More than 20 million passengers travel through King's Cross Station each year. This building of understated Victorian design was opened by the Great Northern Railway in 1852 – earlier than the grand St Pancras Station next door. Designed by Lewis Cubitt, it was the largest railway station in Britain when it opened its doors. The original roof was painstakingly reconstructed in the early 2000s and includes an intricate web of steel.
King’s Cross Sq in front of the station hosts the Real Food Market (realfoodfestival.co.uk) every Tuesday to Friday, with vendors selling everything from artisan cheese to baked goods and biltong. The station is also the departure point for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – a permanent Platform 9¾ sign has been erected between the two respective platforms for Harry Potter fans, along with a trolley stacked with suitcases and an owl cage half disappearing into the wall.
Fans can queue with other Potterheads to get a photo. The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9¾ (harrypottershop.co.uk) next door obligingly offers wands and Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff scarves for people to wear in the photos. Pick up all the franchise merchandise, from chocolate frogs to full Hogwarts robes, in store.