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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 4 (August 1, 1932)

[section]

As a consequence of the development of the grouping scheme, amalgamation of the principal passenger stations in London seems likely to be attempted on a big scale in the near future. For some time the fusion of certain big termini has been under review, one of the most ambitious of these plans to be considered being the possibilities associated with the closing of the St. Pancras station of the L.M. & S. Railway, and the transfer of the business handled thereat to the adjoining Euston terminal of the same system.

This plan, it should be understood, is as yet only in the discussion stage, but it is typical of the thought now being given to station amalgamation in the interests of economy and efficiency. St. Pancras was formerly the London headquarters of that famous line, the Midland Railway, while Euston was the headquarters of the historic London and North Western. St. Pancras handles a heavy passenger business to and from the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland, while Euston also is concerned with North Country traffic and with passenger business with Scotland and Ireland. Both depots are situated in that somewhat drab thoroughfare, the Euston Road, within a short distance of King's Cross, one of the principal London termini of the L. & N.E. line.

Hand-in-hand with the proposal to amalgamate St. Pancras and Euston stations, comes the move of the Southern Railway in transferring a great many of its suburban trains from the Cannon Street terminal in the City, to Charing Cross. Some 2,500 passenger seats in the morning and evening suburban services have been so transferred, Charing Cross being better situated to meet present-day needs than Cannon Street, further to the east. There is no idea of closing Cannon Street station at present, although in the years that lie ahead some such move may conceivably be made.