11 Things You Didn't Know About St. Pancras International

Before shifting its London terminus to St Pancras International in 2007, Eurostar operated services to the continent from Waterloo International, south of the River Thames. It began running services from St. Pancras International upon the completion of the high speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link, which was then renamed High Speed 1. The new high-speed rail link cut the journey time to the continent by about 40 minutes.

We’ve all heard of a booze cruise, but what about an ale rail? Well if ever there was one, it ended at St Pancras (now St. Pancras International). Three beer trains transported beer south from Burton upon Trent to London every day, with even more in the brewing season. And it wasn’t just beer – in 1872 the Midland Railway brought in 800,000 tons of coal, roughly 18% of the city’s total consumption.

London’s tradition of pearly kings and queens is just one of many brilliantly peculiar quirks associated with the capital. The pearly tradition all began with a man called Henry Croft, who cleaned the streets around St Pancras. Croft became the first pearly king when he emblazoned a suit with mother-of-pearl buttons to raise money for the St Pancras orphanage that had raised him up to the age of 13.

Like most buildings of significance in the capital, St. Pancras International suffered bomb damage during the Blitz, the sustained Nazi bombing campaign of World War II. Despite the fact that a 500kg bomb broke through the roof of the train shed – and dealt significant damage to platforms 3 and 4, as well as to the undercroft and the Metropolitan Railway – it took just one week of emergency repairs to get services back on track.

Anyone notice the statue of the rotund chap upstairs on The Grand Terrace? In the 1960s, the British Railways Board tried to do what the Nazis couldn’t: bring St. Pancras International station down. The board wanted to combine it with the neighbouring King’s Cross station, a plan which would likely have involved demolishing both existing stations. Thanks to the efforts of a campaign led by John Betjeman, the man depicted on The Grand Terrace, the station is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2018.

St. Pancras International launched their public pianos in 2012 when the City of London Festival celebrated its golden anniversary. They were installed at iconic landmarks as part of that celebration, but the team at St. Pancras International saw how positively they were received by visitors and so decided to continue them. This iconic destination is now home to 2 public pianos, full of charm and memories. The most recognised piano was donated by Sir Elton John; however it was recently replaced by a piano donation from Andrew Lloyd Webber. Performances over the years have seen the likes of Norah Jones, James Arthur, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Grennan, and Ludovico Einaudi entertain passengers and passersby.

It is alleged that back in 304 AD, Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered the beheading of Saint Pancras, a 14 year old Roman citizen who had refused to renounce his faith after converting to Christianity. Just two years later, the imperial mantle was picked up by Constantine the Great, who would go on to become the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity.

There are obvious (and not so obvious) pieces of art all over the station. A recognisable highlight is Tracey Emin’s ‘I Want My Time With You‘ sign in her signature handwriting. This is the largest text piece ever made by the artist and was originally planned to be removed from the station at the end of 2019 but has become such a feature that it remains on display now.

As you can see the station building has an incredible heritage behind it, being 1 of just 6 Grade I listed stations in the UK. St. Pancras International is one of the most important pieces of Gothic Revival architecture in the country, featuring iron, limestone, red sandstone, brickwork, tiles and stone all from the midlands.

St. Pancras Bar & Brasserie – owned by Searcy’s – is positioned next to the Eurostar platform, so regular Eurostar travellers will often sit at the bar to keep an eye on their train arrivals before heading through security. This in mind, this new subheading could include the messaging of ‘keep an eye on the Eurostar platform in style at the longest Champagne bar in the world’.

Having featured in the Harry Potter film series and a major role in Spice Girls’ Wannabe video, this iconic hotel is one of the best in London. Opening its doors in 2011 following a multi-million-pound renovation, the hotel showcases glorious Gothic Revival metalwork, gold leaf ceilings, hand-stencilled wall designs, and the legendary grand staircase offering guests the chance to celebrate the glitz and glamour of the Victorian era. The 245-room hotel houses 38 Chambers Suites which are the epitome of contemporary luxury whilst also encapsulating lavish Victorian grandeur.

This is an updated article based on an original story by Ruaidhri Carroll