Inner Ring Road Central

Note that you can click on any old picture to see a larger version

Colmore Row / Steelhouse Lane
1962	2005
Here's another picture where it's tricky to prove this is the same place!  The only proof I can offer is that the splendid building to the left of the old picture is Snow Hill Station.  The modern equivalent can not be seen on the 2005 picture but I assure you it's there. The demise of Snow Hill Station is a sad tale.  It stood derelict for many years before it was finally demolished.  We must be glad that Moor Street Station did not suffer the same fate - it's the only city centre station whose building has survived, despite some years in a state of dereliction.

Upper Priory
1961	2005
Centre stage here is the Gaumont Cinema.  In 2005, it's The Wesleyan sitting in the centre of Colmore Circus Queensway. In front of The Gaumont is an impressive, gothic style building.  Could this be the Friends Meeting House shown on the 1950 map?  I wish I knew for sure...

Old Square
1961	2005
This picture caused me a great deal of consternation!  None of these old buildings survive - The Kings Hall Market, The Grand Casino, The Stork Hotel.  I knew where Old Square was but where was the picture taken from?  The clue was the road sign with the black and white pole to the left of the picture.  The same pole is visible on the Upper Priory photo, above. With the clue to help I can be sure that the narrow road disappearing into the distance is Lower Priory.  The building illuminated by the sun at the end of that road is in Dale End.  I was pleased that the building on the far right is still there today to prove my theory.

Dale End
1961	2005
Dale End has always been an ugly backwater of the city centre in my eyes.  To see what was destroyed here to give us the concrete jungle of modern times was a shock.  It was also a surprise to find that, in 1961, Dale End was part of the A47 main road.

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