HS2 Ltd has started work on the major refurbishment of the Grade 1 listed Old Curzon Street station in Birmingham.
The railway station is one of the earliest examples of a mainline railway terminal and is a wonderful example of monumental architecture within the railway.
During the next year, a group of local experts will undertake the complex and delicate restoration work required on the important structure which was originally designed by the noteworthy architect Philip Hardwick.
Old Curzon Street Station originally opened in 1838 and was the Birmingham terminus for the London and Birmingham Railway Co. (L&BR) line which connected Euston Station.
The restoration project will be carried out by contractors, KN Circet's transport and infrastructure division. The company are a multinational and have offices based in Solihull and are working for HS2's enabling works contractor LMJV (Laing O'Rourke and J. Murphy & Sons).
HS2 have unified their plans for the new Curzon Street Station with the Grade I listed building and is intended to reflect the history of the old station along with Woodman pub which is a Grade II listed building. The public space around the station will include the historic track alignments for the former goods yard that once was positioned to its east. The gardens and the new eastern concourse facade will feature a design that will work well with the architecture of the building.
Once work begins on the old station site, it will see a brand new steel frame that will structurally strengthen the building. The new structure will feature a brand new lift, which will provide access to all levels, a new glass balustrade for the historical staircase, internal fit-out, roof repairs, structural repairs to the outer facade and a full clean of the external stonework.
The exciting restoration project will mean challenging work for the team, which will be made up of local specialists who bring traditional skills such as carpentry and stonemasonry. Other companies working on the project so far and working with KN Circet are Solihull based Umberslade which will complete the strip out, Redditch based Orton Group, who will provide mechanical and electronics design and installation, and also Rugeley based J.F.E. Attridge Scaffolding Services Ltd.
Russell Bailey, HS2 Project Manager for Old Curzon Street Station said: “It's fantastic to see work start on the restoration of the one of Birmingham's most iconic railway buildings, and it's particularly great to see a team of local specialists bringing their skills to this intricate restoration. Over 300 companies in the West Midlands have already won work on HS2, so this is adding to the growing number of companies benefiting from contracts on the project which is supporting thousands of jobs in the region.
“The revamped building is integrated into HS2's plans for the city's landmark Curzon Street Station, which will be the first brand new intercity terminus station built in Britain since the 19th century. Work is set to start on building the new station in the next year, with the joint venture contractor Mace Dragodos set to create 1,000 jobs.”
Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council said: “I am delighted that the restoration of Old Curzon Street Station has begun. As a key part of Birmingham's railway heritage, the renovation of Old Curzon Street Station will secure its place as part of the new Curzon Street Station for generations to come. Local experts will work to carry out an intricate restoration which will bring the building back to its former glory.
“The restoration will create high-skilled jobs, further demonstrating the economic benefit that HS2 is bringing to our city. We are entering a Golden Decade for Birmingham and the arrival of HS2 is at the heart of this.”
Mike Neary, Project Manager for LMJV said: “This is a fantastic and truly unique opportunity for our teams to work on such an iconic building from Birmingham's past, and it will be a privilege to bring this important building back to life. The exciting part of their job is exposing the different structures so they can assess how to restore them using the same traditional methods, such as how the floor joists have been put together. They'll also be restoring many original features such as the fantastic staircase and the existing windows, replace the internal doors like for like to meet new fire regulation standards, and also introduce accessibility features.
“HS2 is a wonderful project for Birmingham, giving these local contractors the opportunity to be part of Britain's largest infrastructure project. We're looking forward to working with our team of local specialists over the next twelve months.”
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At least the grade I listed building is to remain.
It seems to me that anyone who has arrived at Curzon Street on the HS2 and who wants to continue their journey by rail to another part of the area will need to get on a tram to travel to Grand Central (New Street). Too much of a faff?