Blognor Regis points us to this interesting piece in the Daily Telegraph about Dan Cruickshank’s campaign to see Euston Arch Rebuilt when Euston Station is redeveloped sometime during or after 2012. The website provides some context:

The failure to save the arch was a bitter and public defeat for the forces of civilization - headed by Sir John Betjeman and the Victorian Society - and a gruesome victory for the penny-pinching forces of crude Modernisation headed by British Railways, aided and abetted by the then British Government.

But the loss of the Euston Arch - an event that shocked and appalled the British public - helped to kick-start the conservation movement. Never, it was felt, should such a gross act of barbarism ever again be committed in the public’s name yet against the public’s desire. In a very direct manner the sacrifice of the Euston Arch saved the station buildings at St Pancras and Kings Cross because it was clear to both British Railways and to politicians that such cavalier and brutish conduct - pursued in the face of popular opinion - dared not be repeated.

This would be a wonderful complement to Curzon Street, the other end of the world’s first railway trunk line Euston to Curzon Street.

If you want to see inside this Grade II listed building then the Stirchley Neighbourhood Forum has negotiated a one hour window of opportunity between 11am and noon this Tuesday 12th August 2008.
For more please look here.

Created in Birmingham reports for us:

Here’s the “outline design” for the new BIAD campus in Eastside, as revealed on Simon Howes’ Eastside blog. Millennium Point is in the foreground and the red blob is Curzon St Station. Simon also has a top down map which pleasingly shows how much open space they’re planning to leave, which is nice as I like the amount of green currently there.

Pete over at the Custard Factory blog points us to a visit to Birmingham from Tate Modern’s own blogger Tom. Tom called Birmingham the “Warm Heart of England” and writes:

the most successful design elements of Birmingham are where the old and the new come together, creating a sense of somewhere that shouldn’t work, but does. Battered old pubs and markets squashed next to new civic icons; the weight of Dickensian industry alongside relics of the Sixties. This is what I think of when I think of Birmingham, and it warms the heart.

This Birmingham exists despite the planners best efforts. It seems the most inspirational spaces are there by happy accident. Maybe the best way to design the best spaces is to let it all happen naturally? To re-use buildings that already exist, rather than always ripping them out and starting again.

That is exactly what I think every time is see the back to backs nestling among Bimringham’s new build apartment blocks.

English Heritage will be be featuring Highbury Park in a new publication on Pulhamite. I tell you this because we all need to enrich our lives with a better understanding of Pulhamite - so please have a look at the excellent site run by the Friends of Highbury Park.

You never know - it could be the answer to a million pound question.

You may have spotted on our website a little badge which says shop here to support the Birmingham Conservation Trust. If you use this link to do your shopping between now and January 31st 2008 we could win £1000.

Whether we win the competition or not we will still receive a small percentage of the money you spend on Christmas presents or perhaps holiday flights. With some things we get loadsamoney: if you sign up for Sky TV through the link we could receive up to £120!

I know it sounds a bit bonkers but you pay the normal prices. We are simply getting a share of the shops marketing budget for passing your custom their way.

http://www.buy.at/birminghamconservation

So please have a good browse and buy if the deals are good for you. Tell your friends. At the moment Aldershot Football Club is in the lead - lets make that Birmingham Conservation Trust!

The Buildings of Birmingham - Ben Waddington’s guided tours of Brum, are still going stong, he promises to may you say” “They haven’t knocked it all down!”.

Here’s the blurb…

Join your tour guide Ben Waddington on a fascinating journey through Birmingham’s history, looking at the often overlooked architectural history of the city. Two tours explore the city’s Industrial heritage (tour A) and the City Centre (tour B) Expect to encounter timber framed buildings, C18th beerhouses, richly ornate Victorian terracotta, ‘Birmingham Gothic’, Arts and Crafts and more.

Tour A starts in Old Square, Corporation Street, tour B starts outside the Town Hall entrance, both at Noon. This info also appears on the ticket, which you can buy from Central Library reception, by phoning 0121303 2323 or by visiting www.birminghamboxoffice.com . You can also pay on the day, but places are limited to 15 people per tour.

Upcoming Dates:

Sun 2nd December a
Fri 14th December b
Sat 22nd December a
Sun 30th December b

Tickets cost £5 (kids go free!) All tours start at noon and last about 90 minutes.

Lifted straight from Jon Bounds. Thank you!

Most of the 70,000 artefcats have now been catalogued and removed from Newman’s in preparation for buildings work. Some remain, including this samples bag.

Anne Levitt - a trustee - and the old cat found under the floorboards at Curzon Street. Picture from here.