VOLUME 35 No.10 October 2007 - Intercity Railway Society

Location ‘Spot’light
by Trevor Roots
This feature is intended as a guide to various popular spotting locations, stations depots & yards around
the country and will include how to get there, what rolling stock you might see and the quality of
photography possible in an interesting and constantly changing railway scene.
If anyone can provide similar details on other locations please let me know, or if you want a particular
location reviewed in future editions. To keep up-to-date, please let me know if any details are wrong or
change. Contact editor@icrs.org.uk
BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET STATION
Location: OS Map Ref: SP070 867
New Street is in the centre of the city, being the largest of three fairly adjacent stations, the others being
Snow Hill and Moor Street which lie just to the east on a separate line and at right angles to the axis of
New Street. Originally built as two separate stations with a dividing driveway, New Street was rebuilt as
one station during the electrification in the 1960's. It forms the main crossing place, as it has for most of
its history, for railway passengers travelling from London to Scotland or north-east to south-west.
Just two lines diverge immediately west of the platforms, one heading south-west via Suffolk Street
Tunnel towards Bromsgrove. The other heading north-west via New Street North Tunnel to
Wolverhampton and ultimately the WCML (north) at Stafford. To the east all lines pass through New
Street Tunnels where they then split into four routes at Proof Hose and Grand Junctions. These go north
to Lichfield and Walsall via Aston, the main north-east route via Water Orton, east via B’ham
International to Coventry and ultimately the WCML (south) at Rugby and south-east via Tyseley joining
the Moor Street / Snow Hill line.
Central Trains 158806
exiting Suffolk Street Tunnel
as seen from platform 4c, B’ham New Street
25 September 2007
Central Trains (Centro) 150227
exiting New Street North Tunnel
as seen from platform 4c, B’ham New Street
25 September 2007
Access:
Rail: New Street has regular direct services to most of the UK. Long distance services are currently
provided by Virgin XC, Virgin West Coast, Central Trains and Arriva Trains Wales. Local commuter
services are provided by Central Trains under the auspices of Centro, West Midlands Passenger
Transport Executive. Both Virgin XC and Central franchises are to change from November 2007 so
operators, liveries and routes will change.
Bus: All major centres in the West Midlands have direct services to Birmingham city centre. Coaches
travelling from the rest of the UK arrive at Digbeth coach station, which is about 1/2 mile south-east of
New Street. There is a very useful free bus service called 'Station Link' which connects New Street, Moor
Street and Snow Hill railway stations and Digbeth coach station.