| Summary : Bishop's Road station, Paddington was one of the first underground railway stations in the world, being one of the terminus stations on the worlds first underground passenger railway which was opened by the Metropolitan Railway on the 10th January 1863. This steam operated line ran nearly four miles between Bishops's Road, Paddington and Farringdon Street. Bishop's Road occupied an awkward position between the main line station and the Great Western Railway coal depot alongside Paddington canal basin, further restricted by an approach road to the Great Western goods depot. Bishop's Road bridge was partially demolished to make room for the station building, set back behind a forecourt for cabs and omnibuses. The structure had a gable at each end with high pavilion roofs and balustered parapets. Platforms were built in a cutting between blind-arcaded brick retaining walls, beneath a bow girder and plate glass roof of 62ft span. Stairways and offices were set into the walls at platform level and a footbridge stood towards the east end of the platforms. From the westbound side there was a subway to the Great Western station. The station was completely rebuilt in 1933 to become a suburban annex of Paddington main line terminus and now serves the Hamersmith and City Line. For the former Praed Street station, now the present day Paddington station serving the Circle, District and Bakerloo lines, see TQ 28 SE 442. |