London is the supreme railway city. In 1900 it had fourteen railway termini, more than any other city in the world. A century later only one of them has disappeared completely, and just three have undergone comprehensive reconstruction. All the others are recognisable products of the Victorian railway age that continue to function daily as busy stations for the travellers of the twenty-first century.

This book provides the railway enthusiast with a brief history of the principal termini, featuring key aspects of architectural design and engineering but also highlighting anecdotes, myths, personal stories and curiosities about the stations' social and cultural history.