Paddington (Crossrail XSD10)

In September 2012 Oxford Archaeology/Ramboll (OAR) carried out an archaeological field evaluation in Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington, City of Westminster, London W2. The fieldwork was undertaken on behalf of Crossrail Ltd during works related to the expansion of the present Paddington Station to incorporate a new ticket hall, platforms and entrance for the Crossrail Line. The evaluation, consisting of two machine dug test pits, identified substantial made ground deposits with evidence for a Holocene tufa deposit. This report details archaeological work undertaken by Oxford Archaeology/Ramboll during 2014 in connection with Crossrail works at Paddington New Yard, City of Westminster, London W9. The site lies just to the west of the newly constructed western portal for the Crossrail tunnels (Royal Oak Portal). The archaeological works comprised a mixture of trial trenching, and Targeted and General Watching Briefs. These took place during the construction of an elevated bus deck for the Westbourne Park bus garage and concrete batching plant as well as track realignment, and drainage for the Crossrail tunnel approaches. The well-preserved below ground remains of a number of structures were uncovered and recorded during the project. These included brick-built turntable pits, the walls of engine sheds and below-ground inspection pits, as well as sections of the Marcon Sewer. All of the remains related either to the Great Western Railway's locomotive department workshops and stabling sheds which were present on the site from c.1853 to 1907, or subsequent developments of the site by the GWR and their successor bodies. These remains can be reasonably well-dated by documentary and cartographic sources. The depot, which was designed by the Great Western Railway's Chief Engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his Locomotive Superintendent Daniel Gooch, was an important component of, what was at the time, one of the most innovative railways in the world. The national and international significance of the Paddington to Bristol section of the Great Western Railway is shown by the fact that it was considered for UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2000. Watching Brief - During 2010 and 2011, Oxford Archaeology, in partnership with Ramboll (OA Ramboll, Crossrail contract C254) undertook a programme of watching brief at Paddington Station London, on behalf of Crossrail.