London calling to the faraway towns

The UK’s railway network quickly developed radiating from London, with routes running from from the city to the four corners of the Kingdom. For centuries, the railways have bought people to the mighty industrial and commercial machine that is the capital.

For strangers to the city, the idea of London might be dominated by the tourist sites of Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Big Ben.

The reality of living in London is a little less glamorous, and this view of Kilburn captures normality for many relatively well off Londoners. Victorian era terraced houses back onto the railway, with a typical London school (in this case, St Marys Catholic Primary School) wedged between the railway and housing.

On the left of the frame is one of the realities of 21st century London living: a new, high density apartment block. Hidden from view is another reality of London: my photograph was taken from the open balcony of a 1960s era block of what is now termed ‘social housing’.

For me the train is almost incidental to the view: this is the a Glasgow to Euston service carrying the relatively short-lived Virgin ‘flowing silk’ livery.

Posted by Nic Joynson on 2021-12-27 09:33:42

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