Collins' Illustrated Guide to London and Neighbourhood: Being a Concise Description of the Chief Places of Interest in the Metropolis, and the Best Modes of Obtaining Access to Them: with Information Relating to Railways, Omnibuses, Steamers, &c.Anonymous
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Collins' Illustrated Guide to London and Neighbourhood: Being a Concise Description of the Chief Places of Interest in the Metropolis, and the Best Modes of Obtaining Access to Them: with Information Relating to Railways, Omnibuses, Steamers, &c.
Anonymous
London (England) -- Guidebooks
Cabs.—These convenient vehicles have completely superseded the old
pair-horse hackney-coaches in London; no vehicle of the kind being now
ever seen. There are, according to the return above quoted, 6,793 of the
modern single-horse hackney-coaches in the metropolis altogether—of two
different kinds, ‘four-wheelers’ and ‘Hansoms,’ (named after the
patentee.) The ‘four-wheelers’ are the more numerous; they have two
seats and two doors; they carry four persons, and are entirely enclosed.
The ‘Hansoms’ have two very large wheels, one seat to accommodate two
persons, and are open in front; the driver is perched up behind, and
drives his vehicle at a rapid rate.
Railways.—If omnibuses and cabs are more important than railways to
strangers while _in_ London, railways are obviously the most important of
the three when coming to or departing from London. The following are a
few particulars concerning such railways as enter the metropolis.
_London and North-Western Railway_ has its terminus just behind Euston
Square. The noble portico in front—by far the finest thing of the kind
connected with railway architecture—has been rendered ridiculous by the
alterations in the buildings behind it; for it is now at one corner of an
enclosed court, instead of being in the centre of the frontage. A new
hall leading to the booking-offices, finished in 1849, is worthy of the
great company to which it belongs; the vast dimensions, the fine statue
of George Stephenson, and the _bassi-rilievi_ by Thomas, render it an
object deserving of a visit. This station is the London terminus of a
system exceeding 1,446 miles.
The _Midland Railway_ has a magnificent terminus in the Euston Road, and
a junction with the Metropolitan line. It has already more than 800
miles open.
_Great Northern Railway_ has its terminus at King’s Cross—a building more
remarkable for novelty than for beauty. This company, a severe
competitor to some of older date, has few stations near London; but the
directness of the line of railway renders it important as an outlet to
the north. A good hotel is contiguous to the terminus. The goods’ depôt
has become famous for the vast quantity of coal brought to the
metropolis.
_Great Western Railway_ has its terminus at Paddington, where a fine new
station was built a few years ago. A style of arabesque polychrome
decoration has been adopted, not seen at other metropolitan stations.
Paddington is the head-quarters of the broad-gauge system, which extends
to Weymouth in one direction, to Truro in a second, to Milford Haven in a
third, and to Wolverhampton in a fourth; but some of the broad-gauge
lines belong to other companies; while, on the other hand, this company
has adopted the double-gauge on about 400 miles of its line. The
terminus has a splendid new hotel adjoining it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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