If you’re travelling to Paddington from East London it’s probably best to direct yourself to the other Paddington (055) tube station (yes there are two, yes they are separate, yes I’ll talk more about this when I get to one of the Edgware Road’s). For ease of plonking you on the concourse of the mainline station or anywhere near Praed St you really want to use the District, Circle and Bakerloo line station of which we’ve already visited. As functional and efficient as this is it’s not quite as interesting as the Hammersmith & City and Cirlce* flavour of Paddington, nestled away at the back of the mainline station alongside Brunel’s glorious glass roof.

If watching the Great West Mainline trains isn’t your thing from the panorama at the end of the platform (and if you’re reading this blog, I’m surprised it isn’t), then pop upstairs to this stations side exit. Instead of stepping out onto any other mundane roadway, you’ll instead be greeted by Paddington Basin, a short cul de sac of waterway off the Regent’s Canal. Turn left and follow the pathway under Westway and you’ll soon be in picturesque Little Venice, with little to remind you of the hustle and bustle of the mainline terminus you just left behind.

*Circle Line trains serve both Paddington stations post 2009. This I find extremely irritating and unhelpful. TfL would do well to rename this station Paddington North to help funnel unsuspecting tourists in the right direction and to stop them walking a mile if they catch the wrong train…

Image copyright A Carter – CallingAllStations.co.uk

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