Product Description

St Pancras station has long been an iconic landmark on the London landscape. The neo-Gothic spires and multi-coloured brickwork of the Midland Grand hotel and the awesome span of the station's train-shed have made it one of the capital's most distinctive monuments. Simon Bradley traces the history of the station, introducing us to the men behind the architecture, and looks forward to its future as home of Eurostar services to the continent. The Wonders of the World is a series of books that focuses on some of the world's most famous sites or monuments. Their names will be familiar to almost everyone: they have achieved iconic stature and are loaded with a fair amount of mythological baggage. These monuments have been the subject of many books over the centuries, but our aim, through the skill and stature of the writers, is to get something much more enlightening, stimulating, even controversial, than straightforward histories or guides.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11806 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
"'St Pancras is a masterpiece and so is this book.' Christian Wolmar 'There is nothing in this book that I am not happy to know; much more of it is valuable to know; all of it is a pleasure to know.' Judith Flanders, Spectator 'It is impossible to praise Bradley's book too highly' A. N. Wilson, Daily Telegraph 'St Pancras Station is a beautifully written book... Bradley's erudition makes it not merely a pleasure to read, but also an excellent introduction to the nineteenth-century Gothic Revival and the great age of railways.' Country Life 'This book reads like the best sort of biography... fabulous' Clive Aslet, Sunday Telegraph '[Bradley] is an architectural historian at the top of his game... a delightfully elegant writer whose curiosity and learning are infected by a deadpan drollery' Jonathan Meades, Evening Standard"

Boyd Tonkin in the Independent, 26 October 2007
`Take him along on that swift trip to Paris.'

Daily Mail, 2 November 2007
`[T]his fine book examines the history of both the church that gave the station its name and the railway terminus...Unexpectedly compelling.'

Customer Reviews

Architecturally Interesting but Not as Good as Eulogies on Cover
The first third of the book is given over to a scholarly treatment of the derivation of the particular Italian gothic style employed by George Gilbert Scott to build the Midland Grand Hotel, the magnificent frontage to St. Pancras Station. The philosophical roles of Pugin and Ruskin are examined and details provided of the life and the architectural activities of Scott; some might think this the long route towards talking about the station per se. The design and construction of the train shed by William Henry Barlow is described very well. The almost unique (at the time) single unsupported arch construction is explained and compared with that used on other major railway termini. Interesting facts such as the spacing of the cast iron pillars in the undercroft being related to beer barrel size are fascinating and just the sort of detail enthusiasts will be looking for. The interior and Victorian usage of the hotel are described well. There then follows brief notes on the Midland Railway and changes which the railways wrought in society, the latter being of dubious relevance. A perfunctory description of the station resurrection is provided. This is an interesting book but leaves the reader feeling short-changed with regard to a direct treatment of the station and its renovation. It does not quite live up to the eulogies printed on the cover; it is not a masterpiece nor fabulous. The black and white printed illustrations are of poor quality.

beautiful writing, impressive scope
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. Most novel writers cannot use language this fluidly.

I think it a huge shame that mostly only people interested in architecture or railways will buy this book. I believe almost anyone would find this book interesting. The book provides a fascinating insight into the social and economic state of England in the middle of Victoria's reign and at the height of imperial grandeur.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is easily worth 6 stars!

A fascinating book
This is so much more than a book about a single railway station and its hotel. Architecture, engineering, and the synergy between the two, social history, railways throughout the UK, stations throughout the world. It's one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time!