Paddington Bear and Harry Potter Make The Day
Posted on | April 2, 2009 | 20 Comments
We caught the 8:30am train from Truro to London Paddington. It seemed just wrong to pass through the station a second time without stopping for a photo of BigB, his bear and the statue of the eponymous bear.
But, we weren’t all done with trains. We needed to get to St. Pancras for our (thankfully short) train journey to Woburn, which presented us with another photo opportunity – since St. Pancras and King’s Cross stations are literally across the road from each other.
Wondering why we’d want to visit three train stations in one day? Because of Harry Potter of course! King’s Cross being, as all true fans of the boy-wizard know, the station where Harry and his school-friends disappeared through the station wall at the magical Platform 9 3/4 to catch the train to Hogwarts.
King’s Cross is a busy station and you do need to persevere through the busier platforms at the front of the station to find Platform 9 3/4. There’s also construction work happening at the station so Platform 9 3/4 isn’t currently located between Platforms 9 and 10 at all – but there are plenty of signs to the re-located site and the station staff are also well used to people wondering around, cameras in hand, in this area.
Two trains, three train stations, one very happy kid.
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Tags: Britain > England > Harry Potter > King's Cross > London > Paddington > St. Pancras > UK
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20 Responses to “Paddington Bear and Harry Potter Make The Day”
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April 2nd, 2009 @ 11:11 pm
These photos are gorgeous, I love his beaming smile at platform 9 and 3/4!! I can tell he is a true connoisseur of good books!
April 3rd, 2009 @ 5:56 am
Hi, I love paddington bear! I’ve been to that statue and it surely works better for kids, more appreciated.
Photo Friday, 2000 Crocodiles…Where?
April 3rd, 2009 @ 6:24 am
He does look like a very happy kid. Thanks for this post.I am bookmarking it because I am hoping we will be making a trip to London in the coming year. Thanks!
April 3rd, 2009 @ 6:32 am
I LOVE it. BigB must have been in Hogwarts heaven!
April 3rd, 2009 @ 8:57 am
Charming. I love the trains stations in London. I’m looking forward to sharing Harry Potter with my kids – we’re not quite there yet.
April 3rd, 2009 @ 12:48 pm
I can’t believe that actually do have a Platform 9 3/4 in London! Well, I have never been to London before for that matter. I love Harry Potter and would definitely like to go visit some time!
April 3rd, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
I can’t believe that do have Platform 9 3/4!
April 3rd, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
How cool! I wish I had known that this was here in the train station when we went to visit! And Paddington? The English teacher in me is loving this post!
April 3rd, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
This is a fun post. Right up my kid-lit-loving alley!
April 3rd, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
I’m loving the bear in all the photos. It’s funny – we lived in London and commuted from King’s Cross. I never appreciated it then, but will now 🙂
April 3rd, 2009 @ 5:52 pm
@Peace I’ll tell him you were impressed by the smile – and his taste in books 🙂
@Lucia Yep. That’s my happy boy. I hope this info helps. BTW: It’s a fair walk from Paddington to King’s Cross. We walked because we needed some outside time, but I’d recommend the bus (catch it outside either station) instead.
@Beth Definitely!
@Mara Let me know when you start with Harry Potter. It turns out there are even MORE boy-wizard book series – all lots of fun.
@Jen and @Linda Thanks! You’re making me feel like the student who got a gold star 🙂
@Amie Well, I hope if you make it back to London you get a photo of your kids with Paddington Bear
April 3rd, 2009 @ 6:45 pm
what GREAT photos!! oh, they make me smile!
April 3rd, 2009 @ 8:23 pm
He looks ready to take on the world! I wish I had that much energy while traveling. Thank you for the London reminders, I used to visit those train stations in the summers as a kid (Grandma’s house was there), and have many memories about navigating the wonders of London.
April 4th, 2009 @ 12:03 am
That’s totally on my list for my next trip to London. My kids aren’t old enough to read Harry Potter yet, but hopefully they will love it in a few years.
April 4th, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
That’s great! We lived in London pre-Harry Potter. It will be fun to go back now and see some of the sights with the books in mind.
April 4th, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
How cool! This Muggle will certainly head to Platform 9 3/4 next time I’m in London. If only I could make my way to the Hogwarts Express…
April 5th, 2009 @ 8:08 pm
What fun shots! Last time we were in Paddington Station, E was too young to appreciate it – next time, he’ll be thrilled!
April 6th, 2009 @ 10:01 am
Ah, a boy and his bear! Great shots, and a fun way to relive some of your favorite books.
April 9th, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
[…] Wanderlust and Lipstick Blogger, WanderMom, wrote of her adventures of taking her son to the King’s Cross railway station in London so […]
April 9th, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
Fun! Fun! Fun! Your blog inspired me to post my own blog about my Harry Potter sightings while I was in Europe!
Debby – Tea, Sugar, a Dream