Birmingham New Street station subway

[EveningStar]

AFAIK historically, in normal circumstances the subway was 'staff only' and used for parcels and mail transfers between platforms, the old RM city-centre sorting office and the parcels and mail/road transfer dock that used to exist next to today's platform 12 (which only became a passenger platform when the 'Cross City' services started in 1978).

In the early 1970s when I first started trainspotting at New Street regularly, there was a lot of mail and parcels traffic carried on passenger trains - e.g. the Euston - Birmingham IC trains had a full-brake coach at each end to carry it (particularly the ones that terminated there, which had layover time to load and unload it). All in loose mailbags, manually handled between trains and blue BR 'BRUTE' trolleys, coupled into 'trains' and hauled around the platforms and along the subway by small (battery powered?) tractors.

Likewise spotting at New St in the 70's, remember how long trains of BRUTES would rattle up and the down the ramps, which were clearly forbidden territory to all but railway and post office staff with the subway being a terra incognito to us mortals. Memory of how handling mail was such an established part of railway life at every station until suddenly it was not.

And BRUTES left near platform ends were perfect seating for trainspotters, resentfully relinquished when commandeered by staff for the rightful use.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Couldn't the New St subway be used to bypass the barrier line? I seem to recall coming out next to the taxi rank.

It did yes. If breaking my journey I tended to go out that way to avoid pointless arguments. A bit like the infamous fare dodger's lift at Liverpool Lime St low level.

 

[alf]

Bournemouth has a subway that has the feel of being designed for postal use. Very similar to the East Croydon subway. The end walls on both the up & down sides show evidence of blocked thoroughfares that have been tiled over.

 

[Wychwood93]

Bournemouth has a subway that has the feel of being designed for postal use. Very similar to the East Croydon subway. The end walls on both the up & down sides show evidence of blocked thoroughfares that have been tiled over.

Until the footbridge was built (1960's?) it was, in my experience, the only way to change platforms. The lifts were used back then - for the Post Office building they were no doubt quite handy. Ditto newspapers.