Eye-catching black and whites

[High Jetter]

28 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

It's the vaults to St. Pancras Station on Midland Road - a tour-de-force example of Victorian engineering - the railway terminus was set 6m above street level supported on cast-iron piers and the underneath was warehousing accessed from platform level and out through these arches.

The refurbished station now uses the vaults for access to the platforms - hence they are blocked-off.

The train-shed and railway is 1868 - the Gothic brick arches as seen are slightly  later - 1873 designed by George Gilbert Scott and added as a skin to the station at the same time as the big hotel out front.

If you have not been it is all worth a visit.

But give the restaurant a swerve.

[Yoss]

10 hours ago, lesapandre said:

It's the vaults to St. Pancras Station on Midland Road - a tour-de-force example of Victorian engineering 

If you have not been it is all worth a visit.

Although you would be about 20 years too late. The modern building is an impressive piece of engineering but it is a bit clinical and soulless and large parts are inaccessible unless you have a ticket to France or Belgium. And even then you are herded straight from the Undercroft in to your coach. If you were to wander off taking photos you'd be shot. Okay slight exaggeration, not actually shot but you would be descended on by men with guns even if they didn't actually use them. 

In BR days you could wander round at your leisure. It was dirty and a bit run down but the dirt was from decades of old steam and diesel engines. The train shed had a permanent fog from the HSTs that were left idling all the time they were there. I realise that's not very 21st century but it wasn't the 21st century. It also had the best ticket office on British Rail which is now an expensive cocktail bar. 

 

And amongst the many businesses under those arches was a place that made exhausts for classic cars, or any other cars if you had the pattern. I once picked up a three branch tubular manifold from them for my Wolseley 18/85 S. They made it in front of me and I took it back to west London, where I had parked, on the bus. 

[Andrew353w]

12 hours ago, lesapandre said:

It's the vaults to St. Pancras Station on Midland Road - a tour-de-force example of Victorian engineering - the railway terminus was set 6m above street level supported on cast-iron piers and the underneath was warehousing accessed from platform level and out through these arches.

The refurbished station now uses the vaults for access to the platforms - hence they are blocked-off.

The train-shed and railway is 1868 - the Gothic brick arches as seen are slightly  later - 1873 designed by George Gilbert Scott and added as a skin to the station at the same time as the big hotel out front.

If you have not been it is all worth a visit.

This is deeply embarrassing, as I used to work at St. Pancras for the then B.R., so I really ought to have known where the initial picture was taken! 

[Andrew353w]

47 minutes ago, Yoss said:

In BR days you could wander round at your leisure. It was dirty and a bit run down but the dirt was from decades of old steam and diesel engines. The train shed had a permanent fog from the HSTs that were left idling all the time they were there. I realise that's not very 21st century but it wasn't the 21st century. It also had the best ticket office on British Rail which is now an expensive cocktail bar. 

So true, so true! I used to work in that very office and during rare quiet moments we would go exploring around the station. I truly miss my days working for B.R.!

[lesapandre]

22 hours ago, Yoss said:

Although you would be about 20 years too late. The modern building is an impressive piece of engineering but it is a bit clinical and soulless and large parts are inaccessible unless you have a ticket to France or Belgium. And even then you are herded straight from the Undercroft in to your coach. If you were to wander off taking photos you'd be shot. Okay slight exaggeration, not actually shot but you would be descended on by men with guns even if they didn't actually use them. 

In BR days you could wander round at your leisure. It was dirty and a bit run down but the dirt was from decades of old steam and diesel engines. The train shed had a permanent fog from the HSTs that were left idling all the time they were there. I realise that's not very 21st century but it wasn't the 21st century. It also had the best ticket office on British Rail which is now an expensive cocktail bar. 

 

And amongst the many businesses under those arches was a place that made exhausts for classic cars, or any other cars if you had the pattern. I once picked up a three branch tubular manifold from them for my Wolseley 18/85 S. They made it in front of me and I took it back to west London, where I had parked, on the bus. 

Yes you are right - the whole area has been 'scrubbed' beyond recognition really and has certainly lost some character. 

In terms of access to the vaults - about 40% are accessible but they now constitute the inevitable shopping mall before you get to the Eurostar gateline. You can get out to platform level at the S. end of the station - but the rest is restricted as its within the passport zone.

Restaurants at the station - it's all the usual suspects - I always bring food when I travel to avoid overpriced rubbish.

[Remspoor]

6 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Yes you are right - the whole area has been 'scrubbed' beyond recognition really and has certainly lost some character. 

Was it also known as a red light area?

[Remspoor]

[lesapandre]

1 hour ago, Remspoor said:

Was it also known as a red light area?

Not that particular bit that I recall - the red light cruising used to take place on the other side around the side streets by King's Cross Station where there was more opportunity to stop.  Midland Road here is right next to the British Library - also worth a visit.

[High Jetter]

Bugger. Could have told me 30 years ago!

[Metal Guru]

5 hours ago, Remspoor said:

I think the Viva has just reversed into the Escort.

[lesapandre]

Zaragoza Spain - 1950's

[lesapandre]

More Za 1950's.

[Remspoor]

[martc]

[Remspoor]

Oxford Street.

[Richard_FM]

2 hours ago, Remspoor said:

Oxford Street.

Did the Met mechanics mix cross-ply & radial tyres on the same axle?

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, Remspoor said:

Oxford Street.

Awks!

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

Awks!

Bet he said “ no way, these things don’t go fast enough!”

[Richard_FM]

[Remspoor]

Paris 1968

[Richard_FM]

[Remspoor]

7 hours ago, Richard_FM said:

I much prefer the look of the non airbag wheel.

[Remspoor]

Bolstraat, Utrecht

[D.E]

 

[Richard_FM]

[Remspoor]

21 hours ago, D.E said:

 

Wide mouth frog. You don't see many of them around these days,

 

[Remspoor]

Shell Oil car park 1970.

It now looks like this.

[sheffcortinacentre]

Can count the imports on one hand, ooo how times change.

[busmansholiday]

12 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

Can count the imports on one hand, ooo how times change.

You're from Barnsley then with six fingers....

[RayMK]

23 minutes ago, busmansholiday said:

You're from Barnsley then with six fingers....

I can see  1x Renault,  3xVW (two of them being Beetles) and one Simca.  What is your sixth?  There's something which looks a bit Bond Equipe to me, but could be an Opel. My eyes hurt 😀.