Birmingham New Street Station: lnwrbns_str3074

View looking south west towards New Street Station and Worcester Street along St Martin’s Circus Ringway in 1963. This view looking south west towards New Street Station along the northern part of the newly constructed St Martin’s Circus Ringway, was taken at the same time as image 'lnwrbns_str3073' in 1963 and shows a city in transition. The reconstruction of New Street station is about to begin and the new roads which are to help transform the city centre are already in place. The Rotunda tower is being built just out of the photograph to the right, whilst on Worcester Street in front of us is the row of late 19th century shops known originally as Queen’s Buildings (1885 OS) the very blank rear of which forms the eastern end of the original 1854 part of the station. The row is built on a triangular site over the Worcester Street tunnels and probably dates from the time the station was extended in the early 1880s; they were certainly not present when the original station was opened in 1854. The right hand end of the row as seen here is much deeper in plan than the left hand end, the last shop on the left being wider than it was deep. Image 'lnwrbns_br1805' shows clearly how the rear walls were supported on massive girders above the tracks. This view and also image 'lnwrbns_str1772' demonstrate how every last ounce of the very modest architectural pretension of these buildings was put into the design of their street elevations. The remains of the old Market Hall are on the left, and the Rotunda is being constructed on the near right.

Toby Clempson

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