AT A GLANCE
Why go?
London Paddington is one of Britain's great railway terminals — a cathedral of iron and glass designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel that has defined west London travel since 1854. Today it pulses with the energy of Heathrow Express departures, Elizabeth line commuters, and long-distance GWR services hurtling towards the West Country and Wales, all beneath a roof that was the largest train shed in the world when it opened.↗↗
Beyond its role as a transport hub, Paddington is a place where railway history comes alive: Brunel's original roof spans still dazzle, a beloved bear statue greets arrivals, and the station that inspired William Powell Frith's iconic 1862 painting of Victorian travel remains one of London's most atmospheric interiors.↗
Brunel's Masterpiece
The station that stands today is Brunel's second attempt at a Paddington terminus. His first — a temporary affair using the arches of Bishop's Bridge Road — opened in 1838 and served the Great Western Railway's growing network for only sixteen years before the company asked him to build something grander. What he delivered was extraordinary: three enormous barrel-vaulted roofs of wrought iron and glass, over 200 metres long, with a combined width exceeding 70 metres. The main span alone measures 102 feet 6 inches, flanked by smaller spans to the north and south. At the time of completion, it was the largest train shed roof in the world.
