St. Pancras Station

A long busy day yesterday - hence a back blip.

Yesterday I went into town via St Pancras station. I've always like this station even though the hotel buildings have been derelict all my life.

Opened in 1868 it had the largest single - span roof in the world at the time of its completion. The first train, an express for Manchester ran non-stop from Kentish Town - the longest non-stop run in the world, at the time, of 97 miles (156 km).

The station buildings and hotel are the brick Gothic Revival designs of George Gilbert Scott. The grandeur of Scott's frontage impressed the Midland Railway directors, who wanted to outclass all the other stations in London. A subsequent financial squeeze trimmed one floor from the frontage and certain ornateness (niches devoid of statues), but the design largely remained.

After escaping planned demolition in the 1960s, the complex has been renovated and expanded over the last ten years. Mrs W and I went to a dance performance held within different rooms in the hotel back in the 90's. It is huge and positively labyrinthine inside.