The south tunnel in New Street was blocked April 18, 1877, by a locomotive turning over.  In October, 1854, an engine fell over into Great Charles Street.

The unused viaduct between Bordesley and Banbury Street belongs to the G.W.R.  Co. and was intended to connect their lines with the other Companies.  It now stands as a huge monument of the “Railway Mania” days.

The extensive carrying trade of Crowley and Co. was transferred to the L. & N.W.R.  Co.  May 17, 1873.

Railway Stations.—­As noted on a previous page, the first railway stations were those in Duddeston Row, Lawley Street, Vauxhall, the Camp Hill, but the desirability of having a Central Station was too apparent for the Companies to remain long at the outskirts, and the L. & N.W.R.  Co. undertook the erection in New Street, of what was then (and will soon be again) the most extensive railway station in the kingdom, making terms with the Midland for part use thereof.  The work of clearance was commenced in 1846, the estimated cost being put at L400,000, L39,000 being paid to the Governors of the Grammar School for land belonging to them.  Several streets were done away with, and the introduction of the station may be called the date-point of the many town improvements that have since been carried out.  The station, and the tunnels leading thereto, took seven years in completion, the opening ceremony taking place June 1, 1853.  The iron and glass roof was ihe largest roof in the world, being 1,080 ft. long, with a single span of 212 ft. across at a height of 75 ft. from the rails.  This immense span has since been surpassed, as the roof of the St. Pancras Station, London, is 243 ft. from side to side.  The roof of Lime Street Station, Liverpool, is also much larger, being 410ft wide, but it is in two spans.  The station has been since greatly enlarged, extending as far as Hill Street, on which side are the Midland Booking Offices.  The tunnels have been partially widened or thrown into open cuttings, additional platforms constructed, and miles of new rails laid down, one whole street (Great Queen Street) being taken bodily into the station for a carriage drive.  The station now covers nearly 12 acres, the length of platforms exceeding 1-1/2 miles.  The cost of this enlargement was over half-a-million sterling.

As in the case of New Street Station, the introduction of the Great Western Railway caused the removal of a very large number of old buildings, but the monster wooden shed which did duty as the Snow Hill Station for many years was as great a disgrace to the town as ever the old tumbledown structures could have been that were removed to make way for it.  This, however, was remedied in 1871, by the erection of the present building, which is extensive and convenient, the platforms having a run of 720 feet, the span of the roof being 92 feet.