never thought Moor St to New Street was a particularly bad walk. During the daytime it can be done almost entirely undercover, with the exception of a ~10m section outside Moor St where you have to cross the road. In any case, how many customers will be interchanging rather than going off out into Birmingham, for which the HS2 station is equally as convenient.

A bit more than that if you want to go the fastest route. You come out of covers from New Street to the Queensway and near Moor Street. The section along the Queensway is not very attractive or welcoming and there quite a number of "spare some change" merchants scattered along it.

As for the new station, I'm afraid it has done very little for the problem of platform space which was one of the most pressing issues.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Passed through today and caught a glimpse of the shopping mall above. To be honest, I'm really impressed. Also wondering how much revenue LM are losing at the moment due to no one checking tickets/non-operational barriers at New Street these past weeks.

I had my ticket checked by Virgin staff on Thursday evening, first time for months and I go through New Street every weekday, the barriers have only rarely been in operation outside of 8am to 6pm.

 

[WestCoast]

Barriers operational and manned by Virgin Trains staff today, who seem to have taken over permanently from LM.

 

[the sniper]

Barriers operational and manned by Virgin Trains staff today, who seem to have taken over permanently from LM.

That is correct. Around 20 of the remaining LM barrier team went for re-education at Crewe after moving over to Virgin. I think there's something like 50 new starters that have joined them.

 

[StateOfPlay]

Looks really nice. I was there about 6 weeks ago and did think it was going to be a beauty.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/gallery/2015/sep/18/birmingham-new-street-station-in-pictures

 

[WestCoast]

That is correct. Around 20 of the remaining LM barrier team went for re-education at Crewe after moving over to Virgin. I think there's something like 50 new starters that have joined them.

I see, there's consistency on the ticketing side of New Street now with the Ticket Office, Ticket Machines, Barriers and Excess Fares all being operated/manned by Virgin.

Interesting to see an "Express" operator handling all revenue matters at a Network Rail station serving various operators, however Virgin do carry a lot of local passengers in the West Midlands too.