Opening 1849, Kings Norton is one of the oldest stations on the Cross City Line on what was
originally the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway's line from the South to Curzon Street via the Camp Hill route.
With the coming of the BWSR's Kings Norton Extension in 1892 the station was expanded to three platforms and a
level crossing that carried Station Road across the tracks was replaced by a footbridge, a large coal and goods
yard was built with sidings for the adjacent Triplex Works and the station became a significant site in the
region's railways. Built in 1978 during the reopening of the cross-city line, the current entrance and station
building is pictured above in July 2003. |
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Above-left we can see the covered footbridge - the long walkway to the
Station entrance is sited at the top of the staircase on the left-hand side up platform. This
view also shows the disused island platform which is now heavily covered in bushes and small
trees! Interesetingly, when originally built the station only had a double-track (being the
set seen in the above-left image) thus the area which is now the island platform was at one
time the up platform. Beyond the footbridge and the bridge carrying the Pershore Road is the
branch to Lifford. Above-right we see the view from the footbridge at the southern-end of the
station looking back towards Northfield: the area of land to the left being the old goods
yard. |
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Above-left we see the original, now demolished, station building boarded-up and
roofless. To the extreme left of the shot you may just be able to make-out the Stationmaster's
house: another survivor - it is now a private residence.Above-right a Virgin HST passes the site of
the old goods yard which once housed coal wagons and later car transporters. Most of the track has been lifted but in the
centre-right are two buffer-stops which are still rail connected although appearing rather
disused. The goods yard is now divided into an overspill car park (where the photographer is
standing) and 'Kings Norton On Track Plant Depot' which is the area seen in the photo. |
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Unfortunately, since my visit to Kings Norton to take photos for this page, Network Rail have decided that the time
has come to demolish the old station building and as of 25/02/06, the bulldozers moved-in to clear the site. Above-left and right we
see the partially demolished station building, soon to be absorbed into the car park. |
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MAP |
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