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London Saint Pancras International Railway Station 
Saint Pancras International Railway Station, commonly known as London St Pancras International, was built by the Midland Railway Company to serve as the terminus for its rail services to the Midlands and North of England. Its completion and opening on 1 October 1868, marked the station as a major gateway for rail services to the Midlands and North of England and is considered a perfect example of Victorian engineering. Designed by renowned civil engineer, William Henry Barlow, the station’s train shed is made of iron and glass and features wrought iron pillars and a series of 24 prefabricated wrought-iron ribs, which were assembled on-site. To simplify the design, minimise cost, and to avoid the foundations of the roof interfering with the space beneath, it was decided to construct a single span roof, providing a vast open space without internal supports. The roof therefore was constructed as a single-span roof, 689 feet (210 meters) long, 240 feet (73.2 meters) wide, and 100 feet (30.5 meters) high, which at the time of construction, was the largest of its kind in the world. The front façade, designed by George Gilbert Scott, is the Midland Grand Hotel, constructed from 1868 to 1876, which features ornate detailing, pointed arches, and a clock tower, all characteristic of the Gothic Revival architectural style. The station and hotel are now a Grade I Listed Building.  The clock tower is a notable feature of the façade and has a clock face on each of its four sides. The clock dial is made of slate and has a diameter of 16 feet 9 inches (5.15 meters). While the original clocks were mechanical, in the late 1960s they were modernized and are now powered by a small electric motor.  Construction of the station was to take several years due to the challenges encountered. This entailed the construction on the site of the former St Pancras Cemetery and entailed the placing of concrete foundations on numerous iron piles. All in all, 9,000 tons of iron was used. It also required the installation of an elaborate water supply system, required for the steam locomotives of the time. In 1935 The Midland Grand Hotel, had closed due to falling bookings and the station itself had fallen into disrepair and was at risk of demolition. In 1948, on the creation of British Rail, St Pancras received a significant investment and In 1957, the signalling at the station was upgraded, In the early 21st century, plans were made to renovate the station and make it the terminus for Eurostar services from mainland Europe. This started in the early 2000s and cost £800 million. The project included restoring the historic façade and train shed, refurbishing the Midland Grand Hotel, which is now the St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel, and upgrading the station's facilities to accommodate high-speed trains. The project was completed in 2007 at a cost of £800 million, and the station was officially reopened by Queen Elizabeth II on 14 November 2007. The station was renamed London St Pancras International as following this work it became the terminus for Eurostar services, connecting London to mainland Europe, which previously had been from London Waterloo, where it had been from 1994 until the need to cater for a growing demand and to provide better facilities for international travellers. Today, it is a major transportation hub, which connects London to various destinations in the UK, via Southeastern High-Speed Trains with services to Kent. The station contains four groups of platforms on two levels, accessed via the main concourse at ground level.  Just off the main concourse are the platforms for South Eastern Railways.  Thameslink providing services to Bedford, Cambridge, Peterborough, Brighton, Horsham, and Gatwick Airport.  East Midlands Railway with services to Leicester, Corby, Derby, Sheffield, and Nottingham on the Midland Main Line with its platforms accessed from the first floor.  Access to the first floor is provided by escalators and elevators.  It also provides the Terminus for Eurostar services from Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.  Located across the road is London Kings Cross Station, which it shares an Underground station with.  Passengers are able to walk across the road and enter by the side entrance into either directly into the Eurostar section or the general area.   Since the restoration the station has numerous facilities that offers a variety of dining and shopping options.  It also includes a couple of pianos that people can stop and play. 
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All Photographs were taken by and are copyright of Ron Gatepain
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