Author Topic: Saving Moor Street Station  (Read 24372 times)

Escutcheon

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Saving Moor Street Station
« on: July 05, 2016, 11:09:12 AM »
 The Moor Street Station Historical Society successfully preserved this station from being bulldozed by the City Council to make way for the Bull Ring re-development by obtaining a Grade II Listed Building status on the 30th July 1998.

This historic old station (the last railway terminus to be built in Birmingham close by the very first, in Curzon Street) had fallen into disrepair after being closed by British Rail on the 26th September 1987.

After a public meeting on site in March 1998, called by the Birmingham Tyseley Railway Museum a committee was set up and a “The Moor Street Society Historical Society” set up. Its Chairman applied for Grade II Listed status.
Originally the entire site was Listed which included the large area beside and under the station where fresh fruit and vegetables would arrive and be lowered to the trucks and vans waiting to take them to the nearby market.
The developers applied to have this listing lifted and were allowed to demolish the now rare reinforced concrete (using the Hennebique technique) warehouse despite the support of the local MP and the Professor of Constructive Engineering at the University of Birmingham. The Chairman did manage to persuade the architect to remember these arches in the pattern of the brickwork of the retaining wall built alongside the new road built to connect Moor Street with Deritend.

Ironically the station has now been re-furbished to a very high standard for which the City, who originally wished to flatten it, has won prestigious awards.
Were it not for the selfless efforts of the volunteers of TMSSHS there would have been no station left for them to re-furbish.

To this day the efforts of TMSSHS have yet to be recognized.

JudithM

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2016, 12:48:08 PM »
It's a shame that they have not been recognised, and more than annoying that the people who have been praised are the ones that wanted to get rid of it!

I was a daily commuter user to & from Moor Street before it's refurbishment & I could not understand why it was decided to abandon the 'old' part and revert to the 'new' bit on the side after Snow Hill re-opened.  I was really pleased when Moor Street was brought back to it's former glory.  It makes me smile when I use it now.
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"

Escutcheon

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2016, 01:16:54 PM »
Thanks JudithM
The award was given to the Birmingham Civic Partnership by the Birmingham Civic Society who later admitted that they failed to take account of TMSSHS' efforts in the process.

JudithM

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2016, 01:17:58 PM »
Thanks JudithM
The award was given to the Birmingham Civic Partnership by the Birmingham Civic Society who later admitted that they failed to take account of TMSSHS' efforts in the process.

Failed to, or accidentally on purpose forgot to?  ::)
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"

roy one

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2016, 03:03:12 PM »
I use moor street each time I go to brum
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

JudithM

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2016, 01:26:28 PM »
It looks great doesn't it.

I always thought it was so sad that they demolished Snow Hill only to build a new station there in the mid 80's.  If they had held on for a few more years (or not been so daft as to close it in the first place  ::) ) we could have had that refurbished instead of the bland station that's there now...
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"

Escutcheon

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2016, 11:35:13 AM »
Old Moor Street Station - a press cutting

Escutcheon

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2016, 11:48:44 AM »
A never seen by the general public view of the arches under the goods yard which used the rare Hennebique technique of re-inforcing concrete. Destroyed by the vandalism of the re-developers - there are very few examples left in the UK now.
Fortunately the arches are picked out in the brickwork of the wall down from Moor Street down to Deritend.

Escutcheon

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2016, 11:51:11 AM »
The entire goods trucks were lowered down to the waiting trucks via two hoists. The site of one may still be visible from the end of the platform - the other was destroyed.

Escutcheon

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2016, 02:57:05 PM »
Moor Street Station - cleaning up

Escutcheon

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Re: Saving Moor Street Station
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2016, 03:19:35 PM »
Moor Street Station - Our alternative proposals which would have turned the entire site into a shopping centre for small shops (along the lines of the Covent Garden scheme) with escalator access to the warehouse area below.


 

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