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[jereboam]

I'm awfully sorry to be such a philistine, but I went to school half a mile up the road from the Euston Arch, and went past it regularly on the bus.  It wasn't particularly loved or treasured by Londoners and, Sir John Betjeman apart, there wasn't all that much of a protest when it went. 

I thought the new Euston was an improvement.

[Pitchfork]

I'm awfully sorry to be such a philistine, but I went to school half a mile up the road from the Euston Arch, and went past it regularly on the bus.  It wasn't particularly loved or treasured by Londoners and, Sir John Betjeman apart, there wasn't all that much of a protest when it went. 

I thought the new Euston was an improvement.

You're not a Philistine....... you're Jewish  remember? 

[jereboam]

I'm awfully sorry to be such a philistine, but I went to school half a mile up the road from the Euston Arch, and went past it regularly on the bus.  It wasn't particularly loved or treasured by Londoners and, Sir John Betjeman apart, there wasn't all that much of a protest when it went. 

I thought the new Euston was an improvement.

You're not a Philistine....... you're Jewish  remember? 

Funnily enough, the Jewish boys at my school who wanted kosher meals at lunchtime used to go down to somewhere near Euston to get them.  I went there once, preferred my mother's food and thereafter went home for lunch. 

And it was at that school that I first learned the pejorative meaning of "Philistine" when my younger brother told me that his English teacher had warned him that he was danger of emulating me and becoming and "arrogant Philistine". 

Just 'cos I didn't like John Milton's poetry very much...

[Banjax]

I agree with Jereboam - once it's gone it's gone...theres no point making a new copy of an old arch, make something for future generations to admire, show them what we can do in the 21st century 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I agree with Jereboam - once it's gone it's gone...theres no point making a new copy of an old arch, make something for future generations to admire, show them what we can do in the 21st century 

I can understand both Jereboam's and your point of view BJ, but it has not gone.  That is the point, at least 60% is estimated to exist, and it could be rebuilt as part of a new 21st century terminus.

Yes always build new, like high speed railway lines, and landmarks like the Angel of the North and the Horse of the South, along with great new buildings to last (hopefully) for two hundred years or more.  But always value the key symbols of the past along with the new.  The two can go side by side 8-) 8-) 8-)

Just my opinion as an historian though

[tidla]

The other end of the line was in Birmingham and here is the our terminal.



Standing empty at the moment after a chequered history but rumoured to be the terminus for the proposed new High Speed Railway line.

Thanks DadUK1!

Lovely picture of a building I never knew existed.  You can certainly see the connection with the old Euston and in particular the Arch 8-) 8-)

Wouldn't it be great if it could be re-used for a new high speed line terminus, and down in London the Arch is rebuilt!

is that opposite millenium point/museum?

[jereboam]

I agree with Jereboam - once it's gone it's gone...theres no point making a new copy of an old arch, make something for future generations to admire, show them what we can do in the 21st century 

I can understand both Jereboam's and your point of view BJ, but it has not gone.  That is the point, at least 60% is estimated to exist, and it could be rebuilt as part of a new 21st century terminus.

Yes always build new, like high speed railway lines, and landmarks like the Angel of the North and the Horse of the South, along with great new buildings to last (hopefully) for two hundred years or more.  But always value the key symbols of the past along with the new.  The two can go side by side 8-) 8-) 8-)

Just my opinion as an historian though

This is difficult. 

The arch really wasn't a very distinguished piece of architecture.  It was the entrance to a station.  It wasn't actually a particularly appropriate design for the entrance to a station.  It wasn't particularly old, original, attractive, clean or useful.  It didn't memorialise anything, or celebrate the triumph of a returning army.  It was an advertisement of sorts for the London to Birmingham Railway.

Still, if you like it and want it back, collect some money and buy it.  Just don't ask the taxpayer to contribute.

[tidla]

i agree with Jereboam. up close it probably wasnt that pretty or that interesting. mixing old and new designs together is well and truly an art. london bridge and the gurkin.
locally its the sears building , st martins church and the rotunda. time will tell on the sears building?

[Banjax]

I agree with Jereboam - once it's gone it's gone...theres no point making a new copy of an old arch, make something for future generations to admire, show them what we can do in the 21st century 

I can understand both Jereboam's and your point of view BJ, but it has not gone.  That is the point, at least 60% is estimated to exist, and it could be rebuilt as part of a new 21st century terminus.

Yes always build new, like high speed railway lines, and landmarks like the Angel of the North and the Horse of the South, along with great new buildings to last (hopefully) for two hundred years or more.  But always value the key symbols of the past along with the new.  The two can go side by side 8-) 8-) 8-)

Just my opinion as an historian though

totally appreciate where you're coming from lizzie - i used to live in Dundee - a once beautiful city on the side of the Law hill (an extinct volcano) overlooking the silvery Tay river, as one of the main ports of the old empire it had many beautiful victorian buildings that were torn down in the 60's to be replaced by ugly concrete boxes - and it has never truly recovered 
i think the 60's era of "brutalist" concrete monstrocities was an error that hopefully we won't repeat (although i doubt it) when out with the old and in with the new seemed the best way - if we lose old buildings and structures we must be very careful what we put in their place which is why i agree with prince charles's constant rants about carbuncles
so dont replace it, thats a backward step, - just think carefully before removing it in the first place, in the future 

but if they raise the money privately, then fine (just hope it doesnt end up sponsored by mcdonalds and painted gold  )   

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I agree with Jereboam - once it's gone it's gone...theres no point making a new copy of an old arch, make something for future generations to admire, show them what we can do in the 21st century 

I can understand both Jereboam's and your point of view BJ, but it has not gone.  That is the point, at least 60% is estimated to exist, and it could be rebuilt as part of a new 21st century terminus.

Yes always build new, like high speed railway lines, and landmarks like the Angel of the North and the Horse of the South, along with great new buildings to last (hopefully) for two hundred years or more.  But always value the key symbols of the past along with the new.  The two can go side by side 8-) 8-) 8-)

Just my opinion as an historian though

This is difficult. 

The arch really wasn't a very distinguished piece of architecture.  It was the entrance to a station.  It wasn't actually a particularly appropriate design for the entrance to a station.  It wasn't particularly old, original, attractive, clean or useful.  It didn't memorialise anything, or celebrate the triumph of a returning army.  It was an advertisement of sorts for the London to Birmingham Railway.

Still, if you like it and want it back, collect some money and buy it.  Just don't ask the taxpayer to contribute.

I couldn't agree more Jereboam at any time, let alone in the current financial climate

It is intended that private and corporate sponsorship along with donations will pay for the development and the re-erection of the Arch 8-) 8-)

[Varche]

I think it is a great thing to do to "restore the Arch" and incorporate it into a new station. I would also be the first to agree that buildings like the Gherkin and the millenium  Bridge are iconic. However heritage is so worth saving. Ask the Americans if they would like some old buildings?

[dad1uk]

The other end of the line was in Birmingham and here is the our terminal.



Standing empty at the moment after a chequered history but rumoured to be the terminus for the proposed new High Speed Railway line.

Thanks DadUK1!

Lovely picture of a building I never knew existed.  You can certainly see the connection with the old Euston and in particular the Arch 8-) 8-)

Wouldn't it be great if it could be re-used for a new high speed line terminus, and down in London the Arch is rebuilt!

is that opposite millenium point/museum?

Yep that's the one