University (Birmingham) Station Rebuild

[The Planner]

There is a push to get Kings Norton upgraded.

If hypothetically the central platforms were reinstated with full electrification through the station, would this provide the additional flexibility? Say if the southbound cross-city services ran through what would be the new platform 2 before switching to the down slow, whilst the Camp Hill services terminated in the new platform 4 (current P2), or it is the conflict with the current moves across the junction that is problematic?

There is a "push" none of which is funded etc... and would not be ready in time for the Camp Hill stations to be open. The issue is with the terminating trains and Bromsgrove/Redditch trains. You cannot reliably terminate them there in between 6tph. If you sent the Cross City through P3, then yes, that would help massively providing there isnt a XC up your backside.

I presume that you are refering to conflicts at Kings Norton. My understanding from information given by WMCA a year or so ago is that the present Worcester/Malvern trains will no longer call at University but will be diverted via the Camp Hill Line to serve the new stations. This was a compromise to avoid having to build the new curves at Bordesley into Moor Street. I personally do not think that will work because passengers for stations beyond Bromsgrove wiil have to compete with local traffic on the Camp Hill Line to get on their trains. In the longer term, although Covid might have changed projections, I think that the demand for the Camp Hill service will build up requiring more than 2tph.

The plan is currently 2tph from New St to Kings Norton all stations.

 

[gg1]

There is a "push" none of which is funded etc... and would not be ready in time for the Camp Hill stations to be open. The issue is with the terminating trains and Bromsgrove/Redditch trains. You cannot reliably terminate them there in between 6tph. If you sent the Cross City through P3, then yes, that would help massively providing there isnt a XC up your backside.

Would cutting a new bay into the existing island platform at Kings Norton be a practical alternate option (similar idea to platform 4C at New Street), giving you the existing 4 through lines plus a 5th line for terminating services from the Camp Hill line? The platform certainly seems wide enough and that would reduce the conflicts to the eastern throat only.

 

[The Planner]

Would cutting a new bay into the existing island platform at Kings Norton be a practical alternate option (similar idea to platform 4C at New Street), giving you the existing 4 through lines plus a 5th line for terminating services from the Camp Hill line? The platform certainly seems wide enough and that would reduce the conflicts to the eastern throat only.

Do you mean the central island? Not sure how that would make anything better, you are still crossing two lines to get to that bay. If it was a bay on other side of P4 then that would work, not sure how it would fit though.

 

[gg1]

Do you mean the central island? Not sure how that would make anything better, you are still crossing two lines to get to that bay. If it was a bay on other side of P4 then that would work, not sure how it would fit though.

Yes. My thinking is it would reduce the pathing conflict to the crossing of the throat, as opposed to this plus waiting and turnaround time if the Camp Hill services called at either one of the existing platforms or a reinstated island platform face.

 

[ABB125]

I presume that you are refering to conflicts at Kings Norton. My understanding from information given by WMCA a year or so ago is that the present Worcester/Malvern trains will no longer call at University but will be diverted via the Camp Hill Line to serve the new stations. This was a compromise to avoid having to build the new curves at Bordesley into Moor Street. I personally do not think that will work because passengers for stations beyond Bromsgrove wiil have to compete with local traffic on the Camp Hill Line to get on their trains. In the longer term, although Covid might have changed projections, I think that the demand for the Camp Hill service will build up requiring more than 2tph.

I thought the plan was to keep the Herefords running via UNI, and then extend them from New Street to King's Norton and back in the ~50 minutes turnaround they normally have at New Street?

 

[Mordac]

On Thursday the WMCA announced that University and Perry Barr stations will be ready for the Commonwealth games.
Read more at https://www.wmca.org.uk/news/works-...-stations-are-on-track-for-commonwealth-games.
University of Birmingham is the Competitors accommodation (Athletes Village) for the Games participating teams as well as the venue for several sports. So will have spectators as well as competitors using it.
By the way Mordac currently there are 12 trains an hour stopping at University, six in each direction 4 Cross City, one XC BHM to Cardiff and one WMR BHM- Hereford. Pre-Covid there were the two additional Cross City. Talking to WMRE and Network Rail in January they stated that will retain the current pathways into New Street to allow for restoration of six tph on the Cross City line as demand rises.

Report on the Evening Mail that the reduction was permanent due to lower expected demand until 2030

Train stations at Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell set to reopen

But a meeting of the West Midlands Combine Authority heard the existing Cross-City Line will drop down from six to four trains per hour due to a prediction of reduced demand until 2030

www.birminghammail.co.uk

And yet we'll still have to put up with uneven interval trains with up to 20 minute waits on what used to be a turn up and go line.

 

[davetheguard]

"Reduced demand until 2030" - how on earth do they think they know that? At the moment, no one really knows what is going to be happening in nine months' time, yet alone nine years'!

 

[ABB125]

Some more pictures from today.

I noticed there's an artist's impression of the new station on platform 1.


There are some utility works going on in the pedestrian area next to the current entrance, which I'm assuming is related to the rebuild.


The piling on the hospital side which was in progress last time I visited appears to be completed. Compare with my previous pictures from last month.


The piles of stone on the canal side appear to have been spread about.


On both sides of the railway there was a hole boring machine. Here's a close up of the one on the canal side.


Finally, here's a nice arty picture!


(There's half a page about the rebuild in this month's Modern Railways (not yet in shops, I don't think), which I haven't yet read but probably gives some useful information. Eagle-eyed readers may recognise the accompanying photograph... )

 

[Mojo]

I noticed there's an artist's impression of the new station on platform 1.

The artist impression made me laugh as it looks very similar to the library of an other university in Birmingham - Aston.

 

[ABB125]

The artist impression made me laugh as it looks very similar to the library of an other university in Birmingham - Aston.

I've mentioned before that it's also very similar visually to the new (and finally open from Monday I believe) engineering building at the university.

I was back at the station earlier, and noticed some of these surveying target things. They must have been there for months, but I just haven't realised!

 

[londonmidland]

I was back at the station earlier, and noticed some of these surveying target things.

I think they're used to measure and report any movement of the OLE stanchion which could be caused as a result of the adjacent work and drilling.

 

[ABB125]

I think they're used to measure and report any movement of the OLE stanchion which could be caused as a result of the adjacent work and drilling.

That's what I thought as well.

NEW UPDATE:
About half an hour ago I walked past the construction site, and was surprised to see plenty of work in progress despite the late hour (2200). Is this normal? All my recent visits have been at the weekend when nothing's been happening, so it makes a change actually seeing work in progress!
The utility work by the current station entrance has progressed a bit: the trench has pretty much been completely filled it, but the paving stones are still missing. Work has moved slightly further towards the university, now reaching the start of the bridge over the railway and canal. (Again I'm assuming that this work is related to the station, apologies if it isn't!)

One thing that is far more noticeable at night is the fact that half of the boarding facing Vincent Drive has lighting on it, but the other half doesn't (see images below; the changeover point is either side of the site entrance). Is there a reason for this? Personally I don't see why lighting is needed on the boarding, as there are streetlights along the road (and personally I don't see the point in streetlights anyway, but I suppose that comes from growing up in a village without any!).

 

[ABB125]

Some new signs have appeared on the worksite fence:

A large heap of dirt has also appeared where the new bit of platform 2 will go:

Apologies for the poor photo; hopefully you can make out the dirt between the fence on platform 2 and the temporary fence they've installed along the canal.

Here are some more pictures from the canal side, looking towards the city centre.

 

[mr_moo]

Firstly, @ABB125 - Great photos - thank you.

Secondly, for anyone interested there's a talk being given on the rebuild coming up on Thu 27th May at 5:30PM. https://www.youngrailpro.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1519819

 

[ABB125]

Firstly, @ABB125 - Great photos - thank you.

Secondly, for anyone interested there's a talk being given on the rebuild coming up on Thu 27th May at 5:30PM. https://www.youngrailpro.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1519819

Is that talk open to anyone?

Here are some more pictures from a few days ago.
Some concrete foundations have been installed on the canal-side of the station, seen here looking north then south from either end:

Similar-looking foundations have also been installed along the base of the sheet piling on the hospital-side:

And some excavations have been made right behind the current platform 1:

A large number of the reflective green surveying targets have been installed on the northbound track (but not, as far as I could see, on the southbound track). They may have been there for some time, but they were incredibly obvious in the early morning sun whilst I was there:

Here's a general view of the canal-side worksite, and one from mid-March: quite different!

Finally, a general view showing the height difference between the tracks and the land on the hospital-side:

 

[WesternS]

A quick (and hopefully simple) question - as an ex-user I never used to really notice the OLHE stanchions as they were both outside the platform fence and thus the wires were above the platform shelters. When they do the new station, will they move the stanchions or just leave them in the 'middle' of the wider platforms (and thus not touch/change/move/extend the width of the OHLE at all) ?

 

[edwin_m]

A quick (and hopefully simple) question - as an ex-user I never used to really notice the OLHE stanchions as they were both outside the platform fence and thus the wires were above the platform shelters. When they do the new station, will they move the stanchions or just leave them in the 'middle' of the wider platforms (and thus not touch/change/move/extend the width of the OHLE at all) ?

The video in #26 shows them in the middle of the platform. Any parts of the equipment that are above a platform are not electrically live.

 

[city dweller]

Thanks for the photos ABB125

 

[mr_moo]

Is that talk open to anyone?

Yep.

The "Young Railway Professionals" is open to anyone, not just young people. They mean young in their career in the railways, not just young in years.

For that event though anyone can join - you don't need to be a member of the YRP or anything. Just register via the eventbrite link on that page and you're in.

 

[HSTEd]

The video in #26 shows them in the middle of the platform. Any parts of the equipment that are above a platform are not electrically live.

Well technically there might be a significant potential in the conductor mounted outboard of the insulators.

Is this a booster installation?

 

[mr_moo]

Secondly, for anyone interested there's a talk being given on the rebuild coming up on Thu 27th May at 5:30PM. https://www.youngrailpro.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1519819

I have received an email today that the talk has been postponed sadly. I'll post here when it comes back.

 

[ABB125]

A few more pictures from earlier today.

Someone clearly doesn't want me to be able to see what's going on, because boarding has appeared on the canal side, blocking the view from platform 2:

A seemingly random bit of board has also been installed on the hospital side:

And here's a general view of the hospital side:

 

[mr_moo]

Lol! Maybe someone from site is on this forum and knows the photos will appear, so they are hiding from you!
Great pics though - thank you so much for your efforts.

 

[ABB125]

Here's another shot of the hospital side building site, looking north. The seemingly random bit of fence from before has been extended most of the way along the platform, but interestingly not where I'm stood! As far as I can tell, a bit more concrete has been poured, and some more wooden fencing installed.

 

[59CosG95]

Here's another shot of the hospital side building site, looking north. The seemingly random bit of fence from before has been extended most of the way along the platform, but interestingly not where I'm stood! As far as I can tell, a bit more concrete has been poured, and some more wooden fencing installed.
View attachment 97450

Seems to me that the OLE structures (IIRC, 4 headspans & 1 TTC) are remaining in situ, although I could be proved wrong.

 

[ABB125]

Seems to me that the OLE structures (IIRC, 4 headspans & 1 TTC) are remaining in situ, although I could be proved wrong.

It certainly appears that way at the moment

 

[ABB125]

A concrete slab has been poured on the canal side of the station, presumably the lift tower/stairs/whatever else is being built on this side will go here.

Looking south, towards the existing station building:

Looking north, towards the city centre:


Both pictures are taken from the canal towpath; for some reason, there's a gap in the boards which otherwise block the view, which is quite nice as I can thus take pictures easily!

Also of note, the canal towpath is being closed over the coming weekend. I'm assuming it's to do with the rebuild, but I have no idea what will be done. I think the canal is also going to be closed to navigation, so it must be something fairly significant!

 

[mr_moo]

Thank you, again, ABB125, for your continuing updates. Always appreciated.

 

[ABB125]

A concrete foundation has also now appeared on the hospital side of the station. They've also stuck some concrete in front of the sheet piling. Here's a comparison of the current position (left) and the last picture I took (right):


A number of large wooden beams (like railway sleepers, but longer) have also appeared on site. I'm not sure what they're for. They can be seen here stacked behind the gate, and also just visible further behind:

 

[Bald Rick]

Those beams could be to make a pad upon which heavy plant might operate, or to provide a protection pad on top of the tracks underneath a bridge being demolished (if that is proposed here, I don’t know).