One of London's most iconic railway stations, Marylebone, faced an extraordinary threat to its existence before a single track was even laid, and the reason was astonishingly posh.
The Cricket Ground Controversy
The drama began decades before Marylebone Station's eventual opening in 1899. In the 1860s, the Metropolitan Railway started tunnelling near the hallowed turf of Lord's Cricket Ground. Furious members of the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club launched strong objections, fearing the sacred pitch would be permanently ruined by the underground works.
Engineers were forced to employ the cut-and-cover method for their tunnelling, a technique designed specifically to protect the cricket ground and avoid disrupting important matches. This early clash between progress and tradition set a remarkable precedent for the area's development.
The Great Central Railway's London Ambition
By the late 19th century, the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, under the leadership of Sir Edward Watkin, was determined to establish direct access to London. Their ambitious plan, known as the London Extension, received crucial Parliamentary approval on 28 March 1893.
This approval authorised the creation of a brand-new terminus just west of Regent's Park, which would become Marylebone Station. The railway company soon rebranded as the Great Central Railway (GCR), with Marylebone destined to become its prestigious London headquarters. Watkin gave specific assurances that Lord's would not suffer disruption from the new construction.
A Heavy Social Cost and Rapid Construction
The railway's approval came with a significant human cost. Building the new line required carving a route through densely populated neighbourhoods, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of working-class residents.
Areas around Harewood Avenue and Rossmore Road saw homes demolished to make way for tracks, bridges, and the station itself, representing one of the most ambitious railway building projects London had witnessed.
Despite these challenges, construction progressed at remarkable speed. Goods and coal services began operating from the unfinished site on 27 July 1898, with the station officially opening to passengers on 15 March 1899.
Marylebone's Lasting Legacy
Although Marylebone never achieved the bustling status of London's other mainline terminals, remaining the smallest and quietest, it holds a unique distinction in British railway history.
The Great Central Railway's arrival marked the last new intercity main line built into London until the opening of HS1 for Eurostar services in 2007, an incredible gap of over a century that underscores the significance of this Victorian engineering achievement.
