The Story of Hull Paragon Station: From 1848 to the Present

Paragon is defined by The Oxford English Dictionary as a model of excellence. Certainly, when Hull Paragon Station was opened to the public by the York and North Midland Railway on the 8th of May 1848, it was indeed a spectacle. Now, having served the people of Kingston-upon-Hull for over 165 years, the station has arguably become one of the city's most important features. Within walking distance of many of Hull's most popular attractions, it is suitably placed to create the best first impression for first-time visitors, with an ambitious restoration project ensuring that Hull Paragon Station will continue to provide an important service for the people of the city. 

Presented in full colour, this book has been produced over a three year period and takes full advantage of the Hull History Centre's archives, as well as other resources that are available at the time of writing. It features exclusive interviews with key players in the station's behind-the-scenes operations, rare and previously unseen photographs, and provides an informative and illustrative look at the station's varied history, from its opening to its meticulous restoration in 2007. All this has been combined to ensure that this 52-page book serves as the truly definitive historical document of Hull Paragon Station.

The book also reviews how the actions of Dr. Beeching impacted the station during the 1960s, a portrait of George Hudson (The Railway King) who at the time was one of the most powerful men in the railway industry and who oversaw the station's construction, as well as the vital role that it played during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries in transporting millions of migrants to their destinations. It also explores the connection between one of Hull's best known adopted sons, Philip Larkin, as well as revealing previously hidden areas inside the station.