Cathedrals of Steam: How London’s Great Stations Were Built – And How They Transformed the City
Those who have lived or worked on London will love this book. It traces the history of buildings which they have visited thousands of times, although seldom for their own sake but to pass through as quickly as possible; London’s main line railway terminuses (Wolmar prefers not to call them termini). I am sure many others of you will also enjoy reading about their eventful history.
Central London is ringed by 14 main line terminuses, and as far as I know it is still impossible to make a through journey across the capital by rail. This is inconvenient for passengers but gives Wolmar a rich seam to mine. Each ‘cathedral of steam’ has its own story and its own fight to be created and to survive.
Wolmar concludes with John Betjeman’s nostalgic eulogy for London’s main line stations published in 1972, accompanied by his own more optimistic 2021 update, heralding the new age of the railway.
