When the Midland Railway reached London they wanted a prestigious hotel to front their terminus station.
They held a competition and the winning design was by Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878). Building took place during the 1860s.

William Barlow constructed the train shed which at the time had the widest unsupported arched roof in the world.

The building continued as a hotel until 1935 when it was converted into railway offices.
Demolition was a possibility in the 1960s but a reprieve was gained by various activists including John Betjeman and the Victorian Society.
In 1980 the building failed to get a fire certificate and was abandoned.

In the 1990s St. Pancras Chambers, as it is now called, was Grade 1 Listed and had £10 million spent on the refurbishment of the exterior.
It has been used from time to time for filming.

It now lies on the edge of a 58 acre building site, as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, costing £5.2 billion is brought into the station.
The station is being massively enlarged at a cost of £600 million but great care is being taken to preserve the hotel and train shed.

Adrienne and I joined a tour of the hotel two years ago and very much enjoyed ourselves.
The Midland Grand Hotel is my favourite building.

Photography is difficult because of the building work.
I tried PS Perspective but as it is so far out it just distorted it more.