Birmingham New Street Station: lnwrbns_str1860

A later view of New Street station looking from the parcels office which was located at the East end of platform 3 circa 1905. Richard Foster notes in the first volume of his series of books on the station that the photograph was taken from the same position as seen in image 'lnwrbns_str1861' some twenty years later. Differences to be noted include the replacement of the three pairs of ornate gas lamps fixed above the ramp to the subway, as seen in the earlier image, by just two single lamps at either end of the ramp. In the middle of the ramp, the central 'hoop' still contains a notice to passenger. However, whereas the earlier photograph shows the sign to be stating 'Cross the line by the Subway', the one above now reads 'Subway for luggage only'. Richard speculates that the 'subways were somewhat narrow and there must have been risks of accidents to passengers where heavily loaded trolleys of parcels were being moved between platforms'.

To the right and above the carriages stationary in platform 2 a new cantilevered extension has been added to the hotel. Richard writes, 'This was needed to provide more bar, lounge and smoke-room accommodation'. Apparently when first built such facilities were very limited at the hotel. In the foreground the man on the pony and trap is thought to be delivering some more empty milk churns to be placed with the other empty churns positioned around the ramp to the subway. The LNWR coaching stock standing at platform 2 includes from the right three coaches of 50 ft cove roof stock, an all-third, a composite and brake-third. Richard informs his readers that there would have been another brake-third, to the left and out of picture, to form the standard LNWR four-coach set.

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