London Guide
Paddington
The area of Paddington gets its name from Paddington Station on Praed Street, one of the world's great early train stations; designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1851, the cathedral-scale wrought-iron sheds replaced a wooden structure that was the destination of Victoria and Albert's first railway journey in 1842. The train, pulled by the engine Phlegethon, travelled from Slough (near Windsor) at an average speed of 44mph, which the prince consort considered excessive – "Not so fast next time, Mr Conductor", he is alleged to have remarked.
The station is main point of focus for an area whose combination of classic urban squares, big stuccoed terraces and grand tree-lined avenues gives the district a wealthy and almost continental feel.