London Waterloo station

London Waterloo station stands on the south bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is the second busiest station in the UK and the largest by floor space. The main entrance lies south of the junction of Waterloo Road and York Road, close to Waterloo Bridge. The bridge itself was named after the Battle of Waterloo, which took place two years before its opening. The station connects to a London Underground station of the same name and is next to Waterloo East station on the South Eastern Main Line. The station opened in 1848, replacing the earlier Nine Elms station which had served Southampton since 1840. It was never meant to be a terminus but was built as a through station with plans to extend towards the City of London. These plans were abandoned after the Panic of 1847, leaving the station to grow in a haphazard way. It was rebuilt in the early 20th century and opened in 1922, featuring the Victory Arch over the main entrance to commemorate World War I. Steam services ended here in 1967, and it was the London terminus for Eurostar trains from 1994 until 2007. Visitors find a vast station with the greatest number of platforms in the UK. The original 1848 station became known as the Central Station as more platforms were added. Some sections were nicknamed the Cyprus Station or the Khartoum, each with its own booking office and taxi stand. The station handles services to Weymouth, Exeter, Portsmouth Harbour, and many commuter routes around London and the south. The Victory Arch remains a notable feature, marking the station’s role in wartime history.