Punters queue up to lay their bets at Steve Wall’s bookmaking stand at Birmingham Race Course on 1st November 1926. The inauguration of a betting tax means that the bookmaker must be well supplied with revenue tickets.  (Photo by Kirby/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)placeholder image
Punters queue up to lay their bets at Steve Wall’s bookmaking stand at Birmingham Race Course on 1st November 1926. The inauguration of a betting tax means that the bookmaker must be well supplied with revenue tickets. (Photo by Kirby/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Birmingham retro: 18 of the biggest queues in city’s history - from milk queue to Birmingham Library opening

There's been a lot of talk of queueing in Birmingham lately with Christmas shopping and German Market visitors - here's a look back at 123 years of queues in the city

It's that time of year when Birmingham city centre is bursting with people visiting the German Christmas Market and shopping for presents.

The queues at the Bullring escalators can look pretty daunting. And that's if you've managed to find your way out of New Street with the festive crowds flocking to Brum.

But some of these queues are nothing new knew in Birmingham. There have been some huge queues in the city formed throughout this century and the last century.

From waiting in queues to get basic things like milk and newspapers in the mid 1900s, or paying betting tax in 1926, to queuing to get on an airplane at Birmingham Airport or crownds flocking to see a youtuber at the Bullring in more recent times - Brummies have have done it all.

Here are 18 photos of the longest queues in Birmingham over the years:

Follow us
© 2026 Iconic Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice