Paddington | Tracking the Light

London boasts some of the most historic and most famous big city railway terminals.

Earlier this month I visited several of these stations during the course of my travels.

Soon Euston may be dramatically redeveloped. Yet, owing to its 1960s design, this terminal may be among the least photographed in modern times. FujiFilm X-T1 photo, May 2016.

Departure boards at London Euston in May 2016. FujiFilm X-T1 photo, May 2016.

Hassard Stacpoole brought me on a tour of London’s 1960-era Euston Station to show me sites of anticipated changes to this busy terminus as result of its planned redevelopment.

My favorite London station is St. Pancras. Which is yours?

The most elegant and ornate London terminus is St. Pancras. The head house originally served as the Midland Grand Hotel as well as booking offices. Today the grand old building is again a hotel, while the station serves Eurostar trains to Paris, Lille and Brussels as well as domestic services using the old Midland route. FujiFilm X-T1 photo with Zeiss 12mm lens, May 2016.

St. Pancras train shed was restored during redevelopment in 2007. FujiFilm X-T1 photo with 12mm Zeiss lens, May 2016.

Kings Cross, London, May 2016. Lumix LX7 photo.

Grand Central train at Kings Cross, London, May 2016. Lumix LX7 photo.

Statue of Isambard K. Brunel at Paddington Station, London. Lumix LX7 photo.

Paddington Station, London. Lumix LX7 photo.

London Victoria on a quite Sunday morning. Lumix LX7 photo. — London Victoria on a quiet Sunday morning. Lumix LX7 photo.

I feature several of London’s stations in my recent book Railway Depots, Stations and Terminals published last year by Voyageur Press.

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HST under the Victorian Shed.

Exposed on May 11, 2010 using my Panasonic Lumix LX-3.

Here we have a contrast. Beneath the Victorian-era shed dating from the time of I.K. Brunel’s famous seven-foot gauge Great Western Railway (purists will note with precision, that the correct measurement of the track was 7 feet and ¼ inch) idles a 1970s-era HST.

That’s one of the great things about railways, is the fantastic longevity of technology and infrastructure. No place offers greater contrasts than Britain. Paddington is neither the oldest, and the nearly 40-year old HST’s are hardly Britain’s newest, but the point is made. Perhaps someone else will offer a more perfect juxtaposition!

Moments after I exposed this image, I boarded the First Great Western HST and soon after was gliding west on Brunel’s old GWR route. Today, this is one of the busiest non-electrified mainlines in the world. Not for long though, as I understand the wires are coming!

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