Tag: St. Pancras

35mm · Film photography · Photography

In St. Pancras railway station

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St. Pancras is the station I use when travelling to and from London, with an occasional switch across to King’s Cross which sits literally next door if the timetables dictate.

St. Pancras Station concourse

It’s a grand old structure dating to Victorian times and consists of the railway station itself as well as a large hotel. The station was thoroughly modernised in the 1990s and now also serves as the international terminus for Eurostar trains to Europe via the Channel Tunnel, giving the place a feel not dissimilar to an airport in some ways. I’ve never travelled on Eurostar, so am not sure if the international terminal has duty free shops and similar as that part of the station is not accessible to regular travellers.

Sir John Betjeman

I remember travelling to St. Pancras before it was upgraded and it was a much more utilitarian affair. Where now you can buy designer clothes or expensive pastries, was once a somewhat dark and grimy feeling terminus, the air awash with the fumes from the diesel locomotives. Now you can have a glass of champagne while awaiting your departure.

Champagne bar

Olympus OM-1N, G-Zuiko Auto-W 35mm f/2.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 9mins.

Taken 9 September 2023.

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Evocations of a journey #1

fishyfisharcade4 Comments

Last year, Postcard Cafe, a blog I follow, posted a number of pieces featuring photographs made on train journeys. The first of these I came across was a post titled “Jumping someone else’s train” and I commented on their post how I liked the idea and that I might borrow it at some point.

Today’s post is the first attempt at doing something along similar lines (badum-tish!).

If I’m to be critical, then Postcard Cafe’s posts are much better than my attempt here, but I’ll admit to making life more difficult for myself by a) using a compact film camera that struggled with camera shake, and b) attempting to fit picture making in around some work I had to do on the train, thereby probably missing some opportunities (plus I had a window-frame next to my seat, which limited my field of view somewhat too). Anyway, enough with my excuses and on to the photos.

For the purposes of this post, I’ve limited my photos to ones taken station-to-station. I shall also leave them without narrative, and just let them tell whatever story you see fit to make up. They are in chronological order though, both outbound and homeward.

FILM - Trip #1FILM - Trip #1-2FILM - Everone's in a hurry these daysFILM - Trip #1-3FILM - Knocking out a tuneFILM - Trip #1-4FILM - DepartureFILM - Gasometer livingFILM - Trip #1-5FILM - Trip #1-6

Pentax Espio 140M & Kentmere 400.

Taken on 15 January 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Sir John Betjeman

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This statue of Sir John Betjeman stands in St Pancras railway station, London. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death in 1984. As well as a lover of railways, he was a vociferous voice in the preservation of ancient buildings and was instrumental in the saving of the St. Pancras station and hotel which had been scheduled for demolition. The station was secured and is now the London terminus for both the Midland Mainline domestic route as well as the international Eurostar service to continental Europe. This sculpture was commisioned for the re-opening of the station following its redevelopment in 2007.

You can watch him talk about railways in this film.

FILM - Sir John Betjeman

Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+.

Taken on 9 October 2019