Can you believe this grand station, Greenwich Station, is one of the oldest in the world? It was designed by George Smith, the same architect who designed the Mercers’ Company headquarters. You wouldn’t believe it from looking at it, but Greenwich Station was built in 1840. The station is important because it was the terminus of the first ever passenger line in the city.
This was the London and Greenwich Railway, which opened in 1836, and it was a game changer, connecting the bustling heart of the city to the quieter charms of Greenwich. This railway was so pioneering that it’s thought to have been the first to use the term ‘station’.
It’s hard to imagine now, but when the railway first opened, policemen would wave lamps and flags to signal trains. The station was also known for having a distinctive traverser. This is like a giant turntable that allows locomotives to be transferred from one track to another. The traverser was a very important part of the original operation of Greenwich Station, but it’s been removed now because the line has been extended.
Imagine trains passing on one of the oldest railway lines in London on their way to Maze Hill and back. The station was even extended eastward through a tunnel under the National Maritime Museum, and with the arrival of the Docklands Light Railway in 1999, Greenwich Station became an even busier hub.
Today, with its beautiful brick facade and ornate canopy, it remains a testament to the changing transportation and technology of London.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to