Discussion:
New Tim
(too old to reply)
Recliner
2021-01-10 10:36:43 UTC
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There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
then-and-now pictures of Baker Street station:
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>

At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
Graeme Wall
2021-01-10 11:52:46 UTC
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Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
Nice comparison of pictures.
--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.
Sam Wilson
2021-01-10 16:24:44 UTC
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Post by Graeme Wall
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
Nice comparison of pictures.
Like many paintings the older one exaggerates the cathedrality(?) of the
station. Either that or people were only about 4’ tall 150 years ago.

Sam
--
The entity formerly known as ***@ed.ac.uk
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Graeme Wall
2021-01-10 16:28:49 UTC
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Post by Sam Wilson
Post by Graeme Wall
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
Nice comparison of pictures.
Like many paintings the older one exaggerates the cathedrality(?) of the
station. Either that or people were only about 4’ tall 150 years ago.
Very much the former, IIRC it was the Dutch painters who introduced the
style to make cathedral interiors look more impressive.
--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.
Recliner
2021-01-10 16:35:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Wilson
Post by Graeme Wall
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
Nice comparison of pictures.
Like many paintings the older one exaggerates the cathedrality(?) of the
station. Either that or people were only about 4’ tall 150 years ago.
Yes, some of the comments mentioned that. I wonder how platform heights
compared then and now? Perhaps they were a bit lower then?

People may indeed have been slightly shorter then, but the artist certainly
seems to have used some licence to make the station look less
claustrophobic. He was probably commissioned by the Metropolitan and duly
flattered his customer's product.
Jeremy Double
2021-01-10 16:44:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Wilson
Post by Graeme Wall
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
Nice comparison of pictures.
Like many paintings the older one exaggerates the cathedrality(?) of the
station. Either that or people were only about 4’ tall 150 years ago.
The average height of a British soldier in the Great War was 5 ft 5 in, and
the average weight was 8 stones. People were considerably smaller in those
days.
--
Jeremy Double
s***@grumpysods.com
2021-01-10 16:52:30 UTC
Permalink
On 10 Jan 2021 16:44:34 GMT
Post by Jeremy Double
Post by Sam Wilson
Post by Graeme Wall
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
Nice comparison of pictures.
Like many paintings the older one exaggerates the cathedrality(?) of the
station. Either that or people were only about 4’ tall 150 years ago.
The average height of a British soldier in the Great War was 5 ft 5 in, and
the average weight was 8 stones. People were considerably smaller in those
days.
Isn't that mainly because of the lousy nutrition the working class who made
up most of the soldiers suffered from? I imagine the commissioned officers and
upper classes in general were probably healthier and taller.
Anna Noyd-Dryver
2021-01-10 18:38:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
The artist in the first picture has also made the people smaller, which is
evident if you compare the people to the alcoves. Apparently it was a
common trick at the time.


Anna Noyd-Dryver
Sam Wilson
2021-01-10 19:05:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Anna Noyd-Dryver
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
The artist in the first picture has also made the people smaller, which is
evident if you compare the people to the alcoves. Apparently it was a
common trick at the time.
I’ve made the same point in my reply to Graeme. I remember it being
pointed out in a famous painting of, IIRC, the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam,
though I can’t find the actual painting at the momment.

Sam
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The entity formerly known as ***@ed.ac.uk
Spit the dummy to reply
Anna Noyd-Dryver
2021-01-10 20:24:25 UTC
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Post by Sam Wilson
Post by Anna Noyd-Dryver
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
The artist in the first picture has also made the people smaller, which is
evident if you compare the people to the alcoves. Apparently it was a
common trick at the time.
I’ve made the same point in my reply to Graeme. I remember it being
pointed out in a famous painting of, IIRC, the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam,
though I can’t find the actual painting at the momment.
Yes, I wrote my reply earlier today but then it unfortunately sat in my
outbox until I synced messages again just now!


Anna Noyd-Dryver
Recliner
2021-01-10 21:36:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Wilson
Post by Anna Noyd-Dryver
Post by Recliner
There's a tweet from Tim this morning reminding us that today is the 157th
anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, complete with
<https://twitter.com/mrtimdunn/status/1348212174574014464?s=21>
At opening, there were broad gauge tracks, but narrow platforms; now, there
are visibly wider platforms that take advantage of the narrower tracks. The
skill of the presentation of the original 'look' is very apparent.
The artist in the first picture has also made the people smaller, which is
evident if you compare the people to the alcoves. Apparently it was a
common trick at the time.
I’ve made the same point in my reply to Graeme. I remember it being
pointed out in a famous painting of, IIRC, the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam,
though I can’t find the actual painting at the momment.
I must admit that I'd never noticed that effect with the famous old Baker
Street painting until seeing it side-by-side with the modern photo. I also
hadn't realised it was an effect that originated in that master of
illusions, the Church!

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