Paddington Station.

[keithboddey]

Just back from 3 days in London.
Stayed very close to Paddington Station.
The Station itself is magnificent but what about the passenger approach.
What could top architects do with it?
It is like it was in the 1970's

 

[yorksrob]

In some ways, it's a shame it hasn't been turned into a grand pedestrian walkway, presumably because there isn't any other vehicular access to the concourse.

 

[swt_passenger]

Just back from 3 days in London.
Stayed very close to Paddington Station.
The Station itself is magnificent but what about the passenger approach.
What could top architects do with it?
It is like it was in the 1970's...

What top architects want to do has been argued about for the last few years. The old post office sorting office site to the right of your view is planned to be redeveloped, and is supposed to include a new Bakerloo line concourse in the basement. I’m not sure if it does anything new for that ramped approach though, but may remove the RH wall.

The development is by Sellars, and is to be built by Mace, (the same as the Shard) and is now known as Paddington Square:
https://www.thisispaddington.com/article/paddington-square-commences-development

 

[DarloRich]

That isnt the only entrance - is suspect most arrive via the underground

 

[3141]

That isnt the only entrance - is suspect most arrive via the underground

In which case, won't many of them arrive by the Bakerloo Line entrance to the right of the picture, and then have to walk down the ramp?

 

[coppercapped]

In which case, won't many of them arrive by the Bakerloo Line entrance to the right of the picture, and then have to walk down the ramp?

No. There are two entrances/exits to the Bakerloo line which connect directly to the concourse from the top of the Bakerloo escalators.

The Praed Street entrance to the Circle and District lines are behind the photographer to the left, but can also be reached by a (rather cramped) tunnel through the basement of the Great Western Royal Hotel (now a Holiday Inn if I remember correctly) and the third Underground station, for the Hammersmith and City and Circle lines, is at the country end of the station on the right.

The ramp in the photograph was originally the exit for cabs the road for which ran between the two main arrivals platforms - it was never intended as a pedestrian walkway. The cabs entered from the far end of the station down another ramp - which is still there. Passengers arriving by cab, carriage, car or taxi used to be dropped right outside the booking hall on Eastbourne Terrace which runs parallel to Platform 1 on the left of the station.

The current arrangement bears no relation to the way the station was originally designed - it used to be much easier to use before the paranoia took hold about keeping vehicles outside stations because of the bomb threats.

 

[coppercapped]

Deleted.

 

[Bald Rick]

According to TfL data, 68% of peak passengers arriving at Paddington use the tube or another train service to leave it. Given that there are several other pedestrian entrance / exits to the station, I’d be surprised if this one sees more than 10% of all passengers at the station.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Cabs and cars (if you were in the know) - used to be able to drive off Eastbourne Terrace via a simple , one way route right down onto the platforms - around Pf9. Very handy.

Crossrail cannot come soon enough - the long drag from the H+C and badly crowded trains is a pain (though the new station ticket hall area is very nice) - and the scrum on the Bakerloo - even off peak - is a bit wearying.

The area is being hugely transformed though with regeneration.

 

[tomuk]

The new Sellars Paddington Square development will replace everything to the right of the ramp. The view from inside the station will be as below

 

[moggie]

That'll create some 'interesting' wind issues through that part of the concourse!

 

[diffident]

That'll create some 'interesting' wind issues through that part of the concourse!

I've seen 'interesting' effects of snowfall through that opening too!!!

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Passengers arriving by cab, carriage, car or taxi used to be dropped right outside the booking hall on Eastbourne Terrace which runs parallel to Platform 1 on the left of the station.

When, if ever, Crossrail is completed, will the routes via Eastbourne Terrace be reinstated? They were convenient on foot for the "secret" interchange with the Central Line at Lancaster Gate.

 

[Requeststop]

There is also an entrance/exit at the western end of Platform 1! Can't remember the name of the road it links to.

 

[Requeststop]

Deleted - Double Posting

 

[bnm]

now a Holiday Inn if I remember correctly

Hilton.

 

[transmanche]

When, if ever, Crossrail is completed, will the routes via Eastbourne Terrace be reinstated? They were convenient on foot for the "secret" interchange with the Central Line at Lancaster Gate.

I understood the Eastbourne Terrace cab road was to be converted into a grand entrance for the Purple Train (née Crossrail)?

There are some good rendering images from the architects here.

 

[coppercapped]

Hilton.

Thank you. All I could remember was that it started with an 'H'!

 

[Trailfinder]

I remember in the early 1970s when picking up my sister and her friend, when they returned from their holiday in St Ives, driving down the ramp at the country end and parking in the area between platforms 8 and 9. Black cabs also picked up in this area.

 

[coppercapped]

I remember in the early 1970s when picking up my sister and her friend, when they returned from their holiday in St Ives, driving down the ramp at the country end and parking in the area between platforms 8 and 9. Black cabs also picked up in this area.

Yup! The road can be seen in this photograph that looks as if it were taken in the late 1950s or early 1960s judging by the cars and the clothes. One of the down ramps to the platform level from Bishops Bridge Road can be seen in the right background.

The ramp referred to by the OP was the exit road from this level, it was never really a pedestrian entrance.

 

[Nicks]

The ramp area is a just a large smoking area for passengers and railway staff - very unpleasant to walk though.

 

[colchesterken]

In an episode of the professionals re shown a week or two ago the baddie drives down the cab road, in a black cab, and shoots someone just arrived on platform one. on the concourse

 

[Bald Rick]

In an episode of the professionals re shown a week or two ago the baddie drives down the cab road, in a black cab, and shoots someone just arrived on platform one. on the concourse

Revenue Protection, 70s style.

 

[HowardGWR]

Yup! The road can be seen in this photograph that looks as if it were taken in the late 1950s or early 1960s judging by the cars and the clothes. One of the down ramps to the platform level from Bishops Bridge Road can be seen in the right background.

The ramp referred to by the OP was the exit road from this level, it was never really a pedestrian entrance.

It must be 1940s at the latest. If you blow up the photo, you will see the 'Castle' still has its number on the front buffer beam. I admit the white minibus (is it?) obscured by the people on the arrival road does look a bit modern.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The ramp area is a just a large smoking area for passengers and railway staff - very unpleasant to walk though.

Yes, that's absolutely right, and I was going to say the same!

I can deal with the people smoking on the left hand side of the ramp as you leave the station. However, those who smoke on the right hand side, despite several large notices telling people not to smoke there and to go to the other side of the ramp, really annoy me. Sadly, it's not worth saying anything for fear of provoking the wrong reaction, so I don't. I do wonder, though, whether it's policed at all and what the penalty would be?

 

[pdeaves]

whether it's policed at all and what the penalty would be?

Well, the penalty could be as per post 22 above!

 

[Lucan]

It must be 1940s at the latest. If you blow up the photo, you will see the 'Castle' still has its number on the front buffer beam. I admit the white minibus (is it?) obscured by the people on the arrival road does look a bit modern.

I'm afraid I can't see a number on the buffer beam. The white van is I think a Bedford CA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_CA made from 1952.

 

[HowardGWR]

I'm afraid I can't see a number on the buffer beam. The white van is I think a Bedford CA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_CA made from 1952.

I bow to your motor knowledge, I thought I could see 50?? on the buffer beam but your evidence is superior. I doubted it could be 60s though, not enough coke bottle shape cars visible, and early 50s thus seems more likely. Thanks and to coppercapped for the photo.
Has that 'cube' office block got planning consent yet? I got the impression from the web site linked, that it hasn't - yet.

 

[swt_passenger]

I bow to your motor knowledge, I thought I could see 50?? on the buffer beam but your evidence is superior. I doubted it could be 60s though, not enough coke bottle shape cars visible, and early 50s thus seems more likely. Thanks and to coppercapped for the photo.
Has that 'cube' office block got planning consent yet? I got the impression from the web site linked, that it hasn't - yet.

The link I posted said planning approval was granted in 2017, and work commenced April 2018. It isn’t called the cube anymore, that design was reworked after the earlier refusal.

The skyscraper city forum thread on the development is worth a look, there’s almost 700 posts discussing the decision, but actual work on the ground was limited to demolition until fairly recently. Mace were appointed as build contractors only in January this year.
Reading back through it seems one of the main criticisms of the original plans were that they didn’t improve the Bakerloo access:
https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1841468&highlight=Cube&page=35

 

[Tim M]

This way in is also used to deliver carriages, well for special occasions:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=f...ECA8QAg&biw=1024&bih=698#imgrc=hMuBx0XQNIF1XM