The redeveloped station at Birmingham New Street will be unveiled on 20th September, a notable landmark in a challenging construction programme that got underway five years ago.
It’s a long way from the concrete monolith opened by British Rail in March 1967 when electric services to the capital were introduced on the West Coast Main Line. The new New Street has a concourse five times bigger than the one BR provided. It’s bathed in light from a vast atrium roof, formed of a 200-tonne steel frame covered in ETFE, a self-cleaning plastic. 15 lifts and 36 escalators ease passenger flows to the 12 decluttered platforms and retail areas.
With less than a fortnight to go before the hoardings come down, an army of 3,000+ workers are fitting out the retail units and installing station furniture. There’s a heady mix of tension and anticipation.
