University Station which serves the University of Birmingham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, has opened its doors launching brand-new facilities for rail passengers. The Caxton Builders team worked on this significant project focusing on internal blockwork walls and external brickwork substation with various brickwork retaining walls. 

The opening follows a three-year construction programme for main contractor, VolkerFitzpatrick during which the station remained open and operational. The project included installing new bridges over both the live railway line and the Birmingham to Worcester canal.

Image credit – VolkerFitzpatrick

7.2 million passengers a year

The additions at University Station include wider entrances, stairways and exits, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) said. The university has up to 3.5m passengers a year, making it one of the busiest stations in the region. The station’s original building opened in 1978 to accommodate just 500,000 journeys per year. It serves the neighbouring University of Birmingham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Footfall at the station has increased over the last decade as a result of the expansion of both the university and the redevelopment of the hospital and, anticipating further growth in customer numbers, the site’s overhaul has been designed to accommodate up to 7.2m passengers per year.

Image credit – Ben McPhee – Associated Architects

Caxton Builders overcomes logistical challenges

Ivan Sharpe, Caxton Builders Construction Manager explains, “Our teams worked on two platforms separated by the live train lines and were linked with a pedestrian bridge. Platform two created a logistical challenge whilst moving materials as the train lines remained live throughout the build. Material was taken over in an agreed window between midnight to 4 am by a special distribution team. The internal walls to both Platform One and Platform Two were fair faced blockwork, building commons rooms, store rooms, plant rooms, lift motor rooms and LV switch rooms. Materials to build these walls were all carried by light plant and involved significant manual handling as a forklift could get close or inside.

Caxton Builders also constructed a blast wall for security between the welfare corridor and the commons room with wind posts, joint reinforcement and dense blocks. External retaining walls consisted of different brickwork bonds and brickwork copings and were built in a red-coloured mortar. They varied in height and were built in the ramps and steps for the entrance to the station. Caxton Builders also built the substation in the corner of the site next to the main road which was built in the same bricks and coloured mortar”.

Exceptional-looking facility

Phil Wood, Senior Project Manager, VolkerFitzpatrick said, “I think we can all agree that it is an exceptional-looking facility. The end user, West Midlands Trains is delighted. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and incredible efforts on the project. VolkerFitzpatrick appreciates it and looks forward to delivering more with you in the future”.

Image credit – Caxton Builders

Collaboration is key

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), and the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) have led the development in collaboration with the University of Birmingham, the NHS University Hospitals Birmingham Trust, Birmingham City Council, the Department for Transport, Network Rail, West Midlands Trains and Cross Country Trains.

Mayor of the West Midlands

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “It’s good news that we now have a superb gateway for thousands of people arriving at University every day – no longer having to queue on stairs and funnel through what was a fairly tiny building on their way to lectures or hospital appointments.”

Image credit – Ben McPhee – Associated Architects

Image credit – Mott MacDonald

In the Press

Railway Gazette – Capacity increase future-proofs Birmingham’s University station | Rail Business UK | Railway Gazette International

Rail Advent – New buildings at University station in Birmingham to open on Sunday (railadvent.co.uk)

Birmingham World – University rail station to open new buildings on Cross City Line (birminghamworld.uk)

InsiderMedia – Doors open at new University Station buildings | Insider Media

BBC News – Birmingham railway station’s new buildings open to the public – BBC News

Birmingham Mail – What to expect as Birmingham’s new University Station opens – Birmingham Live (birminghammail.co.uk)

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