Tag: railways

Paddington: A bear that stole London’s heart

Published on by Rita MLeave a comment

“Please take care of this bear. Thank you.”

Do you remember seeing this anywhere? I bet you have seen it on a tag while passing through some souvenir store in London, especially in Paddington. Yes, this tag is often found around the neck of Paddington Bear soft toys.

And to know more about this little bear, you have to step into Paddington station. There, amidst the rattle of trains and hurried footsteps of Londoners, you will find a small bronze statue of a little bear…very easily to overlook if you aren’t watchful.

But, let me tell you, that is no ordinary bear…..it’s Paddington Bear, the most well-mannered and well-loved bear in Britain.

I know there are so many questions coming to your mind now…same thing happened to me when I first saw the hype about this Paddington bear. Now, I have answer to all these questions…and I decided to write this article so that next time you meet this bear, you don’t feel like you are meeting a stranger.

So, come along.

The Arrival of Paddington

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Paddington was born in the mind of British Author Michael Bond in 1956.

Yes, Paddington is not a real bear. He’s a literary character…but the way Londoners have showered love on this bear, it feels as if someone like Paddington bear actually walked the earth. For a city as busy as London, Paddington is the symbol of kindness, curiosity, and adventure.

But how did a bear in a duffle coat from the \”darkest Peru\” capture not just London’s heart but the entire world\’s?

To know that you have to journey back to the Christmas Eve of 1956 when Michael Bond spotted a lone teddy bear on a shelf at Selfridges. He bought it for his wife… but little did he know at the time that he was about to change the literary world forever. Inspired by stories of wartime evacuees and displaced refugees, he began writing about a bear who finds himself lost in a new world.

He wrote ‘A Bear Called Paddington’

… and that’s how Paddington bear was born…a polite, marmalade-loving bear from “darkest Peru” who arrived at Paddington Station with nothing but a suitcase and a note around his neck.

With his blue duffle coat, red hat, and perpetually sticky paws, Paddington Bear symbolises something deeply British…their unwavering belief in kindness, resilience, and, of course, an undying love for tea and toast.

As the story goes…this little refugee bear came to London and wandered into the Brown family’s lives (and ours). He came to London in search of a home, but initially all he received was rejection as a bear and got chased by a few pigeons. Tired and disappointed…the bear was ready to crash on a station bench for the night…that’s when he was found by this family and from then on, he was…. ‘Paddington’.

The best part is…Paddington is both an outsider and a beloved member of the family…an immigrant finding his place in the heart of Britain. Perhaps that’s why he resonates so deeply with Londoners…in a city built on diversity, where everyone, no matter where they come from, can find a home.

How Paddington found its way through London’s culture?

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I don’t think Paddington is just childhood nostalgia for Londoners… is it?

He is that rare spirit of every Londoner who has ever offered directions to a lost tourist, shared an umbrella at a bus stop, or left a book on a train seat for a stranger to find.

It seems…for Londoners, this little bear is a reminder that Kindness isn’t just a virtue…it’s a way of life. He represents the warm and welcoming soul of London…where despite the fast-paced chaos, there’s always time for a bear who believes in the goodness of humans.

Apart from this, I honestly think that many residents of London whether born here or having arrived from elsewhere…see a bit of themselves in that Paddington bear who found a home in London just like them.

And that’s why…London knew it needed to do something to keep this Paddington Bear alive.

Apart from the popular bronze statue of this bear, Paddington station also has an official Paddington bear shop…where one can find everything from classic plush toys to limited-edition collectibles.

Funny how Paddington bear has given adults a fair excuse to buy soft toys.

You know, even in Paddington underground station there are reminders of this little bear to make commute a little brighter for the passengers. If you check out the market hall shops of Paddington station, you’re likely to find a few bottles of marmalade ready to be sold…. it’s all in the memory of that beloved bear.

And the Paddington craze of Londoners doesn’t end here…

The success of the Paddington films made some places of London extra famous…such as Portobello Road Market, St. Paul’s Cathedral and of course, the Paddington station. In fact, now a days…there are Paddington themed tours across London…Isn’t that amazing?

It looks like anything with the name of Paddington bear becomes extra special for Londoners…Over the years, Paddington has become the symbol of British Hospitality.

How do tourists get to know Paddington?

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It happened many a times that tourists had no idea about the legacy of this Paddington bear…

But do they stay ignorant for long? I don’t think so.

The bookstores and London Souvenir shops remind them again and again to familiarize themselves with this bear…and come on, if you see a particular thing everywhere, curiosity will naturally lead you to search for that thing. Same happens here with Paddington bear as well.

The face of Paddington bear is everywhere in London….on books, bags, trolleys, souvenirs everywhere… It’s almost impossible to leave the city without seeing his friendly face on a book cover or something else.

And on top of that, Paddington statues are found in the most visited tourist destinations of London….such as Leicester Square garden, Paddington station underground interchange.

I bet, tourists leave London with a special soft corner in their hearts for this gentle bear.

Finally, some rarely known facts about Paddington bear

With its cute face and gentle gesture, this furry cop Paddington Bear is already one of the most interesting and beloved character of London…but here are some interesting facts you might not know…

Okay, here’s the first one.

Can you imagine this little bear almost had another name? ‘ Barnaby’

I wonder how different things could have been if this bear wasn’t named after London’s most popular rail station.

Here’s another….The author took inspiration from real-life evacuees while creating Paddington. And that is why, Paddington is dressed like those children who evacuated from London during World War II…in duffle coats and well-worn luggage tags.

Paddington can be a refugee bear, but he always had another home…and that’s in Peru. To honor world’s most beloved bear, Lima also erected a statue of Paddington in its supposed home country.

…and then to take its legacy a little farther, a small Paddington figurine was sent into space in 2015.

This bear has truly set the bar really high…I don’t think any other bear would ever dare to challenge him?

And there’s still more.

You know, some say there’s a secret platform at Paddington Station…where one can actually see Paddington bear. But for that, you have to truly believe in him. Rumour has it that if you whisper “I trust you, Paddington” near the bronze statue, you might just glimpse it.

It seems like a harmless and risk free adventureto try to catch a glimpse of Paddington at that station…Wanna try?

If you really decide to go to Paddington station for him, you should know about another urban legend of “the great marmalade heist”…and if you want, you can also leave behind a few marmalade jars there for that old friend.

Talking about this old friend, I would like to tell every Londoners who moved to London from other countries….if you ever feel lost in London, just remember- somewhere, in the heart of London, a small bear in a blue coat is waiting with open arms and a jar of marmalade, ready to remind you that no matter how far you’ve travelled, you are always welcome here.

Before I leave, I would like to say…if you reach out, you will always find a friend in Paddington.

So, till then, keep a marmalade sandwich handy!!

Paddington: From sleepy village to the connecting hub of London

Published on by Rita MLeave a comment
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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Paddington?

I bet it’s the little bear from Peru with a duffle coat, a battered suitcase, and an insatiable love for marmalade sandwiches. But long before Michael Bond introduced the world to Paddington Bear in 1958, this corner of London was already famous…yes, it truly was.

It would be a mistake if you consider Paddington as just a train station. It’s much more than that…I believe, Paddington is the living, breathing guardian who has proudly watched the London grow, evolve, and thrive.

Yes, Paddington is that old.

In last 200 years, Paddington has seen young Queen Victoria step off a train at Paddington Station in 1842… witnessed how the discovery of Penicillin by Alexander Fleming changed countless lives within the walls of St Mary’s Hospital. Paddington even remembers that smile of late Princess Diana in 1982 when world met little Prince William.

As you can see, Paddington’s always been about people… their journeys, their stories, and the moments that define a city like London. Its history has been written by those who have passed through its platforms.

Between those arrivals and departures of trains, Paddington has silently noticed those tearful goodbyes of soldiers heading for War and the uncertain gazes of their wives and children waiting on its platforms.…It remembers the thrill in the eyes of Victorian travellers stepping onto Paddington platform for the first time. Padding can tell you more about London than the city itself. Paddington has stood as a bridge between this city’s past and present.

Therefore, I believe the story of Paddington isn’t just something to be read, it’s something…that should be felt.

And no matter how many articles people write about Paddington, there’s always something more to say…This brings you to my blog today.

Let’s begin.

Early History of those Platforms

Do you know long before the roar of diesel engines and the hurried footsteps of commuters, Paddington was merely a whisper of a village located on the western fringe of London? In those early days, Paddington was just a cluster of homes, surrounded by some fields and streams outside the ancient city walls.

But this village wasn’t meant to stay quiet for long. Fate had bigger plans for it…

As London expanded, this humble village came to notice…due to its position as a natural gateway to the west. Paddington offered best of both worlds….the proximity to London and yet a convenient access to the vast West Country.

Then, in the early 19th century, along came a man with his top had and a grand vision for Paddington—he was none other than the famous Engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. With the stroke of his genius, Paddington became the London terminus of the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1838 connecting Bristol to the capital. And then in 1854, his next masterstroke arrived as a grand main line station…which is still there in Paddington after 200 years.

If this Engineer were alive today…I wonder how he would feel seeing today’s Paddington station.

The connecting hub of modern London

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Paddington’s rise into London’s ultimate connecting hub today was no happy accident at all….it was always in London’s strategic vision. As the railway network expanded with time, Paddington became the launching pad for all those journeys across England and deep into Wales.

It seems like Paddington was inviting England to a modern era…and it certainly looked the part with its expansive iron-and-glass train shed which covered around 13 platforms then. Given the dates when it was constructed…well, I believe it is no less than an Engineering Marvel.

Do you know Paddington is the home to World’s first underground railway? Yes!

It was in 1863 when Metropolitan Railway opened its line from Paddington to Farringdon Street…and back then it was for steam locomotives only. Later, other underground lines such as Bakerloo, Circle, District, and Hammersmith & City lines were further integrated into the transit network of London.

And after all these, Paddington was not ready to stop. It dreamed something bigger.

Today, this station is known for its long-distance intercity services to South West part of England and the South of Wales. Not only, this but one can avail passenger services from Paddington to west London and the Thames Valley also.

And then, in no time, Paddington became famous to most popular station in London when it was also made the eastern terminus of Heathrow express in 1998.

 Just imagine, you can reach Heathrow to Paddington in just 15 minutes? That was truly a dream come true for Londoners. No more ‘stuck in traffic’ when you have a flight to catch.

Finally, came the Elizabeth Line.

It redefined Paddington. Overnight, it became the Central Transport Hub of the city dramatically shortening the journey time for travellers. It a nutshell, this Elizabeth line of 2022 added that missing touch of contemporary comfort to the rich history of Paddington station.

Today, Paddington is London’s one of the most vital interchanges.

Truly, how much more a mere station can become? Seems like Paddington has never been in the mood to stop surprising London.

A masterpiece of Victorian Engineering

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I have been to this station… and like countless others, I was awestruck by its unique look. I couldn’t help but gaze up at those magnificent ceilings for a few seconds.

Beyond its soaring barrel vaults, the station boasts of its 200 prefabricated iron arches allowing natural light to filter beautifully through the glass. It’s fascinating to know that even in the 19th century engineers prioritized welcoming a bit of sunshine into their constructions. What do you think?

I think Paddington is a perfect blend of functionality and aesthetics.

You know, this eye-catching station is incredibly spacious…everyday, it accommodates the constant throng of travellers stepping off at Paddington. And speaking of crowd…Paddington is the second busiest railway station in Great Britain after London Liverpool Street.  

But let’s come back to the architecture.

One might say Paddington Station is the Rolls-Royce of railway architecture…Why?

Well, I think because it is luxurious in design yet built with the robustness to withstand the perils of rush hour. From its ornate stonework to its allegorical sculptures, it’s astonishing that a railway station can feature such meticulous detailing. It’s just a treat for the eyes of travellers.

For its architectural beauty alone, I’d say Paddington is worth lingering in for a few extra minutes. Nowadays, the station is not just a transit hub but a lively destination in itself. The newly added market halls bring food traders into the mix creating a more lively atmosphere.

So, next time when you arrive early in Paddington station, stop by M&S or Sainsbury’s to grab a bite. Then find a public bench, and enjoy the station’s grandeur while you eat. I must say…Paddington Station treats travellers with a certain sense of comfort placing everything they might need—food, essentials, even medicines—within easy reach.

 Looking at the Paddington of today, one can’t help but feel proud of how it has evolved from a sleepy village into the nerve centre of London’s travel.

What a journey it has made through history and time!!!

Before I wrap up this article let me leave you with something interesting about this station—something that has nothing to do with the famous Paddington bear.

You think you know Paddington?

I don’t think so.. Paddington is hiding centuries of secret in its platforms.

Say, for platform no. 1… staff and passengers have reported sightings of a shadowy figure. Some even claim to have heard whispers and footsteps in the quiet hours of the night, long after the last train has departed.  Many believe that it’s the spirit of a man who tragically lost his life on the tracks many years ago…looks like Paddington Station has its resident ghost there on Platform 1.

Other than these, have you heard about the mysterious underground passages right below the Paddington station? There’s a rumour that these were secret escape routes for high-profile figures during wartime. But, the full extent of these underground passages remains unknown till date.

And maybe, that is why there’s some more to these rumours….it is speculated that the passages lead to abandoned stations and even forgotten government facilities.

I smell some mystery here…do you?

Let’s see what else is there…oh, there’s the rumour that during the construction of Paddington Station in the mid-19th century, a time capsule was buried somewhere within its foundations. People say that it contained letters from Brunel himself, sketches of his early train designs, and even a bottle of Victorian-era whiskey. However, despite various renovations and restorations over the years, no such capsule has ever been found—yet.

Looks like a thorough search of Paddington is needed…just imagine if the time capsule really exists!!!

You know what? when it comes to Paddington, there’s no end to such stories. And there’s even more…

On this note, I am going to sign off now… if you are interested to know more about Paddington and this city of London, keep an eye out for my upcoming blogs.

Bye!