Perry Barr Station in 2012 and 2022

Since May 2021, Perry Barr Station has been closed to passengers for redevelopment ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The last station building was built in the 1960s and was very tired and dull looking after 55 years. Outside roadworks after the Perry Barr Flyover was pulled down in 2021. Should be complete by May 2022. Only time Elliott got a train here was August 2012.

Perry Barr Station history

The first station was built by the Grand Junction Railway in 1837, and is one of the oldest continually served stations in the world (until the 2021-22 redevelopment).  The GJR became part of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR), later the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), who all owned the station in turn, before the nationalisation of the railways in 1948 under British Railways in 1948 (later British Rail). The station was rebuilt in 1966 when the line was electrified towards Walsall. After privatisation in the 1990s, the station was run by Central Trains (from 1997), then London Midland (from 2007), and now West Midlands Railway (from 2017).

 

The station is on the Birchfield Road in Perry Barr, near Walsall Road and the One Stop Shopping Centre.

 

The visit of August 2012

The only time I got a return train journey to Perry Barr was in August 2012, for my then first photo walk around Perry Barr. Arriving on London Midland 323220.

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First view of the 1966 station building, with a pair of steps up to the exit.

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The train I got off continues towards Walsall.

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There used to be a ramp exit on both sides.

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View from the steps towards platform 2.

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The old British Rail Station Perry Barr sign was there for a long time.

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Plus at the time the Network West Midlands station sign for Perry Barr.

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There used to be a subway under the road here which you could use to get to Birmingham City University's City North Campus.

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Later after my walk, heading down the steps to platform 1, to catch a train on the Chase Line back to Birmingham New Street.

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Waiting for my train.

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Time to leave Perry Barr on London Midland 323202.

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2nd January 2022

Been so busy over the last 6 months, that I've had no time to travel up to Perry Barr. Traffic always seemed busy, if you were going to the cemetery at Witton.

 

On the second day of the new year, I caught an X51 bus to Perry Barr. An express bus service towards Cannock. First wanted to check out the Alexander Stadium / Perry Park, and the stop was near Perry Avenue. Bit hard to see the stadium or proper park access, so walked down Walsall Road past the One Stop to check out the new station building.

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The new station building is partially complete / cladded. But at least five more months work to complete it, ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

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Temporary bus stops on the Birchfield Road.

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I went down Wellington Road at one point, so much traffic, and realised that there wasn't a distant bridge view of the station, so crossed over and headed back up to the island.

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Heading up Wellington Road, behind the new station building was the construction site of what was formerly going to be the Athletes Village for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

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After crossing at the temporary lights over Birchfield Road (subways and footbridge have gone). Got this view from near Aston Lane.

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Heading onto the other side of the Birchfield Road, for one last view of Perry Barr Station, before waiting to catch a no 51 bus back to the City Centre. I wonder how they will deal with the crossing of this busy road, no subways, no footbridge!

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It is a bit of a walk from here to Perry Park, for visitors going to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games from July - August 2022. A lot of roadworks are still unfinished. Hopefully they will finish everything here on time, fingers crossed.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown can also be found on Twitter: ellrbrown