When, in fact, it opened in 1877, York was – if briefly – the world’s largest. Who can fail to be thrilled by the sight of an express train coursing its way around and under the great iron and glass sweep of the roof of York station? This majestic, 800-ft long structure is supported by avenues of mighty Corinthian columns, and the feeling here is that passengers are waiting for trains in what must surely be the most important railway station of all. The hotel is grand, its restaurants and bars fashionable and the whole 19th Century Gothic-meets-21st Century Modern architectural, design and engineering conflation is much loved and highly efficient. Threatened several times with demolition, St Pancras did more than survive: in recent years, it has been cleaned, restored, extended and transformed into the London terminus of 300kph Eurostar trains to continental Europe. Station and hotel opened fully in 1874, and yet its flamboyant design was considered not just old fashioned but vulgar and even outrageous by 1935, when the hotel closed and became scruffy railway offices.

A true cathedral of the early railway age, this great terminus and hotel was designed for the Midland Railway by the daring structural engineer William Barlow and the architect, Sir Gilbert Scott, the latter best known for new Gothic churches, the Albert Memorial and the restoration of many medieval buildings. A magnificent and highly romantic addition to the skyline of Victorian London, St Pancras – named after a 3rd Century Roman martyr − is a glorious concatenation of salmon pink brick and veined marble clock towers, pinnacles, spires and pointed arches.

Grand central terminal hidden bar