JN_12's Euro adventure - St Pancras Station

[jn_12]

First installment of pictures from my recent overseas journey.

My girlfriend and I spent a couple hours waiting for our train to Brussels, and took some pictures of the new St Pancras International Station. The exterior was being renovated and there was too much scaffolding that made it difficult to get any decent shots, so the inside will have to do. Overall, I was impressed with the building. While there was still some work needed, it clearly had an impressionable air to it, and one can only wish that the Union renovation could be even fractionally as significant.

The only thing I wasn't thrilled about was that downstairs in the shopping area the entrance consisted of large (2 or 3 stories high) windows that were open. The day we were there it was 8 degrees and windy and the wind could be felt some 100 feet inside the building. The girls working at the Starbucks we stopped at were forced to wear their jackets while working it was so cold. I didn't get a picture because frankly we didn't want to stick around down there and get sick.

Enjoy! and feel free to ask questions. It's been nearly a month since I took these pictures (as we had literally just got off the tube from Heathrow to start our trip) so off the top of my head they speak for themselves, but if not, I'd be glad to give my thoughts.

These small poems were in the floor surrounding the small statue

 

[Mustapha]

The old and the new. Wonderful. Thank you.

 

[p5connex]

One can only dream of having Union Station filled with people, getting around the city, region, country via modern electrified rail-networks..

Oh, and the station looks great. Another dream to have Union's train-shed redone - probably never going to happen, at least not the entire piece.

p5

 

[shumoon]

It's a far cry from the St. Pancras Station I visited in 1996. Back then, it was a dark and dreary rail station next to one of the diciest neighbourhoods in London, King's Cross. I wonder if the area has gentrified in the past 12 years.

 

[interchange42]

Yeah - this is a totally wonderful remake, and a station any city would dream of having!

Other pics here.

42

 

[simply Dan]

It is indeed a beautiful station now – however the Brits are notorious for neglecting public spaces and letting things deteriorate and become shabby rather quickly – I wonder how this magnificent station will look even a few short years from now.

 

[jn_12]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

I think the quality of the station will last. They're renovating the rest of the station and turning it into condos and I believe a hotel (not 100% sure about that, but definItely condos). So between the new developments and the increased traffic in the station now that Eurostar is there I think it'll be in good shape. They also spent way too much on this to let it deteriorate.

 

[Long Island Mike]

St.Pancras International station in London-quite a place!

JN12 and I42: Good photo tour of London's St.Pancras Station-it seems to be a lively terminal for the Eurostar service-being a rail buff I would love to see it myself some day. I really like that 2nd to last pic of the harried older male commuter statue-perhaps he's thinking "Just what bloody track is that train on?"

Another question-did anyone of you get hassled by the authorities in any way taking these photos? The reason I ask is that if I were to attempt this without permission in NYC's Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station I probably would be questioned or perhaps even detained. I am one who is sick of the terrorist paranoia that some authority types have in the USA today-especially in cities.

London is a fascinating place to trainspot as many do know. LI MIKE