Birmingham Railway Resources

[Focalplane]

In 2007 I visited Curzon Street Station when it was still open to the public and before it was mothballed as part of the future HS2 complex. A photographic exhibition was staged, partly in support of raising funds for the SVR after the landslips, etc. of the previous winter. As part of the exhibition there were three resources listed for railway historians, etc. and I took the opportunity to photograph the posters.

First, two photos of the the World's oldest metropolitan railway building still standing and Grade I listed:



And the coat of arms of the London and Birmingham Railway:



Now for the resources.

The Central Library is no more, how times change. The old concrete structure has gone and the new Library of Birmingham has replaced it.



Next, The Metro-Cammell Archives:



And lastly, the Acocks Green Heritage Study Centre:



I plan to visit at least two of them this summer. At least I hope they are still available to the public after the recent budget cuts. It will be worth checking before traveling.

 

[76043]

First, two photos of the the World's oldest metropolitan railway building still standing and Grade I listed:

Sorry to be a pedant, I hate myself for it, but Manchester Liverpool Road is older, in a metropolis and also Grade 1 listed. Although wikipedia describes Curzon St as the oldest "monumental railway architecture", which I guess it is as Liverpool Road couldn't be described as monumental...

Manchester Liverpool Road railway station - Wikipedia

I remember the old library, I didn't know about the Met-Camm archive, that looks very interesting.
Tony

 

[Focalplane]

Tony

Thank you for your information above. It just shows how misleading the interweb can be, in particular Wikipedia. It may be, of course, that the truth could be in the wordings used.

Coincidentally, I have a book on the Grand Junction Railway by Norman W. Webster called "Britain's First Trunk Line". It also brings a few home truths to London-centric writers because the Liverpool-Birmingham route was completed 15 months before the London-Birmingham route and for a lot less money per mile. Curzon Street was the terminal for both though in separate side by side facilities. Webster put the relative obscurity of the GJR down to the "quiet integrity of its promoters who were not motivated by pomp and ceremony in respect for the death of their colleague William Huskisson who was killed under the wheels of Rocket".

It says a lot that both the L&BR and the GJR still exist today as part of the nation's railway system.

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

Another memento from Curzon Street:



If this plaque is true (why not?) then the first train from Liverpool should have arrived in June 1837, 15 months before.

 

[76043]

Great story about the GJR. They should start HS2 from the north, but that's politics and not WT business.
Tony