Marble statue of George Stephenson, 1852

Marble statue, George Stephenson, on plinth (weight approx 6 tons). Dimension: 15' high (180" high x 36" square), from the Great Hall of Euston Station

This marble statue of George Stephenson was commissioned in 1852 from sculptor Edward Hodges Baily (1788-1867) and once stood at the foot of the staircase in Euston Station’s Great Hall. The main double staircase cascaded into the Great Hall, rejoining at the bottom to meet the main concourse where the imposing figure of George Stephenson kept watch.

Euston was the first inter-city station in London, and connects the capital to Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow via the West Coast Main Line. It became one of the busiest stations in London, was damaged during the Blitz, and by the 1950s had become increasingly crowded and run-down. British Railways determined that the station needed to be entirely redeveloped, a decision which was unpopular but went ahead, and the Great Hall and iconic Doric arch were demolished and the statue removed in 1961.

The statue was classed as a Historical Relic by British Railways and became part of the National Collection. Its inscription, picked out in gold, reads “George Stephenson; Born June 9th 1781; Died August 12th 1848”. His left hand grips his coat while in his right he holds a scroll.