Charing Cross station opened on 11 January 1864 by South East Railway. The frontage shown in this picture postcard was completed a year later, in 1865, and housed the Charing Cross Hotel. Its architect, Edward Middleton Barry, had already made a name for himself with his iconic designs for the Royal Opera House and Floral Hall in Covent Garden.
Although the facade of Charing Cross Station has changed little since the 1860s, the roof of the station was had to be completely rebuilt after it collapsed on 5 December 1905, resulting in several fatalities.
The new railway line across the Hungerford Bridge continues to count as one of the capital's main arteries, transporting millions of people into the heart of the West End each year.
Image ref: F137 Charing Cross Station (014)
