Head North to King's Cross
Before they housed the gateway to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters that took Harry Potter and friends to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, King’s Cross was the location of the Great Northern Railway’s (GNR) London terminus. In order to go to the North of London, one had to traditionally pass through here. And because of its central transport location, it became the site that linked to many major industries north of England.
Photo: The Victorian southern entrance to King's Cross along Euston road (right, Peter Imbong) and as it was in 1970 (right, via Collage the London Picture Archive).
In 1850, the first temporary passenger station opened north of the canal which was used until King’s Cross station opened in 1852. A few years later in the 1960s, the world’s first underground railway running along the route of Euston Road was completed. The trains were, of course, steam engines which produced a significant amount of pollution, but were popular with everyone because of their speed and efficiency.
As London entered the 21st century, so did this major transportation hub. In 2001, the restoration and expansion of St. Pancras Station began, which included the creation of the 75,000 sq ft square in front; the addition of solar panels on the train shed roofs; the transformation of 67 acres around the station into offices, retail shops, and 2,000 homes; and the restoration of the station itself with new underground ticket halls, escalators, and more than 300 meters of new passageways.
But perhaps King's Cross most famous feature is The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4 which opened in December 2015. You may not be able to reach the platform, but you can still take a photo with the now iconic carriage halfway through the brick wall.
Find out more about King Cross here.
