Birmingham New Street Station and the Pallasades to Grand Central

A look at the transformation of Birmingham New Street Station from 2010 to 2015 / 16. The Pallasades was eventually replaced by Grand Central which opened in September 2015. The concrete station and shopping centre built in the mid to late 1960s replaced by the current station and shopping mall.

I started taking photos of Birmingham New Street Station in 2010. And started regularly travelling from it to take photos around the network from about 2012. If you want to check out all my photos to date (other than on here) then follow my link on Flickr (over 1800 photos to date) Birmingham New Street Station.

The following information taken from Wikipedia (link at the top).

The station was originally built by the London and North Western Railway between 1846 and 1854, replacing the earlier terminus at Curzon Street which opened in 1838. LNWR shared the station with the Midland Railway until 1885, when Midland built their own extension alongside the original station. The two companies separated by a road called Queens Drive.

On Stephenson Street was built the Queens Hotel, this survived until the 1960s redevelopment.

Various lines go into New Street Station including the Stour Valley line, the Birmingham West Suburban Railway (that later formed part of the Cross City from 1978), and other lines.

In 1923 the LNWR and Midland Railway with others was grouped into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. In 1948 the railways were nationalised under British Railways. During World War II the roof suffered extensive bomb damage as a result of the air raids during the Birmingham Blitz.

After the war repairs were made but the original station was in use until the 1960s.

The station was completely rebuilt in the 1960s as part of the West Coast Main Line modernisation programme. Demolition of the old station and Queen's Hotel began in 1964 and was not complete until 1966. The rebuilt New Street Station was opened in 1967. While The Pallasades was built from 1968 and 1970 and was opened at that time.

The railway was privatised in 1997 and the train operators were franchised. Eventually the station was to be owned by Network Rail.

 

One of my earliest photos of New Street Station taken in during February 2010, not far from St Martin's Queensway.

dndimg alt="Birmingham New Street Station 2010" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station (Feb 2010).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The back of the station as seen from Navigation Street in February 2010. The rear footbridge was built in 1993 after the Kings Cross fire of 1987, as New Street is classed as an underground station, and the footbridge is also like an emergency exit. Train operators seen here included London Midland, Virgin Trains and Cross Country Trains. The Pallasades was still above and demolition work yet to begin.

dndimg alt="Birmingham New Street Station 2010" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station Nav St (Feb 2010).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

It's now January 2011 and the redevelopment of New Street Station was well under way. It would take 5 years. Here was the void over platforms 12a, 11a, 10a, 9a and 8a. Come here now, and you would find a public square opposite the Bullring from St Martin's Queensway, but not 8 years ago! Just a big hole above the tracks.

dndimg alt="Birmingham New Street Station 2011" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station (Jan 2011).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen here in September 2012 when the Moor Street Link Bridge was under construction, below the Odeon cinema. Now a useful link from New Street to Moor Street Station. The Rotunda to the right. I now take many of the my photos from up there (mostly of Virgin Trains).

dndimg alt="Birmingham New Street Station 2012" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station (Sept 2012).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

By April 2013, it was almost time for the old concourse at New Street Station to close for the last time. Saw it here on the 13th April 2013. Half of the new concourse was to open by 28th April 2013. It was called "Half Time Switchover".

dndimg alt="Birmingham New Street Station 2013" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station half time switchover (Apr 2013) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

By August 2013 I had my first look at the new concourse. No ticket barriers yet but this is on the B side bridge over platforms 1 to 12.

dndimg alt="Birmingham New Street Station 2013" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station half time switchover (Apr 2013) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Up the ramp to what was The Pallasades in March 2014. During the transformation into Grand Central. Heading past HSBC.

dndimg alt="Pallasades 2014" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pallasades (March 2014) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The former Woolworths store was just about visible before they gutted it to transform it into new retail units for Grand Central. I think that they had already started to change the floor tiles by this point. I never really fancied taking photos of The Pallasades when it was still there, wasn't much to look at by the end. Dark and depressing. There used to be central escalators that took you down to the old New Street Station concourse, but that closed in 2013.

dndimg alt="Pallasades 2014" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pallasades (March 2014) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Skipping ahead to September 2015, and the new New Street Station was almost ready to fully reopen. Seen here below John Lewis is the Southside media eye. At the corner of Hill Street and Station Street. They were testing out the new media eyes. Also preparing for the opening of Grand Central Birmingham. The Southside Steps are below (at one point nicknamed the Spanish Steps like the ones in Rome). This end is close to the Alexandra Theatre.

dndimg alt="Southside media eye" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Southside media eye (Sept 2015).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Opening day late September 2015 from the newly opened public square. The media eye facing the Bullring showing a Grand Central Birmingham advert. Around this area they would later install a war memorial, which the Queen would visit when she reopened the station with the Duke of Edinburgh. The new taxi rank on what was Queens Drive is to the left (although it took some time before I saw taxis down there).

dndimg alt="Bullring media eye" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station Bullring media eye (Sept 2015).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

This was in October 2015. The Midland Metro extension to New Street Station wasn't quite finished (it was a bit behind). The Stephenson Street media eye at the corner of Stephenson Street and Navigation Street welcoming you to Grand Central. Above is Ladywood House (still to be redeveloped to this day). Grand Central Tram Stop would later open down here in 2016.

dndimg alt="Stephenson Street media eye" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station Stephenson St media eye (Oct 2015).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

First look around Grand Central in October 2015 (after it opened to the public in late September 2015). Looking this way to John Lewis. Below the new airy concourse of Birmingham New Street Station. With a Pret a Manger to the left. Joe & The Juice is just in front of John Lewis (and is part of that group).

dndimg alt="Grand Central 2015" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Grand Central (Oct 2015) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Some of the restaurants in Grand Central including Tapas Revolution.

dndimg alt="Grand Central 2015" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Grand Central (Oct 2015) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Tortilla - was a long queue in the early days and weeks. Since then many retail or restaurant units in Grand Central have closed down, some have been replaced. Some units have remained vacant. Might be the rent is too high?

dndimg alt="Grand Central 2015" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Grand Central (Oct 2015) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

This is the view from a car park on Swallow Street (near Hill Street) of Birmingham New Street Station on the opening day in late September 2015. With Grand Central and John Lewis.

dndimg alt="Birmingham New Street Station 2015" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station Swallow St 2015.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

This is the view from October 2015 of the new Birmingham New Street Station looking more or less complete from the Bullring link bridge (just beyond what was later name Link Street). This is the route between Grand Central and the Bullring. On the media eye at the time was "Full London Ahead" from Virgin Trains (who are due to lose the West Coast franchise in December 2019). The demolition of the old 103 Colmore Row was well underway at the time.

dndimg alt="Birmingham New Street Statio from the Bullring (October 2015)" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station Bullring (Oct 2015).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Not everything was complete in 2015. In 2016 they were building a new exit to Hill Street, from the footbridge that stretches to the old Navigation Street exit. Both are now exit only. It's called the Southern Ticket Hall. Although all you can do in there is put your ticket in the ticket barrier to exit the station. This view from Lower Severn Street during October 2016.

dndimg alt="Hill Street bridge exit 2016" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station Hill St bridge (Oct 2016).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It was open by December 2016. This exit is close to platforms 1 and 2. This photo below taken in July 2017. When I took this I wasn't exiting the station but using the footbridge to go between different platforms when I was on the look out for Big Sleuth bears. Travelling from Birmingham International to University.

dndimg alt="Hill Street exit 2017" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station Hill St bridge (July 2017).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Heading over the Hill Street Footbridge during October 2017. Not all trains are on time, in fact from time to time there are delays. I was travelling to Longbridge and waiting at platform 12B, but the train I ended up getting was from platform 9B so used this footbridge to change platforms. I also call this the Navigation Street Footbridge. Not many people seem to use it when I'm there (not experienced it during the rush hour / commuting period, only off peak or weekends).

dndimg alt="Hill Street bridge 2017" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham New St Station Hill St bridge (Oct 2017).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I don't often get new photos of Grand Central looking down to the New Street Station concourse. This view was taken in May 2017. The paid ticketed area is to the right, while the free area is to the left of the eateries. The escalators had Bulling & Grand Central on them (as the centres now have the same owner and were merged into one).

dndimg alt="Grand Central (May 2017)" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Grand Central (May 2017).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Some new places in Grand Central, some are still here some already gone! Mowgli seen in August 2018. Cocoa seen in August 2018 (they have moved to The Mailbox). Tuckers Newsagents & Games seen in January 2019 when Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was on Netflix (it was temporary and only there for a short period of time). Kitty Cafe seen in May 2019 (it is still there).

dndimg alt="Grand Central 2018 2019" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Grand Central (2018 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This mural was seen in Grand Central not far from the ramp during February 2019. It shows the likes of Selfridges, Birmingham New Street Station and Birmingham's canal network. I don't think the mural is there now.

dndimg alt="Grand Central mural 2019" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Grand Central (Feb 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The first Midland Metro extension to New Street Station was opened completely to Grand Central Tram Stop in 2016. By 2019, the trams are now run under the name of West Midlands Metro. And the trams are going blue. Seen here on Stephenson Place is a pair of battery-less trams. Tram 32 heading to Wolverhampton, and tram 27 heading to the (current) Grand Central terminus. The ramp was refubished during the Grand Central redevelopment of 2015, and looks much better now. The pair of trams seen in October 2019.

dndimg alt="Trams 32 and 27" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Stephenson Place WMM trams 32 and 27.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.