Curzon Street railway station

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The front of the station

Curzon Street Station was a railway station in Birmingham in the 19th century and is the world's oldest surviving piece of monumental railway architecture. It acted as the terminus for both the London and Birmingham Railway and Grand Junction Railway, lines connecting Birmingham to London and to Manchester and Liverpool respectively. The two companies had adjacent, parallel platforms and no through services were provided.

The station was opened in 1838 with the first train from London to Birmingham arriving on September 17. However, the railway station was inconveniently located on the eastern edge of Birmingham city centre. For this reason its use as a passenger station was short lived. When the London and North Western Railway was created in 1846 they decided to build a new joint station with the Midland Railway at New Street. When this was completed in 1854 Curzon Street fell out of passenger use. However it remained in use as a goods station until closure in 1966. Another goods station was located near it. Lawley Street Goods Station was east of the station and was smaller.

View from the side

The surviving entrance building, which was designed by Philip Hardwick and constructed in 1838, is relatively small. The architecture is Roman inspired, following Hardwick's trip to Italy in 1818-19. It has tall pillars running up the front of the building made out of a series of huge blocks of stone. The design mirrored the Euston Arch at the London end of the L&BR.

[edit] Current status

This is the plaque to the right of the entrance commemorating the first train from London to Birmingham.

The Grade I listed building is not used at present. It was to become the new home for the Royal College of Organists, but that proposal floundered for lack of funds. The City Council now hope to refurbish the building, and find an alternative large organisation as a tenant. The building is hoped to be the centrepiece of the City Park and Masshouse development scheme, which is located around the site. The Parcelforce depot to the rear of the station was demolished in May 2006 and a sign erected saying "Curzon Park. Land acquired for development."

[edit] External links

• Website in memory of Philip Hardwick
• Birmingham.gov.uk
• Lookingatbuildings entry
• Photo and description
• website about Curzon Street
• Future Uncertain For Curzon Street Station As RCO Pulls Out – 24 hour museum
• Organists scrap plans for new HQ – BBC Music Magazine
• This building is on the English Heritage - Buildings at Risk Register - link to entry (Buildings at Risk Register article)