University (Birmingham) Station Rebuild

[ABB125]

I couldn't find an existing thread, apologies if there is one.

It appears that Volker Fitzpatrick have been awarded the contract to rebuild the station.

VolkerFitzpatrick To Design And Build £56m University Station

Subscribe to our Construction newsfeed Construction News Chosen by the West Midlands Combined Authority, Birmingham's University Station has seen an in excess of 700 percent increase in passenger numbers since opening in 1978. The essential upgrade project will see VolkerFitzpatrick deliver the...

news.ukconstructionweek.com

VolkerFitzpatrick To Design And Build £56m University Station​

VolkerFitzpatrick has been selected to design and develop the new £56 million Birmingham University Station.

Chosen by the West Midlands Combined Authority, Birmingham's University Station has seen an in excess of 700 percent increase in passenger numbers since opening in 1978. The essential upgrade project will see VolkerFitzpatrick deliver the detailed design and build of the new station which will provide an attractive modern gateway onto the University of Birmingham's Edgbaston campus and nearby hospital site, support regeneration activities in the area, increase passenger capacity and provide improved access to the rail network for visitors to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and beyond.

The new railway station building will feature wider platforms, lifts, a ticket office, provision for a retail unit, canopy coverage along the platforms and a direct link with the University of Birmingham campus via a new pedestrian canal bridge. The existing station building will be retained as a passenger exit from the station.

They seem to have moved quite quickly: that article is dated 3rd November; on Saturday I noticed some standard construction site barriers, adorned with Volker Fitzpatrick signs, going up where I assume the new station building is going. Here are some pictures from earlier today.


Notice the similarity between the new station and the new engineering building at the university;


What's the betting that the station won't be ready in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2022?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Quite an upgrade from a down-at-heel "BR 1990s standard" suburban station!

 

[ABB125]

Quite an upgrade from a down-at-heel "BR 1990s standard" suburban station!

It certainly is, although the artist's impression makes it look absolutely enormous! Does it really need that much interior height?

 

[pdeaves]

It certainly is, although the artist's impression makes it look absolutely enormous! Does it really need that much interior height?

'At least it's not the Reading West Portakabin'!

 

[ABB125]

'At least it's not the Reading West Portakabin'!

I actually quite liked that design.

 

[Horizon22]

Many times I've been through University station and as many know it really is creaking and cramped, was clearly never envisaged to be the local hub its become. Keeping the style with the university buildings is an obvious deliberate approach.

Does it really need that much interior height?

I thought the same!

 

[Sprinter107]

I wouldnt have said University station was ever down at heel, but it isn't large enough for the amount of people who use it now. Ive used University station ever since it first opened, and while its always been relatively busy, it really does need enlarging now. I'm looking forward to the completed result.

 

[ABB125]

I wouldnt have said University station was ever down at heel, but it isn't large enough for the amount of people who use it now. Ive used University station ever since it first opened, and while its always been relatively busy, it really does need enlarging now. I'm looking forward to the completed result.

As am I! I should still be at the university when it opens (even with the inevitable delay!) and look forward to seeing the construction progress.

 

[QueensCurve]

I couldn't find an existing thread, apologies if there is one.

It appears that Volker Fitzpatrick have been awarded the contract to rebuild the station.

VolkerFitzpatrick To Design And Build £56m University Station

Subscribe to our Construction newsfeed Construction News Chosen by the West Midlands Combined Authority, Birmingham's University Station has seen an in excess of 700 percent increase in passenger numbers since opening in 1978. The essential upgrade project will see VolkerFitzpatrick deliver the...

news.ukconstructionweek.com

They seem to have moved quite quickly: that article is dated 3rd November; on Saturday I noticed some standard construction site barriers, adorned with Volker Fitzpatrick signs, going up where I assume the new station building is going. Here are some pictures from earlier today.
View attachment 85663View attachment 85662

Notice the similarity between the new station and the new engineering building at the university;
View attachment 85661

What's the betting that the station won't be ready in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2022?

Will there be any enhancement to the track layout? Platform loops with through lines would be useful to allow XC workings to overtake.

 

[ABB125]

Will there be any enhancement to the track layout? Platform loops with through lines would be useful to allow XC workings to overtake.

I'm pretty sure there won't be, I've not heard anything about loops etc and the site is pretty constrained by the canal on one side and buildings/earthworks on the other. Besides, the only trains which don't stop at University are the XC Edinburgh to Plymouth (1tph), which can overtake where necessary on the 4 track section between Kings Norton and Longbridge. (When it runs (assuming it comes back of course) the Manchester to Bristol service goes via Camp Hill.)

 

[The Planner]

Will there be any enhancement to the track layout? Platform loops with through lines would be useful to allow XC workings to overtake.

No, its a station enhancement, not an infrastructure job.

 

[ABB125]

No, its a station enhancement, not an infrastructure job.

Although aren't they sort of the same?
A station enhancement is an infrastructure job, but an infrastructure job isn't always a station enhancement.

 

[The Planner]

Although aren't they sort of the same?
A station enhancement is an infrastructure job, but an infrastructure job isn't always a station enhancement.

Depends on your point of view, for me re-doing a station doesn't impact me or allows me to do anything different.

 

[ABB125]

Depends on your point of view, for me re-doing a station doesn't impact me or allows me to do anything different.

I suppose so, it's just that for me a station rebuild involves diggers and cranes etc and is therefore something to do with infrastructure. Although I understand why you might see it differently in your job!

 

[Sprinter107]

From some of the pics I've seen in the Evening Mail, the finished station will look quite grand for a small suburban station. I hope the real thing is like the pictures, if so itll be a superb station.

 

[Fidelis]

From some of the pics I've seen in the Evening Mail, the finished station will look quite grand for a small suburban station. I hope the real thing is like the pictures, if so itll be a superb station.

This so called suburban station which serves both the University and the QE, one of the country's largest hospitals, had pre-Covid an annual four million passengers but was built for 300,000 pa

 

[ABB125]

From some of the pics I've seen in the Evening Mail, the finished station will look quite grand for a small suburban station. I hope the real thing is like the pictures, if so itll be a superb station.

Indeed! It certainly looks impressive, but I still think it's possibly a bit much overkill.
Here's a document with lots of artist's impressions (large document alert): https://www.tfwm.org.uk/media/47325/twfm-boards-160819-final.pdf

This so called suburban station which serves both the University and the QE, one of the country's largest hospitals, had pre-Covid an annual four million passengers but was built for 300,000 pa

I take your point, but according to TfWM it was built for 500,000 and currently has 3.5 million. That's still 7x more though!

EIDT: I've also found this video of the plans:

 

[Sprinter107]

Yes, ive watched it get busier and busier across the years. As well as being a regular passenger to and from there, ive also worked trains through there for many years, and have seen first hand how the passenger numbers have shot up. And its really good to see. They pushed the canopies back and demolished the waiting room on the Birmingham bound platform to make more room a few years ago, but passenger numbers mean even that isn't sufficient anymore.

 

[ABB125]

The main criticism I have of the plans is that as far as I'm aware the current station will be an "exit only" for the new one; why can't it be an entrance as well?
I think I know the answer: people alighting at the station will tend to leave immediately; people boarding will arrive with plenty of time to spare, so if they have to go in through the "retail area" (what a hateful phrase!) they'll probably buy something. If they went in via the current building, chances are they'd just wait on the platform and not buy anything. Therefore everyone must go in via the new building...

 

[Sprinter107]

The main criticism I have of the plans is that as far as I'm aware the current station will be an "exit only" for the new one; why can't it be an entrance as well?
I think I know the answer: people alighting at the station will tend to leave immediately; people boarding will arrive with plenty of time to spare, so if they have to go in through the "retail area" (what a hateful phrase!) they'll probably buy something. If they went in via the current building, chances are they'd just wait on the platform and not buy anything. Therefore everyone must go in via the new building...

I agree, it does seem a bit strange doesnt it. At least the new entrance isn't too far away. The only thing is, the bus stops are by the current booking office, which as you say will be exit only, so people arriving by bus will have a walk, as the new entrance is in between bus stops.

 

[ABB125]

I agree, it does seem a bit strange doesnt it. At least the new entrance isn't too far away. The only thing is, the bus stops are by the current booking office, which as you say will be exit only, so people arriving by bus will have a walk, as the new entrance is in between bus stops.

I don't suppose it's too difficult to make an exit an entrance also, and I wouldn't be surprised if this does happen before long.
Incidentally, how would they enforce the exit only system?

 

[Class172]

I don't suppose it's too difficult to make an exit an entrance also, and I wouldn't be surprised if this does happen before long.
Incidentally, how would they enforce the exit only system?

Exit only could be fairly easily enforced by the setup of the gateline, similar to one of the exits at New Street.

I personally think a tidal system would work well for the existing station building, acting as exit only during the morning hours, then flipping to entrance only for the afternoon/evening -- whether this would be deemed too complicated to implement is another question.

 

[ABB125]

Exit only could be fairly easily enforced by the setup of the gateline, similar to one of the exits at New Street.

I personally think a tidal system would work well for the existing station building, acting as exit only during the morning hours, then flipping to entrance only for the afternoon/evening -- whether this would be deemed to complicated to implement is another question.

If enforcement is via the gate line, I'm not sure how "complicated" could be used to describe it. Then again, this is the rail industry, so even simple things are complicated!

Just changed the direction of the barriers by pressing a button?

 

[Class172]

If enforcement is via the gate line, I'm not sure how "complicated" could be used to describe it. Then again, this is the rail industry, so even simple things are complicated!

Just changed the direction of the barriers by pressing a button?

It's more the fact that the cynic in me would not be surprised if it was decided that changing the direction half way through the day would appear confusing to passengers

 

[ABB125]

It's more the fact that the cynic in me would not be surprised if it was decided that changing the direction half way through the day would appear confusing to passengers

That's actually quite a good point - unless there's a big sign outside the doors saying "ENTRANCE ONLY" or "EXIT ONLY" at the relevant times, occasional users might go into the old building only to find they can't get in/out.
Much better to have it both ways at all times!

 

[Fidelis]

Indeed! It certainly looks impressive, but I still think it's possibly a bit much overkill.
Here's a document with lots of artist's impressions (large document alert): https://www.tfwm.org.uk/media/47325/twfm-boards-160819-final.pdf


I take your point, but according to TfWM it was built for 500,000 and currently has 3.5 million. That's still 7x more though!

EIDT: I've also found this video of the plans:

Just in case you or others feel I posted an incorrect passenger figure the DfT Passenger Usage figure for passengers at University in 2019-19 is 3,969,812 so WMT were using the 2017-18 figure which was 3,571,000 .The current platforms are narrow and usage will rise in 2022 with the University Campus being a centre for the Commonwealth Games so fingers crossed it is completed on time.

 

[ABB125]

Just in case you or others feel I posted an incorrect passenger figure the DfT Passenger Usage figure for passengers at University in 2019-19 is 3,969,812 so WMT were using the 2017-18 figure which was 3,571,000 .The current platforms are narrow and usage will rise in 2022 with the University Campus being a centre for the Commonwealth Games so fingers crossed it is completed on time.

Ah right, thanks. That's quite a large increase in passengers in one year! 11% I believe

 

[Mojo]

From the video it looks as if there will be a separate gateline for both the inbound and outbound platforms, as well as presumably keeping one in the existing station building which as noted earlier will be an additional option for exiting customers.

Given that the Toc can barely find the staff to keep the existing one gateline open, I don't hold out much hope for them being able to staff three!

 

[Sprinter107]

I'm wondering if those passenger numbers are even higher. If they're done on ticket sales, they don't take into account ticket less travel when the barriers are not staffed. It really is a very busy station.

 

[ABB125]

Well I'm sure that hiring a few extra staff isn't too difficult as long as there is managerial will to do so. (I'm not optimistic...)
Alternatively they could remove the barriers altogether!