| | 
Archive
1997-10-22 RTK-004
Railtrack plc
Paddington bear makes way for the builders
keywords: click to search
 London Paddington
Paddington Bear
Railtrack
stations
Words in [single square brackets] included hyperlinks in the original document
Words in [[double square brackets]] are editorial additions or corrections
Words in [[[triple square brackets]]] indicate embedded images or graphics in the original document. (These are not usually archived unless they contain significant additional information.)
< operators’ contracts index
| | |
Press release
Railtrack plc
Paddington bear makes way for the builders
Paddington Bear is being moved to make room for the builders, as Railtrack’s £50 million Regeneration Programme for Paddington Station gets under way.
Today a giant Paddington Bear is helping to inform travellers about the facelift which will equip their station for the 21st Century.
Amongst the improvements to the station, there will be a new mezzanine level with additional shops, food outlets and other facilities including full business services for executive travellers. To make this waiting area as comfortable as possible, and preserve the building’s original features, it will be separated from the platforms by a glass partition to cut down on noise and fumes.
In future, passengers at Paddington Station will be able to use Heathrow Express which will enable all those taking flights from Heathrow Airport to check-in their luggage at the station and travel to the airport in 15 minutes.
"The work at Paddington Station is a major undertaking for Railtrack", commented Paul Connellan, General Manager, Major Stations. "We have put great emphasis on developing plans which provide the highest standards of service facilities and an attractive and relatively peaceful environment, whilst maintaining the historic integrity of this Grade I listed building", he continued.
Paddington Station has a proud history, having been built in 1854 as the first stage of a direct link between London and New York. With more than 60,000 people passing through each day, Paddington Station provides essential services to the West Country and commuter areas to the west of London.
Railtrack is currently spending £4 million a day to maintain and restore the nation’s 2,500 stations. The total programme of works, to be completed by the year 2001, is aimed at realising Railtrack’s vision of providing the world’s best railway.
Railnews Archive ::: 1997-10-22 RTK-004
| | | |
| | |
