80-562: The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Claughton Class was a class of 4-cylinder express passenger 4-6-0 steam locomotives . The locomotives were introduced in 1913, the first of the class No. 2222 was named in honour of Sir Gilbert Claughton , who was the Chairman of the LNWR at that time. A total of 130 were built, all at Crewe Works up to 1921. Author Brian Reed points out that weight restrictions and equipment limitations at Crewe limited
160-460: A government loan guarantee. In 1937 it appointed the architect Percy Thomas to produce designs. He proposed an American-inspired station that would involve removing or resiting the arch, and included office frontages along Euston Road and a helicopter pad on the roof. Redevelopment began on 12 July 1938, when 100,000 long tons (101,605 tonnes) of limestone was extracted for the building and new flats were constructed to rehouse people displaced by
240-540: A lack of capacity. The following year, two platforms (later 9 and 10) were constructed on vacant land to the west of the station that had been reserved for Great Western Railway services. The L&BR amalgamated with the Manchester & Birmingham Railway and the Grand Junction Railway in 1846 to form the LNWR. The company headquarters were established at Euston requiring a block of offices to be built between
320-621: A large concourse separate from the train shed. Originally, no seats were installed there to deter vagrants and crime, but were added after complaints from passengers. Few remnants of the older station remain: two Portland stone entrance lodges, the London and North Western Railway War Memorial and a statue of Robert Stephenson by Carlo Marochetti , from the old ticket hall, stands in the forecourt. A large statue by Eduardo Paolozzi named Piscator dedicated to German theatre director Erwin Piscator
400-505: A short period in January 1920; and the name was later given to a new locomotive numbered 1914, which entered service in May 1920 (ordinarily, this locomotive would have been numbered 69, which had been unused since January 1920; but instead, Renown Class locomotive No. 1914 was renumbered 1257 in order to release its old number). The nameplates of both locomotives also bore the inscription "In Memory of
480-563: A signal and communications building and various staff offices. The parcel deck was reinforced using 5,500 tons of structural steelwork. Signalling on the routes leading out of the station was reworked along with the electrification of the lines, including the British Rail Automatic Warning System . Fifteen platforms had been completed by 1966, and the electric service began on 3 January. An automated parcel depot above platforms 3 to 18 opened on 7 August 1966. The station
560-566: A temporary halt at Denbigh Hall near Bletchley where a coach service was provided to Rugby . The line to Curzon Street station in Birmingham opened on 17 September 1838, the journey of 112 miles (180 km) took around 5 + 1 ⁄ 4 hours. The incline from Camden Town to Euston involved crossing the Regent's Canal on a gradient of more than 1 in 68. Because steam trains at the time could not climb such an ascent, they were cable-hauled on
640-476: A vampiric loathing of sunlight". Michael Palin , explorer and travel writer, in his contribution to Great Railway Journeys titled "Confessions of a Trainspotter" in 1980, likened it to "a great bath, full of smooth, slippery surfaces where people can be sloshed about efficiently". Journalist Barney Ronay described the station as "easily, easily the worst main station in Western Europe" and that using it
720-400: Is "like being taken away to be machine gunned in the woods by various mobile phone and soft drinks companies". Access to parts of the station is difficult for people with physical disability . The introduction of lifts in 2010 made the taxi rank and underground station accessible from the concourse, though some customers found them unreliable and frequently broken down. Wayfindr technology
800-725: Is a major central London railway terminus managed by Network Rail in the London Borough of Camden . It is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line , the UK's busiest inter-city railway. Euston is the tenth-busiest station in Britain and the country's busiest inter-city passenger terminal, being the gateway from London to the West Midlands , North West England , North Wales and Scotland . Intercity express passenger services to
880-525: Is known as the West Coast Main Line . The LNWR's network also extended into Wales and Yorkshire . In 1923, it became a constituent of the London, Midland and Scottish (LMS) railway, and, in 1948, the London Midland Region of British Railways . The company was formed on 16 July 1846 by the London and North Western Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cciv), which authorised the amalgamation of
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#1732852195082960-581: Is named after Euston Hall in Suffolk, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Grafton , the main landowners in the area during the mid-19th century. It is set back from Euston Square and Euston Road on the London Inner Ring Road , between Cardington Street and Eversholt Street in the London Borough of Camden . It is one of 20 stations managed by Network Rail . As of the 2022-23 estimates of station usage, it
1040-554: Is not part of these plans. Two hotels on Cardington Street adjacent to the west of the station were also demolished. In August 2019, the Department for Transport (DfT) ordered an independent review of the project, chaired by the British civil engineer Douglas Oakervee . The Oakervee Review was published by the Department for Transport the following February, alongside a statement from
1120-471: Is one of the nastiest concrete boxes in London: devoid of any decorative merit; seemingly concocted to induce maximum angst among passengers; and a blight on surrounding streets. The design should never have left the drawing-board – if, indeed, it was ever on a drawing-board. It gives the impression of having been scribbled on the back of a soiled paper bag by a thuggish android with a grudge against humanity and
1200-410: Is sited at the front of the courtyard, which as of 2016 was reported to be deteriorating. Other pieces of public art, including low stone benches by Paul de Monchaux around the courtyard, were commissioned by Network Rail in 1990. The station has catering units and shops, a large ticket hall and an enclosed car park with over 200 spaces. The lack of daylight on the platforms compares unfavourably with
1280-543: Is the tenth-busiest station in Britain It is the eighth-busiest terminus in London by entries and exits. Euston bus station is in front of the main entrance. Euston was the first inter-city railway station in London. It opened on 20 July 1837 as the terminus of the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR). It was demolished in the 1960s and replaced with the present building in the international modern style. The site
1360-572: The Chester and Holyhead Railway and became responsible for the lucrative Irish Mail trains via the North Wales Main Line to Holyhead . On 1 February 1859, the company launched the limited mail service, which was only allowed to take three passenger coaches, one each for Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth. The Postmaster General was always willing to allow a fourth coach, provided the increased weight did not cause time to be lost in running. The train
1440-624: The Dearne Valley Railway ) and at the same time absorbed the North London Railway and the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company , both of which were previously controlled by the LNWR. With this, the LNWR achieved a route mileage (including joint lines, and lines leased or worked) of 2,707.88 miles (4,357.91 km). The company built a war memorial in the form of an obelisk outside Euston station to commemorate
1520-631: The District Railway at Earl's Court and over the route to Richmond. With the Bakerloo Tube Line being extended over the Watford DC lines , the railway was electrified at 630 V DC fourth rail . The electricity was generated at the LNWR's power station in Stonebridge Park and a depot built at Croxley Green. The LNWR became a constituent of the London, Midland and Scottish (LMS) railway when
1600-611: The Earl of Euston , the Earl of Rosse and John Betjeman . Experts did not believe the work would cost £190,000 and speculated it could be done more cheaply by foreign labour. On 16 October 1961, 75 architects and students staged a demonstration against its demolition inside the Great Hall and a week later Sir Charles Wheeler led a deputation to speak with the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan . Macmillan replied that as well as
1680-482: The Euston Arch , also by Hardwick, symbolised the arrival of a major new transport system and was "the gateway to the north". It was 72 feet (22 m) high, supported on four 44 ft 2 in (13.46 m) by 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) hollow Doric propylaeum columns of Bramley Fall stone , the largest ever built. It was completed in May 1838 and cost £35,000 (now £3,981,000). The old station building
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#17328521950821760-530: The Grand Junction Railway acquisition of the North Union Railway in 1846, the London and North Western Railway operated as far north as Preston. In 1859, the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway amalgamated with the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway and this combined enterprise was leased to the London and North Western Railway, giving it a direct route from London to Carlisle. In 1858, they merged with
1840-525: The Grand Junction Railway , London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway . This move was prompted, in part, by the Great Western Railway 's plans for a railway north from Oxford to Birmingham. The company initially had a network of approximately 350 miles (560 km), connecting London with Birmingham, Crewe, Chester, Liverpool and Manchester. The headquarters were at Euston railway station . As traffic increased, it
1920-581: The Great Northern Railway . The LNWR also operated a joint service with the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway from Fleetwood to Belfast and Derry . Southern Division: North Eastern Division: NE Division became part of N Division in 1857. Northern Division: Northern and Southern Divisions amalgamated from April 1862: Euston railway station Euston railway station ( / ˈ j uː s t ən / YOO -stən ; or London Euston )
2000-490: The Inter City network , such as the main lines from London to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Carlisle, collectively known in the modern era as the West Coast Main Line . These were electrified in the 1960s and 1970s, and further upgraded in the 1990s and 2000s, with trains now running at up to 125 mph. Other LNWR lines survive as part of commuter networks around major cities such as Birmingham and Manchester. In 2017 it
2080-508: The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) (1846–1923), the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) (1923–1948), British Railways (1948–1994), Railtrack (1994–2002) and Network Rail (2002–present). The plan was to construct a station near the Regent's Canal in Islington to provide a connection for London dock traffic. An alternative site at Marble Arch , proposed by Robert Stephenson,
2160-671: The Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirming that HS2 would go ahead in full, with reservations. The review said the rebuild was "not satisfactory" and called the management "muddled" and recommended a change of governance. In Summer 2020, the government asked Network Rail's chairman, Sir Peter Hendy , to lead an oversight board; in October 2020, the Architects' Journal reported that more than £100m had already been spent on engineering and architectural design fees. In October 2023,
2240-577: The 1890s, bringing the total to 15. The LNWR described itself as the Premier Line. This was justified, as it included the pioneering Liverpool and Manchester Railway of 1830 and the original LNWR main line linking London, Birmingham and Lancashire had been the first big railway in Britain, opened throughout in 1838. As the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom, it collected a greater revenue than any other railway company of its era. With
2320-622: The 3,719 of its employees who died in the First World War. After the Second World War, the names of the LMS's casualties were added to the LNWR's memorial. The LNWR were also involved in the mass manufacture of replacement legs in the mid 19th century and the early 20th century. This is due-to the routine demand for prostheses for disabled staff. Serious injuries that resulted in the loss of limbs were common at this time with over 4,963 casualties in
2400-586: The Arch and the platforms. The station's facilities were expanded with the opening of the Great Hall on 27 May 1849 replacing the original sheds. The Great Hall was designed by Hardwick's son Philip Charles Hardwick in classical style. It was 125 ft (38 m) long, 61 ft (18.6 m) wide, and 62 ft (18.9 m) high with a coffered ceiling and a sweeping double flight of stairs leading to offices at its northern end. Architectural sculptor John Thomas contributed eight allegorical statues representing
2480-451: The Fallen L & N W R Employees 1914–1919". Remembrance Day ceremonies at Rugby featured no. 1914 until its name was transferred to LMS Patriot Class No. 5500. The LMS renumbered them into the more logical series 5900–6029, No. 1914 becoming 5964. Twenty were rebuilt by the LMS with larger boilers, and ten of these had Caprotti valve gear . Twelve others were rebuilt as the initial engines of
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2560-464: The Great Hall was demolished and an 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m ) temporary building housed ticket offices and essential facilities. Euston worked to 80% capacity during the works with at least 11 platforms in operation at any time. Services were diverted elsewhere where practical and the station remained operational throughout the works. The first phase of construction involved building 18 platforms with two track bays to handle parcels above them,
2640-437: The Great Hall; the entrance gates; and a turntable from 1846 discovered during demolition. By the 1930s Euston was again congested and the LMS considered rebuilding it. In 1931 it was reported that a site for a new station was being sought, the most likely option was behind the existing station in the direction of Camden Town. The LMS announced in 1935 that the station (including the hotel and offices) would be rebuilt using
2720-599: The LNWR owned the 26-mile (42 km) Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway , which connected to other lines of the Irish mainline network at Dundalk and Newry. The LNWR also had the Huddersfield Line connecting Liverpool and Manchester with Leeds , and secondary routes extending to Nottingham , Derby , Peterborough and South Wales . At its peak just before World War I , it ran a route mileage of more than 1,500 miles (2,400 km), and employed 111,000 people. In 1913,
2800-570: The London area via the Watford DC Line which runs parallel to the West Coast Main Line as far as Watford Junction . Euston tube station is connected to the main concourse and Euston Square tube station is nearby. King's Cross and St Pancras railway stations are about 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 metres) east along Euston Road . Euston, the first inter-city railway terminal in London, was planned by George and Robert Stephenson . It
2880-669: The Patriot Class, though not much material was reused. With the introduction of the LMS Royal Scot Class in 1927, the Claughtons' main work had been taken away and many were transferred to the Midland Division. At the end of 1937, all but four, Nos. 5946, 6004, 6017 and 6023, had been withdrawn. These were retained in service until further repair became unworthwhile; three of them were withdrawn in 1940–41, leaving No. 6004, which
2960-626: The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that construction of the Euston terminus and approach tunnel would not be government funded and that it could only go ahead with private sector investment. Transport for London commissioner Andy Lord was sceptical that the private sector would pay for the link to Old Oak Common. The demolition of the original buildings in 1962 was described by the Royal Institute of British Architects as "one of
3040-519: The area occupied by the Great Hall and the Arch. Permission to demolish the Arch and Great Hall was sought from London County Council and it was granted on condition that that the Arch would be restored and re-sited. BR estimated it would cost at least £190,000 (now £6,700,000) and was not viable. The Arch's demolition, announced by the Minister of Transport, Ernest Marples in July 1961, drew objections from
3120-439: The area. The number of platforms would increase from 18 to 21. In 2008, it was reported that the Arch could be rebuilt. In September 2011, the demolition plans were cancelled, and Aedas was appointed to give the station a makeover. In July 2014 a statue of navigator and cartographer Matthew Flinders , who circumnavigated the globe and charted Australia, was unveiled at Euston; his grave was rumoured to lie under platform 15 at
3200-423: The church. To avoid public outcry, the remains were reinterred at St Pancras Cemetery . Two more platforms (4 and 5) opened in 1891. Four departure platforms (now platforms 12–15), bringing the total to 15, and a booking office on Drummond Street opened on 1 July 1892. The line between Euston and Camden was doubled between 1901 and 1906. A new booking hall opened in 1914 on part of the cab yard. The Great Hall
3280-500: The cities served by the line. The station faced Drummond Street, further back from Euston Road than the front of the modern complex; Drummond Street now terminates at the side of the station but then ran across its front. A short road, Euston Grove, ran from Euston Square towards the arch. A bay platform (later platform 7) for local services to Kensington (Addison Road) opened in 1863. Two new platforms (1 and 2) were added in 1873 along with an entrance for cabs from Seymour Street. At
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3360-423: The collapse of Railtrack. In 2005 Network Rail was reported to have long-term aspirations to redevelop the station, removing the 1960s buildings and providing more commercial space by using the " air rights " above the platforms. In 2007, British Land announced that it had won the tender to demolish and rebuild the station, spending some £250 million of its overall redevelopment budget of £1 billion for
3440-401: The company achieved a total revenue of £17,219,060 (equivalent to £2,140,160,000 in 2023) with working expenses of £11,322,164 (equivalent to £1,407,230,000 in 2023). On 1 January 1922, one year before it amalgamated with other railways to create the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), the LNWR amalgamated with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (including its subsidiary
3520-469: The cost, there was nowhere large enough to relocate the Arch in keeping with its surroundings. Demolition began on 6 November and was completed within four months. The station was rebuilt by Taylor Woodrow Construction to a design by London Midland Region architects of British Railways, William Robert Headley and Ray Moorcroft , in consultation with Richard Seifert & Partners . Redevelopment began in summer 1962 and progressed from east to west,
3600-523: The diversion of some services to Old Oak Common (for Crossrail ). This would include eight commuter trains per hour originating/terminating between Tring and Milton Keynes Central inclusive. In 2016, the Mayor Sadiq Khan endorsed the plans and suggested that all services should terminate at Old Oak Common while a more appropriate solution is found for Euston. The current scheme does not provide any direct access between High Speed 2 at Euston and
3680-413: The down line towards Camden until 1844, after which bank engines were used. The L&BR's act of Parliament prohibited the use of locomotives in the Euston area, following concerns of residents about noise and smoke from locomotives toiling up the incline. The station was built with space left vacant for extra platforms, as it was originally planned for the Great Western Railway (GWR) to use Euston, as
3760-472: The existing High Speed 1 at St Pancras. In 2015, plans were announced to link the two stations via a travelator service. Platforms 17 and 18 closed in May and June 2019 for High Speed 2 preparation work. The Euston Downside Carriage Maintenance Depot was demolished in 2018 in preparation for the start of tunnelling. The two office towers in front of the station were demolished between January 2019 and December 2020. The third tower at 1 Eversholt Street
3840-553: The glazed trainshed roofs of traditional Victorian railway stations, but the use of the space above as a parcels depot released the maximum space at ground level for platforms and passenger facilities. Since 1996, proposals have been formulated to reconstruct the Arch as part of the redevelopment of the station, and its use as the terminus of the High Speed 2 line. Ownership of the station transferred from British Rail to Railtrack in 1994, passing to Network Rail in 2002 following
3920-513: The greatest acts of Post-War architectural vandalism in Britain" and was approved directly by Harold Macmillan . The attempts made to preserve the earlier building, championed by Sir John Betjeman , led to the formation of the Victorian Society and heralded the modern conservation movement. This movement saved the nearby high Gothic St Pancras station when threatened with demolition in 1966, ultimately leading to its renovation in 2007 as
4000-518: The late 19th century, the LNWR was the largest joint stock company in the world. Dubbed the "Premier Line", the LNWR's main line connected four of the largest cities in England; London , Birmingham , Manchester and Liverpool , and, through cooperation with their Scottish partners, the Caledonian Railway also connected Scotland's largest cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh . Today this route
4080-679: The major cities of Birmingham , Manchester , Liverpool , Glasgow and Edinburgh , and through services to Holyhead for connecting ferries to Dublin are operated by Avanti West Coast . Overnight sleeper services to Scotland are provided by the Caledonian Sleeper . London Northwestern Railway provide commuter and regional services to the West Midlands, whilst the Lioness line of the London Overground provides local suburban services in
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#17328521950824160-455: The middle of the Great Hall was removed. Ticket machines were modernised. By this time the Arch was surrounded by property development and kiosks and in need of restoration. British Railways announced that Euston would be rebuilt to accommodate the electrification of the West Coast Main Line in 1959. Because of the restricted layout of track and tunnels at the northern end, enlargement only could be accomplished by expanding southwards over
4240-468: The notice and implemented measures to better manage passenger traffic flows and overcrowding. In October 2024, London TravelWatch warned that passengers at Euston are being put in danger when the station becomes severely overcrowded during periods of disruption to services. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh subsequently asked Network Rail to declutter the station concourse and improve how it handles train announcements. Network Rail reacted by switching off
4320-587: The railways of Great Britain were merged in the grouping of 1923. Ex-LNWR lines formed the core of the LMS's Western Division. Nationalisation followed in 1948, with the English and Welsh lines of the LMS becoming the London Midland Region of British Railways . Some former LNWR routes were subsequently closed, including the lines running east to west across the Midlands (e.g. Peterborough to Northampton and Cambridge to Oxford ), but others were developed as part of
4400-696: The rebuilding was scrapped after a government White Paper was released in 1963 that restricted the rate of commercial office development in London. In 1966, a " Whites only " recruitment policy for guards at the station was dropped after the case of Asquith Xavier , a migrant from Dominica , who had been refused promotion on those grounds, was raised in Parliament and taken up by the Secretary of State for Transport, Barbara Castle . A second development phase by Richard Seifert & Partners began in 1979, adding 405,000 square feet (37,600 m ) of office space along
4480-400: The same time, the station roof was raised by 6 feet (1.8 m) to accommodate smoke from the engines. The continued growth of long-distance railway traffic led to major expansion along the station's west side starting in 1887. It involved rerouting Cardington Street over part of the burial ground (later St James's Gardens) of St James's Church, Piccadilly , which was located some way from
4560-488: The size of the boiler, hence engine power. Cylinder design and valve events were not optimal, so the Claughton Class was a mediocre performer on the track. The LNWR reused numbers and names from withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering was completely haphazard. An exception was made for the LNWR's war memorial locomotives . There were two of these: No. 2097 (built in 1917) was briefly named Patriot for
4640-440: The south and west to create new sufficiently long platforms. These plans involved a complete reconstruction, involving the demolition of 220 Camden Council flats, with half the station providing conventional train services and the new half high-speed trains. The Command Paper suggested rebuilding the Arch, and included an artist's impression. The station is to have seven new platforms dropped from an original planned eight, taking
4720-508: The standard livery. This finish has been described as "blackberry black". Major accidents on the LNWR include: Minor incidents include: The LNWR operated ships on Irish Sea crossings between Holyhead and Dublin , Howth , Kingstown or Greenore . At Greenore, the LNWR built and operated the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway to link the port with the Belfast–Dublin line operated by
4800-432: The station frontage in the form of three low-rise towers overlooking Melton Street and Eversholt Street. The offices were occupied by British Rail , then by Railtrack, and by Network Rail which has now vacated all but a small portion of one of the towers. The offices are in a functional style; the main facing material is polished dark stone, complemented by white tiles, exposed concrete and plain glazing. The station has
4880-608: The station, but had been relocated during the original station construction and in 2019 was found behind the station during excavation work for the HS2 line. In March 2010 the Secretary of State for Transport , Andrew Adonis announced that Euston was the preferred southern terminus of the planned High Speed 2 line, which would connect to a newly built station near Curzon Street and Fazeley Street in Birmingham. This would require expansion to
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#17328521950824960-530: The terminus of HS1 to the Continent. Euston's 1960s style of architecture has been described as "a dingy, grey, horizontal nothingness" and a reflection of "the tawdry glamour of its time", entirely lacking in "the sense of occasion, of adventure, that the great Victorian termini gave to the traveller". Writing in The Times , Richard Morrison stated that "even by the bleak standards of Sixties architecture, Euston
5040-623: The terminus of the Great Western Main Line . In the event, the GWR chose to build their own terminus at Paddington . The spare land was instead used for more platforms for ever expanding services as the railway network grew. The station building, designed by the classically trained architect Philip Hardwick , had a 200-foot-long (61 m) trainshed by structural engineer Charles Fox . It had two 420-foot-long (130 m) platforms, one each for departures and arrival. The main entrance portico,
5120-662: The total to 23, with 10 dedicated to HS2 services and 13 to conventional lines at a low level. The flats demolished for the extension would be replaced by significant building work above. The Underground station would be rebuilt and connected to adjacent Euston Square station. As part of the extension beyond Birmingham, the Mayor of London's office believed it will be necessary to build the proposed Crossrail 2 line via Euston to relieve 10,000 extra passengers forecast to arrive during an average day. To relieve pressure on Euston during and after rebuilding for High Speed 2, HS2 Ltd has proposed
5200-465: The use of the water trough designed by John Ramsbottom . It was introduced on a section of level track at Mochdre, between Llandudno Junction and Colwyn Bay. The company inherited several manufacturing facilities from the companies with which it merged, but these were consolidated and in 1862, locomotive construction and maintenance was done at the Crewe Locomotive Works , carriage building
5280-459: The works. The project was shelved indefinitely because of World War II . The station was damaged several times during the Blitz in 1940. Part of the Great Hall's roof was destroyed, and a bomb landed between platforms 2 and 3, destroying offices and part of the hotel. Passengers considered Euston to be squalid and covered in soot and it was restored and redecorated in 1953, when an enquiry kiosk in
5360-522: The year of 1910 on the LNWR alone, and over 25,000 injuries across the whole industry, manufacturing prostheses resulted in self-sufficiency for the company. From 1909 to 1922, the LNWR undertook a large-scale project to electrify the whole of its London inner-suburban network. The London and North Western Railway London inner-suburban network, encompassed the lines from London Broad Street to Richmond, London Euston to Watford, with branch lines such as Watford to Croxley Green . There were also links to
5440-411: Was announced that the new franchisee for the West Midlands and semi-fast West Coast services between London and North West England would utilise the brand London Northwestern Railway as an homage to the LNWR. The LNWR's main engineering works were at Crewe (locomotives), Wolverton (carriages) and Earlestown (wagons). Locomotives were usually painted green at first, but in 1873 black was adopted as
5520-505: Was chosen in 1831 by George and Robert Stephenson , engineers of the L&;BR. The area was mostly farmland at the edge of the expanding city, and adjacent to the New Road (now Euston Road ), which had caused urban development. The name Euston came from Euston Hall , the seat of the duke of Grafton , who owned the locality. The station and railway have been owned by the L&BR (1837–1846),
5600-416: Was designed by Philip Hardwick and built by William Cubitt , with a distinctive arch over the station entrance. The station opened as the terminus of the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) on 20 July 1837. Euston was expanded after the L&BR was amalgamated with other companies to form the London and North Western Railway , and the original sheds were replaced by the Great Hall in 1849. Capacity
5680-444: Was done at Wolverton and wagon building was concentrated at Earlestown . At the core of the LNWR system was the main line network connecting London Euston with the major cities of Birmingham , Liverpool and Manchester , and (through co-operation with the Caledonian Railway ) Edinburgh and Glasgow . This route is today known as the West Coast Main Line . A ferry service also linked Holyhead to Greenore in County Louth, where
5760-407: Was greatly expanded with the opening in 1849 of the Great Hall, designed by Philip Charles Hardwick in classical style. It was 126 ft (38 m) long, 61 ft (19 m) wide and 64 ft (20 m) high and cost £150,000 (equivalent to £19,650,000 in 2023). The station stood on Drummond Street. Further expansion resulted in two additional platforms in the 1870s with four more in
5840-496: Was increased throughout the 19th century from two platforms to fifteen. The station was controversially rebuilt in the mid-1960s when the Arch and the Great Hall were demolished to accommodate the electrified West Coast Main Line, and the revamped station still attracts criticism over its architecture. Euston is to be the London terminus for the planned High Speed 2 railway and the station is being redeveloped to accommodate it. The station
5920-628: Was introduced to the station in 2015 to help people with visual impairment to navigate the station. In September 2023, the Office of Rail and Road issued Network Rail with an improvement notice in relation to its failure to put in place effective measures to tackle overcrowding. Network Rail admitted that the station was designed for a different era and that "the passenger experience at Euston remains uncomfortable at times". The Office of Rail and Road declared in December 2023 that Network Rail had complied with
6000-402: Was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 14 October 1968. The station is a long, low structure, 200 feet (61 m) wide and 150 feet (46 m) deep under a 36-foot (11 m) high roof. It opened with integrated automatic ticket facilities and a range of shops; the first of its kind for any British station. The plan to construct offices above the station whose rents would help fund the cost of
6080-541: Was probably the first one in the world with all- wrought iron roof trusses . The first railway hotels in London were built at Euston. Two hotels designed by Hardwick opened in 1839 on either side of the Arch; the Victoria on the west had basic facilities while the Euston on the east was designed for first-class passengers. Between 1838 and 1841, parcel handling grew from 2,700 parcels a month to 52,000. By 1845, 140 staff were employed but trains began to run late because of
6160-422: Was redecorated and refurbished between 1915 and 1916 and again in 1927. The station's ownership was transferred to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in the 1923 grouping . Apart from the lodges on Euston Road and statues now on the forecourt, few relics of the old station survive. The National Railway Museum 's collection at York includes Edward Hodges Baily 's statue of George Stephenson from
6240-467: Was regularly used to haul fitted freight trains between London and Edge Hill, becoming increasingly dirty. Inherited by British Railways in 1948, it was allocated the BR number 46004 but was withdrawn in 1949 without it being applied. None were preserved. London and North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway ( LNWR , L&NWR ) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In
6320-565: Was rejected by a provisional committee, and a proposal to end the line at Maiden Lane was rejected by the House of Lords in 1832. A terminus at Camden Town , announced by Stephenson the following year, received royal assent on 6 May, before an extension was approved in 1834, allowing the line to reach Euston Grove where the original station was built by William Cubitt . Initial services were three trains to and from Boxmoor with journeys taking just over an hour. On 9 April 1838, they were extended to
6400-411: Was timed to leave Euston at 20.30 and operated until the institution of a dedicated post train, wholly of Post Office vehicles, in 1885. On 1 October 1873 the first sleeping carriage ran between Euston and Glasgow, attached to the limited mail . It ran three nights a week in each direction. On 1 February 1874 a second carriage was provided and the service ran every night. In 1860, the company pioneered
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