The train event
Rail enthusiast, blogger, YouTuber and postie of 25 years, John Jones, from Rainham Delivery Office in Kent, has self-published his first book on London’s railway stations.
John said his book ‘This Train Terminates Here: London Railway Termini Up To 2020’ aims to convey ‘the wonder of the 14 current designated London termini’ with brief histories and walkthroughs of each one, together with more than 150 colour photos.
Whether it be the cosmopolitan feel of St Pancras International, the commuter rush of Charing Cross or Brunel’s grandeur masterpiece, Paddington, John said he hopes to get us all to stop ‘at least occasionally and appreciate the marvel of the London terminus – a place many of us just think of as the end of the line.’
John’s interest in the railways, particularly the infrastructure that makes everything run, started when as a boy, his parents used to take him to the railway bridge near to where they lived.
‘My interest in trains and railways kind of barrelled from there,’ he said. ‘As far as favourite trains go, I really love the locomotives of the 1970's and 80's, especially the diesels. Modern day locomotives, such as the British Rail Class 68 diesel locomotive, also really interest me. I like to class myself as an enthusiast, rather than a spotter (I’ve never collected train numbers for example!).’
John said his main interest isn’t just trains, but also, the stations and yards which make the railways run. ‘My book contains walkthroughs of all 14 London termini, with their many interesting plaques and statues, which many of us walk past without noticing,’ he said. ‘Plus, a look at the superb architecture that makes many of these stations unique.’
John looks at how most of us take the railways for granted as simply a means of getting from A to B. ‘But how many people bother to stand a while and look around at the magnificence of these buildings?’ he asks. ‘How many of us take the time to appreciate the history around them?
‘These places of hustle and bustle yield much history. Many are architectural masterpieces, while others are purely functional. Yet all are fascinating pieces of engineering and organization.’
You can read more about John’s interest in trains and the railways on his Rainham Rail Enthusiast blog site as well as his Facebook and YouTube pages.
