Going North, King's Cross Station

Painting, oil on canvas, Going North, King's Cross Station, by George Earl, 1893. Depicts a busy platform scene at Kings Cross Station as a train of East Coast Joint Stock carriages is prepared for departure. One carriage has a destination board for Edinburgh and Perth "via the Forth Bridge", another for Aberdeen "via the Forth & Tay Bridges" and the third for Perth. There are groups of passengers and their servants, including a ghillie, Indian ayah, grooms and footmen. A soldier kisses his wife goodbye. There are about twenty hunting dogs, including spaniels, setters and pointers, and the luggage includes fishing tackle, golf clubs, guns and other sporting equipment. Station staff adjust the oil lamps, carry luggage and assist crowds of passengers. Beneath the curve of the train shed roof are advertisements for the Daily Telegraph and Van Houten's Cocoa, and Pears Soap featuring "Bubbles" by Millais. Signed and dated by the artist at bottom right. Framed and glazed. A companion painting ‘Coming South’ depicts the return journey at the end of the shooting season. The images are full of life and detail, and give a good impression of what it was like to travel by train in style during the latter part of the Victorian era.