London Paddington

Paddington station - the quintessence of the Great Western Railway. The GWR formally came into existence on 31st August 1835 when Royal Assent was received for a 118-mile double-track line between London and Bristol. Negotiations with landowners and the securing of the track bed had begun some three years previously in anticipation of the green light and in 1833, the eminent Isambard Kingdom Brunel had been appointed by the company's Board as engineer of the line. Brunel would soon be working twenty hour days in the planning of the capital's main line to the west.

The GWR Board initially considered a shared entrance into capital with the London & Birmingham Railway (L&BR), connecting with the latter at Kensal Green and subsequently running its trains into Euston. Although both Vauxhall to the south of the Thames and Pimlico on the north bank had been possibilities to house an exclusive terminus, the Euston option was the only suggestion which was pursued by the company in earnest. This did not please Brunel, whom was adamant that a totally separate entry into the capital was necessary; this requirement was perhaps only overshadowed in importance, if only slightly, by another of the innovator's desires, that of utilising ''Broad Gauge''. Incongruous with the contemporary railway companies which built their networks to 4 foot 8½ inch ''Standard Gauge'', Brunel's Broad Gauge system assumed a greater track width of 7 foot 0¼ inches, which the engineer assured his employers would allow faster and more comfortable running than the aforementioned concept of George Stephenson. Successful Brunel was in convincing the GWR to adopt Broad Gauge, and the company officially announced that the route would be built to the greater width on 29th October 1835. Despite this, the Euston plan still stood, the engineer having been unable to sway the GWR's thinking towards a completely new terminus. However, it was not long until Brunel's wish materialised and just before the old year was seen out, he was informed that talks between the GWR and L&BR had stalled: the planning of the GWR's exclusive London hub could begin.

The amount of capital envisaged to complete the whole route between London and Bristol was totalled at £2,800,000, but the origins of this price date back to before Broad Gauge was agreed on. The double-track line opened from London to Maidenhead (Bridge) on 4th June 1838, Reading on 30th March 1840, followed over a year later by the distance to Bristol, on 30th June 1841. By completion, the cost had escalated to £6,500,000, leaving a shortage of money and preventing Brunel from immediately creating a London masterpiece. The first ''temporary'' Paddington station was quite a contrast to what was to come later: it was virtually all of economical timber construction, its main brick content only stemming from the arches of the existing road bridge, which conveniently formed the terminus' façade. There were just two platform faces, an arrivals at the north and a departures at the south, both separated by a roadway, but this layout would soon require expanding, particularly after the growth of traffic on commencement of through running between Paddington and Bristol. Eventually, trains arriving were served by three platform faces and those departing used two. The site here was certainly comprehensive now, for the arrivals and departures were now separated by a four track carriage shed, accessed by four miniature rolling stock turntables - the central roadway also still remained. A locomotive roundhouse appeared on the western approaches of the station, whilst a goods shed was positioned east, beyond the façade of Bishops Road.

Exeter was reached in 1844, Plymouth in 1849 and Birmingham in 1852, all lines of which were built for Broad Gauge running (that between Oxford and Birmingham was mixed gauge). Paddington needed expanding, especially now that capital was available. However, with the recent construction of engine and goods facilities at the site, the GWR was initially unwilling to give formal approval to Brunel for the razing of the whole site to the ground, but would compromise with permitting rebuilding of the departure platforms. This did not occur, the engineer instead awaiting permission to proceed with a total station rebuild, this of which had eventually been received by March 1853. As expected, the existing Paddington complex was scheduled for total obliteration, but a new site was selected for the main terminus, set back from the original platforms on the opposite side of Bishops Road. For this riveting project, Brunel enlisted the services of architect Matthew Digby Wyatt to act as assistant, the latter being responsible for the decoration and ornamentation, whilst the engineer dealt with the overall design of the terminus. In short, what transpired was a most grand start for the GWR's line, combining the operational requirements of a station with the sheer magnificence of a cathedral. Arguably the most imposing features of this masterpiece were the three trainshed spans, all of irregular widths - from east to west: 68 foot; 102 foot 6 inches; 70 foot. The trio extended lengthways for some 707 foot and were of wrought iron construction, frescoed by Wyatt. The main station offices, of brick construction, were sandwiched in-between the southern most trainshed span and Eastbourne Terrace - a railway hotel was planned for the site at the end of the lines. The hotel was not of Brunel's doing, but rather created by one Phillip Hardwick, built to a symmetrical classical design upon land which raised it above the three-span trainshed. The spare land between the rear of the hotel and the back of the trainshed was left undeveloped.

Although scheduled steam ended at the terminus in June 1965, it was soon back in evidence

on excursions. Here, Castle Class No. 4079 ''Pendennis Castle'' is seen fronting a charter

service at platform 4 in August 1965. The coaching stock is ex-GWR and in BR maroon, a

livery applied to Western Region passenger stock from 1956 onwards. David Glasspool Collection

Another view of ''Pendennis Castle'' reveals a BR head code and illustrates the fine spans of

the trainshed roof. No. 4079 was purchased for preservation in 1964; in 1977 it was sold on

to iron ore producer ''Hamersley Iron'', and in May of that year was dispatched to Australia.

After spending over two decades ''down under'', the locomotive returned to Britain in 2000,

becoming part of the Great Western locomotive collection housed at Didcot Railway Centre.

David Glasspool Collection

This view of the Paddington approach lines in about 1965 shows Class 52 No. 1004 ''Western Crusader''

dwarfed by the GWR goods depot. Most of this goods depot was demolished during 1986, leaving just

the lower brick half of this side's retaining wall. The lower wall still remains today, as will later be seen.

David Glasspool Collection

Next: the History Continues >>

Return to the Kent Rail Homepage or alternatively, check for Updates.

Website & Copyright information - Links - Contact the Webmaster

All content is copyright © David Glasspool