Railway Stations of the World, Luang Prabang

Railway Stations of the World takes us to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Luang Prabang.

This station was opened in December 2021.

Luang Prabang Station, Lao PDR
Luang Prabang Station, Lao PDR
Noticeboard and foyer Luang Prabang Station, Lao PDR
Noticeboard and foyer Luang Prabang Station, Lao PDR
Panorama of the inside of Luang Prabang Station
Panorama of the inside of Luang Prabang Station, Lao PDR

Rather an attractive station that is very Chinese in so many ways: the furnishings, the layout, signage and even some of the announcements (I think). However, this is crowned by a wonderful architecture complete with local motifs. It really deserves to have more trains than it currently serves, but maybe, just maybe, if the Belt and Road does expand all the way down to Singapore as planned that will happen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luang_Prabang_railway_station

Indian Railways and London Underground signs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/images/indian_rail15_gal.jpg

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/from-diamond-shape-to-oval-railway-station-signages-get-a-makeover-4501461/

From the site:

“THE ROUNDEL, or the diamond-shaped signs at railway stations mentioning its name, may seem like a humble identity marker for railway stations, but it has over the years seen changes, from its design, the number of languages in which it identifies stations to the recent changes to its shape. At its core, however, the roundel, like several other railway features, owes its design to the British, who laid the foundation of the present-day local railway lines.

Talking about the history of the roundel in his book, Halt Station India, railway historian Rajendra Aklekar says the signage, also termed “bulls eye”, has its origins in London. He says in 1908, the Underground Electric Railways Company of London used a winged, spoked wheel for its stations’ name boards and “fashioned a bright red circle with a blue bar across”.

The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Time travel back to the age of steam.

http://www.kwvr.co.uk/

Update:

A Yorkshire tradition, the KWVR has been in operation since 1867.

If you want to visit Haworth and Bronte country then the KWVR is the best way to get there.

You’ll have seen it already though in movies and period TV dramas including the Railway Children, Peaky Blinders, Testament of Youth and many more.