HS2 Station Designs Revealed

[Jorge Da Silva]

The designs for HS2’s Curzon Street and Interchange Stations in Birmingham. Personally I really like Curzon Street and cannot wait for it to become reality.

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2018/10/09/striking-hs2-midlands-stations-designs-revealed/
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...n-for-new-stations-in-birmingham-and-solihull

 

[gazthomas]

Looks great

 

[CptCharlee]

Curzon Street looks fantastic. Love it. Excellent modern terminus.

Interchange much more brutal in its design.

 

[CyrusWuff]

My first thought on seeing the design for Curzon Street is that it appears to have taken more than a little inspiration from the Barlow trainshed at St Pancras with that single arch design, plus the refurbishment work that brought us St Pancras International given the "light wells". Definitely approve though.

I'm less taken by the design for Interchange, however...Yes it looks light and airy, but it's also visually jarring.

 

[neontrix]

Curzon Street looks brilliant, would expect nothing less from Grimshaw's. Definitely a descendant of their work at Waterloo International! The interchange is much more modest but still very nice designs... can't wait to see it all come to life.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

Curzon Street looks brilliant, would expect nothing less from Grimshaw's. Definitely a descendant of their work at Waterloo International! The interchange is much more modest but still very nice designs... can't wait to see it all come to life.

I’m looking forward to Old Oak Common and London Euston as well.

My first thought on seeing the design for Curzon Street is that it appears to have taken more than a little inspiration from the Barlow trainshed at St Pancras with that single arch design, plus the refurbishment work that brought us St Pancras International given the "light wells". Definitely approve though.

I Love Curzon Street design and it does remind me of St Pancras with the Barlow trainshed. Particularly when you see it from the side. Like here:

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/CURZON-image-2.jpg

 

[deltic]

Both seem a massive wasted opportunity - train sheds were built cavernous to allow dispersion of smoke, that design is no longer relevant in the 21st century. Both stations could have supported massive over station developments that would have helped pay for them and increased the chance that the scheme will actually get built in full.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Curzon Street has more than a passing resemblance to Waterloo International terminal, also designed by Grimshaws.
I still can't grasp the overall layout with respect to Moor St and New St and the local transport connections.
They talk about a west concourse and an east concourse incorporating the remains of the 1837 terminal, so presumably the main station area is west of that.

It's a surprise to learn that Birmingham Interchange will actually be in Solihull (as is Birmingham Airport, the current International station and the NEC)!
But presumably they are the local authority which has to give it planning consent.

 

[TheDavibob]

They talk about a west concourse and an east concourse incorporating the remains of the 1837 terminal, so presumably the main station area is west of that.

Yep, pretty sure the western entrance (the big one) opens onto Moor Street Queensway, and is therefore directly next to the entrance to Moor Street. Openstreetmap has the area HS2 is pinching shaded. Pretty sure I've seen designs with a direct link to Moor Street. My biggest concern (or hope, depending on how you look at it) is the connection to New Street: complete revitalisation of the bus tunnel would probably suffice. EDIT: To add, this remphasises the point that the name "Curzon Street" isn't particularly helpful. It should be called Moor Street to emphasise the existing links (or both should be renamed).

I love the almost classical span arches, which still look great in a modern station. Yes, they're not "necessary" in the modern age, but they do make stations look good (see, for example, the new bit of Kings Cross).

 

[swt_passenger]

Curzon Street’s main entrance has always been shown right next door to Moor Street’s entrance, ever since HS2 was ‘new news’ all those years ago. The name Curzon St was badly chosen and has always allowed people to exaggerate the remoteness.

 

[birchesgreen]

Both seem a massive wasted opportunity - train sheds were built cavernous to allow dispersion of smoke, that design is no longer relevant in the 21st century. Both stations could have supported massive over station developments that would have helped pay for them and increased the chance that the scheme will actually get built in full.

Yes we tried that with New Street several decades ago

 

[Mikey C]

Curzon Street looks great! 6 platforms too, which seems a decent size. What services other than HS2 will actually run there?

 

[LOL The Irony]

It's quite a good design. Now we wait for Euston.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

Curzon Street looks great! 6 platforms too, which seems a decent size. What services other than HS2 will actually run there?

7 platforms, as originally planned, was at one point cut to 6 then recently as last year it was increased back to 7.

 

[sprinterguy]

Curzon Street looks great! 6 platforms too, which seems a decent size. What services other than HS2 will actually run there?

It will have seven platforms and will cater solely for HS2 services.

 

[edwin_m]

It will have seven platforms and will cater solely for HS2 services.

However these will include trains to Manchester and Newcastle after Phase 2b. I think there was provision for a segregated international platform at one stage, but that probably went after abandonment of the HS2-HS1 link.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

However these will include trains to Manchester and Newcastle after Phase 2b. I think there was provision for a segregated international platform at one stage, but that probably went after abandonment of the HS2-HS1 link.

It was resurrected last year as platform 7 and was mainly due for extra capacity or in case the link was ever revived (I doubt it will).

 

[LOL The Irony]

It was resurrected last year as platform 7 and was mainly due for extra capacity or in case the link was ever revived (I doubt it will).

It may come into use if HS4 Air becomes a thing.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

It may come into use if HS4 Air becomes a thing.

Or NPR services

 

[LOL The Irony]

Will Piccadilly get a 5th platform for future international services?

 

[edwin_m]

It was resurrected last year as platform 7 and was mainly due for extra capacity or in case the link was ever revived (I doubt it will).

Seems wise. It would be extremely hard to add an extra platform later if ever needed and not allowed for in the original design.

Will Piccadilly get a 5th platform for future international services?

I believe both Manchester and Leeds should allow for at least one extra platform for similar reasons, unless the extra cost of doing so is really huge.

 

[Altnabreac]

It will have seven platforms and will cater solely for HS2 services.

The consultation leaflet suggests a planned service of 9tph which is presumably made up of:
3tph Birmingham - London
2tph Birmingham - Manchester
2tph Birmingham - Leeds
1tph Birmingham - Newcastle
1tph Birmingham - Edinburgh / Glasgow (alternate hours)

5-7tph of that capacity could be 400m trains with 2-4tph 200m trains depending on whether the Leeds services run via Sheffield or not.

With 7 platforms you should be able to reliably operate more than 9tph if needed so it gives capacity for an eventual service of something like 11tph:

3tph Birmingham - London
2tph Birmingham - Manchester
1tph Birmingham - Leeds (fast)
2tph Birmingham - Leeds (via Sheffield)
1tph Birmingham - Newcastle
1tph Birmingham - Edinburgh
1tph Birmingham - Glasgow

 

[Bletchleyite]

Looks good, but weren’t they going to keep the old building as part of it?

 

[swt_passenger]

Looks good, but weren’t they going to keep the old building as part of it?

As a secondary entrance at the other end. At ground level but it should still be visible from the viewpoints shown within the main station. In fact it seems present just outside the shed in the fourth picture in the construction news article, but not in the reverse view from outside.

Various earlier ‘artists impressions’ suggest it would be alongside but separate, ie not integrated.

 

[sprinterguy]

In fact it seems present just outside the shed in the fourth picture in the construction news article, but not in the reverse view from outside.

I assume that it is just off to the left/behind the point of view in the the third photo in the article, as the cause of the significant shadow in the foreground.

From a similar viewpoint to this:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.4...4!1s2-zXRDfeK9qKxkfuIgI1PA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

[swt_passenger]

I assume that it is just off to the left/behind the point of view in the the third photo in the article, as the cause of the significant shadow in the foreground.

From a similar viewpoint to this:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.4...4!1s2-zXRDfeK9qKxkfuIgI1PA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Yes, quite possible. Not at all convinced there’s much point to it though.

 

[sprinterguy]

Yes, quite possible. Not at all convinced there’s much point to it though.

Yes, it's a thoughtful touch to try and incorporate it, but I am scratching my head as to how much use a separate east concourse will actually see.

 

[si404]

Yes we tried that with New Street several decades ago

International is also not pleasant to use for similar reasons of low ceilings. I think I found changing there worse than changing at New Street, though neither was good and I'd far prefer other stations where possible.

A terminus is slightly different - there's typically less changing between trains, and you don't rarely wait on the platforms so the platforms don't have to be as pleasant. But still, I'm not sure you want to make it too terrible.

Hopefully the plans have opportunity for money making (beyond the concourses), as well as ways around said money making (Stratford International's mall is annoying if you just want to get your train, though you can bypass the crowds by going along the upper floor), but they cannot prioritise money making over providing a pleasant environment for train customers.

I think there was provision for a segregated international platform at one stage, but that probably went after abandonment of the HS2-HS1 link.

I've never seen any planned service pattern that had trains heading south from Curzon Street to anywhere but Euston. The two pencilled-in paths for Heathrow or HS1 served Birmingham at Interchange before heading further north.

It may come into use if HS4 Air becomes a thing.

But HS4Air services to Birmingham (ditto Manchester, Leeds, etc) require diverting existing Birmingham trains at the London end, therefore it won't require any extra trains terminating at Curzon Street (or Piccadilly), in the highly unlikely case that it the boondoggle is built.

Or NPR services

This is where extra services would come from. NPR allowing High Speed Liverpool-Birmingham trains.

 

[PeterC]

Could we have the drawings showing how it will really be with as many retail units as possible crammed into the circulating space?

 

[edwin_m]

Yes, it's a thoughtful touch to try and incorporate it, but I am scratching my head as to how much use a separate east concourse will actually see.

Something is probably required for emergency escape in any case. It's reasonable to expect the area all around the station to become a prime development site, and a second entrance significantly increases the area that's accessible within say 5min on foot. It may also be the best place for facilities such as car drop-off and taxi ranks, so road vehicles don't get in the way of the main entrance.