Moor Street Station by Galahad
There are 2 parts to Moor Street Station. There are 2 through platforms,coming south towards London, and now a new terminal with 3 platforms.April 2003 The same group of financiers, who paid for the new Bull Ring, have together with the Chiltern Railway Company restored the original Edwardian Station with its 3 platforms. Quess what? Network-Rail now cannot afford to connect them up to the mainline until 2005 or 2006. How crazy can you get? !!! [Postscript 5.5.2004 Work will now be put off by Network Rail until 2007!!!]
10.8.03 In the meantime, so that the finished platforms look better, an old steam engine has been restored and craned in to stand in one of the platforms. The engine is the old Great Western freight engine 2885 which has been cosmetically restored by the Tysley Railway Centre for use as a static display for about 3 years then it will be moved back to Tyseley and it will be restored into a fully working locomotive.
29.9.03 Work will start on phase 2 of the Moor Street project early in 2004 when the facade of the old goods office will be used to create a wine bar.
2.10.03 On my recent visit to Moor Street the new station was not quite finished but the booking office, forecourt, entrance through to platform 2 on the through platform, and the toilets were all open and operational. The view of the new station, from the Selfridges covered walkway to the multistorey car park, is particularly good.
Jan 2004 I had a look at one of the posters on the restored concourse which said that they were going to restore one of the Edwardian Clocks for the concourse and replace the awnings on the 2 through platforms with copies of the original ones. It really is going to be a credit to Chiltern Railways and enhance what was a bit of a run down area.
