Birmingham New Street Station: lnwrbns_str3078

A June 1883 view of the site of the extension to New Street station with Hill Street seen on the left. In 1875 an act was obtained to develop a very substantial expansion of the station to the south of the original 1854 station providing four new through platforms and a bay. Construction work began in 1881 with the extension being opened in 1885. This photograph dates from June 1883 and shows the early stages of construction of the new works. The viewpoint is looking west from the new Station Street (created as part of the new works and opened in the autumn of 1883) close to the point where the new southern pedestrian entrance to the station would be sited. Hoardings covered in posters line the north side of the new road in the foreground. In the left background are the buildings along the south west side of Hill Street, in the right background is the western end of the 1854 station, in front of which Queen's Drive is being created from the old Great Queen Street as the new station approach. In the left foreground is a curving trench containing timber shoring which will contain the foundations for the station boundary wall adjacent to the proposed fish sidings and loading dock. The brick structures seen in the centre of the photograph appear to be foundations for the extension buildings.

Toby Clempson

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