Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author/photographers for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. Listen... this is one of the best books I've got about London & travel photography combined with history of the area. I have a really strong interest in London's transportation history. I really am interested in the Underground subway system and the railway stations. However, there aren't that many books out there surprisingly that focus on these two majorly innovative and symbolic masterpieces of infrastructure. There are some but they aren't modern or updated. There are some documentaries. But this book goes above and beyond. It's rather large, like a typical "coffee table book," and has amazing high quality photographs. More importantly, the information is updated, modern, informative, and relevant. I absolutely without hesitation give this book 5 stars. It is perfect!

This was a fantastic and very interesting book. I just loved all the stunning photographs. I especially loved the older ones that were in black and white taken inside the stations showing how each railway station was used in its past. It used a multitude of different media's including advertising posters and art aswell. There was a great history of each of Londons most important stations. I really do recommend this book to everyone who loves reading about the history of railway stations or want to read about their great architecture. 

I learnt so much from reading this book. Its a really fascinating book that I was so engrossed in that I stayed up late to finish reading it. I am no train fanatic but I love learning about the history and architecture of great buildings across the world. I loved how it included history about damage due during the war.  

The books layout was wonderful with so magnificent double page pictures. The information flowed seamlessly into each other. There were plenty of facts including a list of when each station opened. I thought it was brilliant how the book incorporated references to people, movies, authors etc including our beloved Paddington Bear. It also included the next generation of travel with the new high speed trains.

Only the highest of praise goes out to the author, photographer and publishers for creating this wonderful book that I am sure all who read it will love. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this amazing author. 

The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/london-s-great-railway-stations-by-oliver-green-quarto-5-stars either under my name or ladyreading365

A few year’s ago I was regular travelling through London and a lot of time was spent waiting around various railway stations. I wish this book has been available then as I would have loved to be able to match text and photos to reality.

Even without being able to visit stations this is a lovely book to have available with so much information presented in an easy to read manner with beautiful photos throughout.

London has the perfect number of railway stations.

Yes, I love the number 13. I also love this book ! It has amazing contemporary photography of each of the terminals, with old photos and paintings and poster reproductions sprinkled throughout. The photos are gorgeous and they also show so many details you might not notice even when visiting. The text is interesting and rich in history, and if you love trains and stations, this is the book for you!

This is going to be a mini-review rather than a regular one. Why? Because I caught the plague of the millennium right after shelving London’s Great Railway Stations, the protected copy expired while I dealt with it, and that means I have to rely on memory now.

Fun times.

**


This lavish photographic history of the most beautiful and historic railway stations in London tells a story of power, progress and innovation, from the beginning of steam age to the teeming commuter hubs of today.

London has more mainline railway stations than any other city in the world and many of them are amongst its grandest architectural monuments. Its earliest terminals opened in the late 1830s when lines between the capital and the regions were built in the first railway boom. The original station at London Bridge, the capital’s first passenger terminus, was opened in December 1836, six months before Queen Victoria came to the throne. The last main line to London, the Great Central Railway to Marylebone, was opened in March 1899, two years before Victoria died.

Ever since they originally opened, these stations have been at heart of London life and activity and have dominated the architectural landscape. Many are now in the midst of major reconstructions and are the centrepieces for the transformation of whole swathes of London, from Paddington to King’s Cross.

This comprehensive story combines a historical overview, archive illustrations and specially commissioned photography, covering the origins of the earliest stations up to the latest reconstructions and renovations.

Written by the expert author Oliver Green, this is an essential gift for anyone interested in the history of London and its transport.

272 pages
Quarto Publishing Group
Photography, architecture
Goodreads

**

Cover: So lovely. So majestic.

Yay!

- London’s Great Railway Stations is a trip across railway stations of the City—I adore self-explaining, no-nonsense titles—from the well-known ones to the more obscure ones. The idea behind it is marvelous, albeit it’d appeal to a niche of coffee books enthusiasts.

- The pictures are exquisite. I’ll admit I was expecting to see something more traditional, less steel & glass combo, but the photographer chose them with care. The mix of details and aerial photos adds depth to the book.

- I can’t remember mistakes or typos in the prose, but since I’m unable to double-check, take this with a grain of salt. I swear I get the reasoning behind expiring copies; sometimes they hinder the reviewing process and may cost stars, though.

Special mention:

- The egg-box ceiling of one of the stations!

TL;DR
4 stars on GR.

This book is perfect for anyone with an interest in London, trains, or architecture. As someone who has always dreamt of going to London, but hasn’t been able to realize that dream yet, this book made me feel like I was able to explore the city from my couch.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This magnificent book is for anyone with an interest in London architecture ; in particular the glorious railway terminals built during the second half of the nineteenth century. Visually and by text, the book tells the story of how these Victorian buildings came to be, what they have meant to London over the years, how they integrated into the economy and society as well as wider transport links and what we might expect in the future.

Following a Foreword by Sir Peter Hendy, the author, Oliver Green, provides a detailed Introduction, placing the many London Railway Terminals in an historic context. This is followed by thirteen chapters, one on each of the surviving terminals and their surrounds. The text is comprehensive, informative and a real pleasure to read. A history of each terminal is presented, as well as a discussion on its evolution over time and also reference to what the future may bring. The author’s views are well balanced, well informed and knowledgable. Prominent historic figures are of course discussed in the text, including such luminaries as Brunel, Stephenson and (of course !) Paddington Bear.

Complimenting the text are abundant historical illustrations, all beautifully presented and well captioned. Posters, photographs, maps, drawings, paintings and so on.

In addition to the historic illustrations, each chapter has glorious contemporary photographs of the stations and their surroundings. These capture the grandeur as well as some of the details of these magnificent buildings. The architecture, engineering, surrounding developments and of course the trains. Notable is a general absence of people. As a result of Covid lockdowns, London was often deserted in the earlier days of the pandemic. This, in some part, explains such wonderful photography. Uncluttered, or at least unpeopled images, with few distractions from the buildings and architecture. I imagine the photographer also had ideal access to frame and create his compositions; something a lot more difficult during normal times !

I live in London and frequently travel through the terminals and surroundings illustrated and documented in this book. Usually my desire is for a rapid transit from the station to my connection or destination. Thanks to this book, from now on I will take my time, pause, linger, look around and appreciate the architecture, art, design, engineering and history of these magnificent buildings.

I loved reading this book on my e-reader however I intend purchase a copy as it is may well be even better in print, a larger format and an ideal coffee-table book. One to leaf through at my leisure and to share with like-minded friends and visitors who may care to view London from a better informed perspective.

In summary, a wonderful, engaging book, with well researched essays providing context and background to abundant illustrations and glorious contemporary photographs. I wish the authors and publishers all the very best with this magnificent book.

London's Great Railway Stations is a beautiful book detailing the history of London's railroad stations with text and using contemporary photographs and historical illustrations. The photography is beautiful and included both panoramic views as well as close-ups of architectural details. This book would be of interest to collectors of coffee table books, those interested in architectural timelines, and train station enthusiasts.

The beautifully symmetrical photo on the cover is an eye catching start to this wonderful, illustrated history of London’s railway stations. The author has combined a well researched and detailed history with architectural designs, photos and maps to create a celebration of these impressive constructions. Thank you to the authors, NetGalley and Frances Lincoln for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I used to live in London and over the years commuted into Charing Cross, Victoria, Blackfriars and London Bridge. I often just ran into the station and onto the train and didn’t really pay any attention to station buildings themselves.

This book is a total celebration of the station buildings, architectural features and their histories. I found the history of each London station really insightful. It was sad to read how some parts of station buildings / station hotels fell into disrepair and in some cases demolition. The Hardwick Junior’s Great Hall at Euston was absolutely stunning and it’s quite shocking to read that it was demolished in the 1960s. The archive images of parts of the stations which no longer survive were great editions to the book.

The photographs in this book by Benjamin Graham were absolutely stunning. I particularly loved the close shots of architectural features, and the black and white photos and the shadows created.

Huge thanks to the publishers, Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion, and NetGalley for making the ARC available to me for a fair and honest review.

I’m not a train buff but I have travelled a good deal in the UK using this mode of transport. My dad worked for British Rail as a coach builder (a carpenter who worked on the carriages) and he was allowed a small number of free tickets each year for use by himself and his family. Usually this made possible an annual excursion to London, and this meant that journey's end was Paddington Station, the station serving travellers from the South West. On exiting the train the sight of Brunel's triple-span iron and glass roof was (and still is) just awe inspiring. Latterly, my journeys to this station have been largely work related but the sense of arriving somewhere ‘significant’, of alighting at a station fitting the nation’s capital hasn’t diminished.

Until I read this book I didn’t know that London has more main line stations (13) than any other city in the world. All of these were built in the Victorian period: the first six months before her reign commenced and the last two years before she died. Seven of them opened between 1860 – 75. The grandeur of this period is fully reflected in some of the architecture, most notably the flamboyant neo-Gothic exterior of St Pancras (which is, in fact, the former Midland Grand Hotel). I drove past this station once and recall being somewhat gobsmacked at the sight of it, but had no idea it what the building actually represented.

The history provided here is comprehensive and the range of photographs equally so. I’ve never visited the majority of these stations but there are certainly a few I’ve now made plans to seek out. This is a wonderful book for railway enthusiasts or in fact anyone interested in the history of the city’s rail infrastructure.

Equal parts history and eye candy make for a very enjoyable book. London was a natural magnet for all the early railroad companies and each one wanted it's own station. Oliver Green tells the story of each station accompanied by both historical illustrations and Benjamin Graham's wonderful contemporary photographs. Since all the stations are over one hundred years old each has quite a history of changes for better or worse. The railroad companies went through mergers, nationalization, privatization as well as the need to accommodate changes in passenger trends. This meant additions, remodels, in some cases neglect and in others preservation. My only complaint is that there is only one map and it's a very cluttered older map. I would love a more simplified map. Very well done.

What a gorgeous book to have on your coffee table! There are so many beautiful pictures, both current and historic drawings. It was interesting to see the changes at London Bridge Station since I lived in the area back in 2008. What I especially love about this book is the ability to see these stations from a vantage point that isn't the sidewalk in front or a taxi window. It's so easy to miss the gorgeous architecture and size of these buildings when you're in the middle of a commute or trying to catch a train on time. I have to imagine that the lockdown environment made it possible for these photos to be taken. Gone are the crowds and traffic and all that's left is the glory of the stations themselves. Would make such a wonderful gift for a lover of trains, architecture, or London!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Everyone who knows or follows me knows that I love London. I have traveled the city extensively and a lot of my journeys have involved jaunts through London’s train stations. I’ve taken the Chunnel to and from Paris. I’ve taken commuter trains to Windsor Castle and Hampton Court. I’ve taken the national rail to the North. I’ve taken more underground rides than I can count. This book dives into the rich history of London’s train stations. This book is organized by station and takes a deep look at the history and lasting legacy of each station. The photography is absolutely amazing and beautifully captures the small details that make each station unique. I especially loved the historical photographs showing either how much has changed or more impressively how much has stayed the same. The book filled me with a deep longing to return to London so I can see the stations again with new eyes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for the ARC

I lived in England for many years and loved the Railway Stations in so many of the towns. I especially loved them in London. They history screams at you and I loved reading about it all especially my favorite stations. If you love history give this one a try!

Sorry I cannot open the file for this book. It comes up in protectedpdf format and none of my programs can open it, it's bizarre .ascm file. My apologies. I will read an review it if there are any other formats like the one for Kindle or usual EPUB.

If I did not have to limit my review of this book to a few, short, paragraphs, I could write a review perhaps, four-hundred pages or more on London’s Great Railway Stations. Upon first laying eyes on the book (mine was an ebook for review), one wants to just look at all the amazingly beautiful photographs. As my eyes ran over minute details of buildings, wrought-iron roofs, and decorative metalwork in many of the historic railway stations, I couldn’t help but stop and read every caption describing the photographs. Then, I had to take some time to read the history behind each station in each section.
As in all things England, descriptions of characters such as Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, cannot be done in a simplistic and speedy manner. It must have depth of meaning, accurate, detailed. How could we not expect that of this book on London’s Great Railway Stations? An extraordinary amount of time had to have gone into the preparation then assembling of this book. Glancing through the photographs will not do the book justice. As a matter of fact, the photographs create a mesmerizing sensation and you will have no choice but to read every word to the very end.

When we travel to London my husband and Inlove traveling on the trains part of our delight is visiting train stations.The photography in this book is breathtaking eye opening.I really enjoyed reading about the history of these stations.I can’t rave enough about the photography wiould make a gorgeous gift.#netgalley #quartobooks

Wonderful photography book of London's great railway stations. London has more mainline railway stations that any city in the world. Most major capitals have one great station but London spread out it's stations through different neighborhoods in the city. Most of the great stations were built during the reign of Queen Victoria and you can see that reflected in the architecture compared to newer built stations. The book has sections for each of the 13 stations with names like Paddington, King's Cross, London Bridge, Victoria and more. On my last visit to London for Thanksgiving 2019 we stayed at a little AirBnb flat tucked into the neighborhood behind Waterloo Station. Everyday within minutes we could be off to different part of the city by catching the Tube there.

I knew the architectural photos would be great. But I was really drawn in by the historical photos and plans for future. A lot of information is given about each station too. It's history, use during war years or changes are all included. Discussions also include changes for future and anticipation for changes in ridership because of the impact of covid on commuting. I was more fascinated than I was expecting. And now it makes me want to return to the beautiful city even more. Quarto Publishing has put out several books highlighting London and I'm so glad I've gotten to read so many of them. This is for lovers of architecture, trains, history and London. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing -White Lion for a temporary eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This very welcome book offers dissertations on the major London train termini, with the history of their construction and every major development since, alongside period images and new photographs that get to show off all the architectural talking points with lockdown levels of commuters in the way. Here, then, is the entrepreneur who dared to dig up Lords, create a cut 'n' cover train line underneath it, and get the ground pitch perfect for the next season's cricket without ever missing a day's play. Here is the underground overground station where you can do all but sit and wait for your train. Here is the station where millions pass through an area calculated by using the beer barrel as a measuring stick.

Not all of the imagery is to the same uniform standard (ooh, look, a lift), but a lot of the shots are perfectly fine for students of architecture, and/or go some to explain what we're looking at when passing through. In fact the passing through may just become a pause and reflection, and I don't say that because of all the war memorials I knew nothing about here – this is just about good enough to make these stations a destination in and of themselves. Not Victoria, though – Victoria's a mess. Eye-opening, and very amenable with it, this gets a strong four stars – if not more from the serious hobbyist historian.