A number of fine statues adorn some of the public squares. One of these, a
bronze statue to _Peel_ faces _east_; while _Priestley's_ marble statue
faces _south_.

The first thing that arrests the tourist's attention on arriving at
Birmingham, is its magnificent railroad station, the largest and finest
that I had thus far met with in England. As it was late in the evening
when I arrived, I had no time to pay much attention to it until the next
day. The part entered by the trains is about 1,050 feet long and 200 feet
wide, all in one apartment. This part is sprung by forty-two immense iron
arches, supporting a roof half of whose covering is glass. The numerous
tracks are separated by platforms running lengthwise through the building,
from which the passengers enter the cars. In order to avoid the danger of
crossing the tracks, there is a fine foot-bridge, eighteen feet wide,
running across the tracks above the reach of the locomotive stacks. From
this bridge, stairs descent to the platforms between the tracks, as before
mentioned. Three hundred trains pass through this station every
twenty-four hours. An officer receives and dismisses these trains by means
of a signal-bell. The ticket-offices are in the second story of a large
building adjoining.



Railroads in Europe.


There are no "conductors" upon the trains after they leave the "stations"
(which, by the way, I never heard any one call depots, in Europe) but
officers are stationed at the head of every stairway to punch the tickets.