Railways and the Western European Capitals: Studies of Implantation in London, Paris, Berlin, and Brussels

285 Pages·2008·2.269 MB·English

by  Micheline Nilsen

Railways and the Western
European Capitals
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Railways and the Western
European Capitals
Studies of Implantation in London,
Paris,Berlin,and Brussels
Micheline Nilsen
RAILWAYSANDTHEWESTERNEUROPEANCAPITALS
Copyright © Micheline Nilsen,2008.
All rights reserved.
First published in 2008 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN® in the US - a division
ofSt.Martin’s Press LLC,175 Fifth Avenue,New York,NY 10010.
Where this book is distributed in the UK,Europe and the rest ofthe
world,this is by Palgrave Macmillan,a division ofMacmillan Publishers
Limited,registered in England,company number 785998,ofHoundmills,
Basingstoke,Hampshire RG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint ofthe above
companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world.
Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States,
the United Kingdom,Europe and other countries.
ISBN-13:978-0-230-60773-6
ISBN-10:0-230-60773-X
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Nilsen,Micheline.
Railways and the Western European capitals :studies ofimplantation
in London,Paris,Berlin,and Brussels / Micheline Nilsen.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-230-60773-X
1. Railroads—Europe,Western. 2. City planning—Europe,Western.
3. Capitals (Cities)—Europe,Western. I. Title.
HE3005.N55 2008
307.76094—dc22 2008012346
A catalogue record ofthe book is available from the British Library.
Design by Westchester Book Group.
First edition:October 2008
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States ofAmerica.
Contents
List ofIllustrations vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1 Railways and Cities 7
2 London:Wedges into the Slums 29
3 London:The Euston Road Terminals 47
4 Paris:Haussmann,the Railways,and the New Gates to the City 69
5 Paris:Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est 81
6 The Strategic Role ofRailways 109
7 Berlin and Its Railways:Strategy First 129
8 Brussels’“Jonction Nord-Midi,”the Scar in the Body ofthe City 143
9 Brussels’“Jonction”as the Heart Valve ofa Commuting
Workforce 169
Conclusion 179
Appendix A—Paris:Plans for the Gare du Nord 187
Appendix B—Brussels:List ofJunction Projects 189
Notes 195
Selected Bibliography 249
Index 267
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List of Illustrations
3.1 Inner northwest London,1901.From Charles Booth,
Life and Labour ofthe People in London,3rd ser.,Religious
Influences(London:Macmillan,1902–4),final volume,
map E,after p.196. 52
3.2 Euston Station,entrance,lithograph,1839.From
John Cooke Bourne and John Britton,Drawings ofthe
London and Birmingham Railway(London:J.C.Bourne,
1839),title page. 55
3.3 King’s Cross façade.Auguste Perdonnet,Camille Polonceau,
and Eugène Flachat,Nouveau portefeuille de l’ingénieur
des chemins de fer(Paris:Lacroix-Comon,1857),pl.K 18–19. 57
3.4 North elevation ofMidland Hotel with outline of
St.Pancras trainshed,London.From “Midland Railway
Extension: St.Pancras Terminus Hotel,”in The Engineer
(London),23 (14 June 1867):540. 61
5.1 Tenth arrondissement(district) after 1860.From Emile
de La Bédollière,Le Nouveau Paris: Histoire de ses 20
arrondissements,cartes topographiques de Desbuissons
(Paris:Gustave Barba,1860),unnumbered map. 82
5.2 Map ofGare du Nord and Gare de l’Est area,Paris,ca.1900.
From L.Poulmaire,Nouveau Paris monumental: Itinéraire
pratique de l’étranger dans Paris(Paris:Garnier Frères,imp.
Dufrénoy [ca.1900?]),detail.With permission ofthe
Harvard Map Collection,Harvard College Library. 83
5.3 J.I.Hittorff,Gare du Nord,Paris.Façade from the west,1878.
Photograph,The Snite Museum ofArt,University ofNotre
Dame (accession number:1982.006.2s). 95
5.4 Plan ofGare du Nord and Vacassy property.Archives de Paris,
Chemin de Fer du Nord,D6S9/4. 97
viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
5.5 F.-A.Duquesney,Gare de l’Est,Paris,façade.Photograph by
François Auguste Renard,“Gare de Strasbourg,”ca.1852.
The Snite Museum ofArt,University ofNotre Dame
(accession number:1987.015.016). 101
5.6 Paris,ca.1900.From L.Poulmaire,Nouveau Paris
monumental: Itinéraire pratique de l’étranger dans Paris
(Paris:Garnier Frères,imp.Dufrénoy [ca.1900?]),recto.
With permission ofthe Harvard Map Collection,Harvard
College Library. 106
7.1 Map ofBerlin rail network in 1896.From Ministerium der
Öffentlichen Arbeiten and A.F.Leyen,Berlin und seine
Eisenbahnen,1846–1896(Berlin:Springer,1896),vol.1,
pl.8,bottom right,after p.134. 130
7.2 Map ofBerlin rail network in 1896,detail ofSSW section.
From Ministerium der Öffentlichen Arbeiten and A.F.Leyen,
Berlin und seine Eisenbahnen,1846–1896(Berlin:Springer,
1896),vol.1,insert 4,bottom center. 132
7.3 Portico ofAnhalter Bahnhof,Berlin.July 2005.Photograph
by author. 136
8.1 Plan ofBrussels and Environs,1846.From Patrick
Abercrombie,“Brussels:A Study in Development and
Planning,”Town Planning Review3,no.3 (October 1912):
pl.85. 144
8.2 Frédéric Bruneel.Project for the Brussels Junction,1893.
From Bruneel,“Avant-projet de chemin de fer métropolitain
avec Gare Centrale à Bruxelles,”Annales de l’Association des
Ingénieurs sortis des Ecoles Spéciales de Gand16,no.4
(1893),map. 154
Acknowledgments
Research for this book was supported by an Indiana University South
Bend Faculty Research Grant, a Trustee’s Merit Citation from the
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, the Kress
Foundation for research travel abroad,a Robert T.Silver Memorial Award,
an Allen Research Grant,and several travel grants from the Department
ofArt History at the University ofDelaware.For all ofthese awards,I am
deeply grateful.
To the faculty members who provided advice and encouragement, I
express my heartfelt thanks. They include Damie Stillman (dissertation
advisor),Bernard Herman,Nina Athanassoglou-Kallmyer at the University
of Delaware,David Brownlee and John Dixon Hunt at the University of
Pennsylvania,Barbara Lane at Bryn Mawr College,Allan Mitchell,formerly
at the University ofCalifornia,San Diego,and David Van Zanten at North-
western University.
The work of scholars would not be possible without libraries and the
many dedicated people who perform the complex tasks needed to make
their resources accessible.In this country and abroad,I have encountered
a willingness to accommodate a scholar’s work,usually more than policies
prescribed, in close to 50 institutions, too numerous to list here.At my
current home institution,the staff of the Indiana University South Bend
libraries deserve special thanks for their tireless attentiveness to the multi-
ple demands I have made on their services. In the complex process of
obtaining illustrations,librarians,curators,and archivists have responded
resourcefully, promptly, and with enthusiasm to provide high-quality
images ofsometimes obscure holdings.
AtPalgrave Macmillan,Chris Chappell has been enthusiastic,patient,
and unfailingly attentive.At IUSB,students and colleagues have encour-
aged the progress ofthis work.
During my research abroad I have enjoyed the hospitality ofmany indi-
viduals and institutions. My mother welcomed the frequent European
visits due to this project but did not live to see its completion.Closer to
home,the South 46th Street back porch or kitchen table advice,and gen-
erous assistance from Holly Pittman,Gary Hatfield,Daniel Deudney,and