In and Out of Paddington

Paddington is one of London's-indeed the world's-great railway stations. Designed basically by Brunel, although others contributed, it has served its intended purpose of providing a starting point and a culmination of countless journeys between the capital, the West Country, the Midlands, Merseyside, Wales and beyond, to Ireland and America, for over 180 years. In a highly illustrated book we look at the trains, steam diesel and electric, which have served it, the people who have passed through, and have worked there. We also consider its surroundings, which were once the fields belonging to Westbourne Manor House, where its locomotive depot would be built. A little further out was Old Oak Common, now deep in inner suburbia, the GWRs largest depot, still the home of the High Speed Trains and used as a depot for the Cross Rail construction. The approach to Paddington involved negotiating a fascinating complex of lines, serving both goods and passenger traffic, signal boxes and semaphore signals galore. To this day it is the only main line London station served by surface Underground trains.