The first phase of a major redevelopment project at Birmingham New Street station will be open to the public on April 28th, Network Rail has confirmed.

Around £600 million has been spent on the regeneration scheme and work began in 2010.

This is the first large-scale upgrade of the Midlands transport hub for 40 years and the new concourse will bring the facility into the 21st century.

Work will continue on the second half of the station beyond April and the radical overhaul of one of the UK's oldest railways stations has really impressed transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

"The quality of the design is superb and will no doubt help Birmingham build on its reputation for exciting and striking architecture," he remarked.

Birmingham New Street first opened in 1854 and it has been left behind by stations in other major cities, which have had extensive facelifts in the past few decades.

However, the 140,000 passengers who use the facility every day will be amazed by the transformation brought about by this latest work.