Birmingham's old Curzon Street Station building, which opened in 1838, has been described as one of the world's oldest surviving pieces of monumental railway architecture. Earlier this year, proposals for various repairs and works to restore the historic station near the new HS2 terminus were approved. New images have revealed how public spaces could be built around the new Curzon Street Station and what that means for the old building.
HS2 confirmed recently that next to the eastern entrance, a new square is being proposed to face the disused Old Curzon Street station building. A new terrace and gardens would be created to the rear of the old station to complement the setting of the historic building. It is being proposed that passengers pass through a paved 'station square', edged by gardens facing Moor Street Queensway, at the front of the new station.
The new images released today show recent landscape design refinements that are being submitted to Birmingham City Council for approval. These include improvements to the management of rainwater drainage and improvements to the integration of cycling and walking routes connecting to the wider city. They also show the tree-lined promenade with landscaped terraces that will stretch along the side of the building.
A second entrance at the other end of the station – giving access to Digbeth and the east side of the city – will include a tram stop and taxi drop-off points as well as improved cycle access. Engineers working for the HS2 project completed the last of more than 2,000 concrete piles that will underpin the foundations of Curzon Street station. With the piling now complete, the main focus has turned to preparing the way for the Digbeth.