Paddington, London

An unexpected pleasure

I grew up in Cardiff, South Wales and also the Welsh capital city. Back in the 1950’s and 60’s any visit to London required either a long and tedious car journey or a train ride of at least three hours long. In those days the steam engines were a trainspotters’ delight but also massive, noisy and also not that fast. Great Western Railways transitioned to diesel locomotives and steam ended in 1968. The London end of the line was Paddington Station designed and built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a brilliant engineer who has many other well known projects to his name. The station was completed in the mid nineteenth century. This lead to the devlopment of the Paddington district. Nearby is the Grand Union Canal, so called because of unification of several canals which were built in the nineteenth century. During the twentieth century the area became poor and neglected and was populated by many immigrants. Paddington station also deteriorated. In the 1990’s the whole area was redeveloped and became something completely different and which I had never seen. These are a few photographs from an unexpected, short vistit to the area.

The area around the Paddington end of the Grand Union Canal still has memories of its Victorian origins

Old Barges have been preserved

Some have been turned into restaurants

Gentrification has occurred.

Walking along the canal banks is a pleasure providing the weather is good. I was lucky.

There are also new structures, mainly bridges as well modern highrises.

There are also opportunities for other types of photography. Well worth a visit if you are nearby.