HS2 restoration of Birmingham's Curzon Street Station begins

Curzon Street Station is said to be the world's oldest surviving piece of monumental railway architecture. Nobody alive today has ridden a passenger train in or out of the old station. Today, its restoration begins.

As part of HS2 plans, Cuzron Street Station is set to become the first intercity terminus station to be built in the UK since the 19th Century, meaning it will act as a start and end-point for the railway line. HS2 claims that eventually, there will be up to 9 trains per hour -direct from the station.

After being damaged by the Blitz during World War 2, the Grade 1 listed building now will be renovated by a team of local specialists, who can tackle the restoration in the most authentic way possible, by using traditional specialist skills like carpentry or stonemasonry.

According to HS2, the designs will also incorporate the existing historic Old Curzon Street building and link it to the new station’s eastern concourse at New Canal Street.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has described HS2 as 'critical' to the West Midlands, particularly in reference to the jobs created for local people.