The blog of the Euston Arch Trust campaigning for the rebuilding of the Euston Arch destroyed when Euston station was redeveloped in the 1960s. A proposed redevelopment of Euston offers the chance to rebuild the arch. A rebuilt Euston Arch would be an outstanding gateway to a new Euston Station.

Monday 14 April 2008

Euston Arch Trust Press Release - Launch of www.eustonarch.org

The EUSTON ARCH TRUST
Contact: info@eustonarch.org

EUSTON ARCH TRUST LAUNCHES WEBSITE AS PART OF CAMPAIGN TO REBUILD THE EUSTON ARCH

The Euston Arch Trust today launches its website – www.eustonarch.org – as part of its campaign to see the Euston Arch rebuilt in a proposed redevelopment of Euston station.

Euston Station is to be redeveloped around 2012 in an estimated £1 billion scheme led by Network Rail and British Land, who are expected to announce their design team this week.

This decision to replace the ugly, unloved and inefficient 1960s Euston Station presents the perfect opportunity to rebuild the Euston Arch, if possible reusing a significant number of original stones that were discovered in the early 1990s, and so return to London one of the most beautiful and architecturally and historically important buildings of the 19th century.

Rebuilding the arch would both atone for a great cultural crime and form a magnificent monumental gateway to a new and better Euston Station.

Completed in 1838 and tragically and needlessly demolished in 1962 the arch was the first great international monument of the railway age and was the largest Doric propylaeum, or Classical gate, in the world and one of the finest pieces of Greek Revival architecture ever built.

Public outrage at its demolition in 1962 drove forward the conservation movement in turn saving buildings such as St Pancras and King’s Cross stations from similar fates.

As Michael Palin - the Euston Arch Trust’s Patron explains: ‘The enormous popularity of the restored St. Pancras, soon to be followed by a restored King’s Cross, has shown that celebration of the past and potential for the future are not mutually exclusive. The restoration of the Euston Arch would restore to London’s oldest main line terminus some of the character and dignity of its great neighbours.’

The website of the trust contains full information about the campaign, plans of the arch and a comprehensive gallery of pictures. The address is: www.eustonarch.org

The Euston Arch Trust email address is: info@eustonarch.org

Notes to Editors:

The Euston Arch Trust was established in 1995 following Dan Cruickshank’s successful tracking down of the remains of the Euston Arch for the BBC TV Series ‘One Foot in the Past’.

Following the discovery the Trust drew up plans for rebuilding the arch between two lodges on Euston Square that are all that remain of the former station buildings. Details can be found on the website.

Network Rail first announced the redevelopment of Euston Station in April 2007. Details can be found at: http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=2928&NewsAreaID=2&SearchCategoryID=2

The redevelopment is expected to cost around £1 billion and start around 2012. Construction work is expected to last around 4 years.

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