The surviving Grade I listed entrance building was designed by Philip Hardwick as the company’s offices and boardroom. Built in 1838, it is among the world's oldest surviving pieces of monumental railway architecture. Costing £28,000 to build, the architecture is Roman inspired, following Hardwick's trip to Italy in 1818–19. It has tall pillars running up the front of the building, made out of a series of huge blocks of stone. The design mirrored the Euston Arch at the London end of the L&BR. In the original design the building was to be flanked by two arches leading into the station: excavations have revealed that these were never built. The interior was modified in 1839 to accommodate an 'hotel' (the Victoria), although this was probably more in the nature of a refreshment room or public house, and later the booking hall, with a large iron balustraded stone staircase and offices. It is three storeys tall but relatively small. The building was acquired by Birmingham City Council in 1979. A detailed paper from Historic England can be found at the Warwickshire Railways website..