London station group

Originally, the demolition of poor properties, particularly south of the River Thames, caused blight and deprived areas around the station.

From April of that year, Southern Region terminals were grouped together as a "notional common station" called "LONDON S.R.

[2] Two years later, Moorgate was dropped from the group in favour of Old Street, and Kensington Olympia was included;[9] this was in connection with its upgrade in early 1986 to an InterCity station with regular British Rail services from northwest England to the south coast.

Therefore, a journey from Brighton cannot use a "London Terminals" ticket to travel to Euston or Paddington, as there is no permitted route to them using National Rail services alone.

[15] The solicitor and railway planner Charles Pearson proposed a main central station at Farringdon, which would connect out to all branch lines.

[16] In 1846, the Royal Commission on Metropolitan Railway Termini was established to see if it was appropriate to bring the terminal stations any further and possibly connect with each other, as per Pearson's plans.

The report concluded this was unnecessary, a single terminal was undesirable as it would create too much congestion and it was too expensive to demolish remaining property in the way.

[17][18] The Royal Commission recommended that no new stations should be built in the West End of London or the city, and that the New Road should be the northern boundary of railway development.

The construction of the LCDR's line via Blackfriars and Farringdon almost bankrupted the company and left it in financial ruin for the rest of its existence.

[29] All terminal stations had at least one underground connection by 1913, except Fenchurch Street, Ludgate Hill and Holborn Viaduct.

[33][35] One of the most significant examples was the demolition of the Euston Arch in 1962 as part of modernisation works to the station, while the area around Kings Cross became run-down.

An important exception was the Victorian Gothic structure of St Pancras, which became a Grade I listed building in 1967 after being threatened with demolition.

Those displaced by the railways crammed into whatever existing accommodation was available, creating slums, and the immediate area around the stations were filled with cheap souvenir shops and prostitutes.

Conversely, the middle class moved out into suburbs which now had easy access to Central London via train, and railway traffic increased.

[45] A significant exception was the later-constructed Marylebone, while Charing Cross was less affected by slum building than neighbouring stations.

Many goods sheds have been removed, and the area surrounding the stations includes a natural swimming pool, and numerous new apartments.