I was at Paddington at about 8am on Wednesday morning and there seemed something different about it. After I had walked up the platform a bit I realised what it was - No diesel fumes! There was not a diesel train in the place.
The last 2 years has seen a massive change to the traction types in Paddington possible the biggest change in half a century.
The 21st century class 800 do not jar with the old Victorian station at all, it has absorbed the change very well.
Having worked in Paddington station in the 1970/80's posibly at its peak diesel opperating era I find the current 2018 evironment much nicer, its cleaner and quiter although there was a certain industrial vibe in the 70/80's but then there was
GPO‡, parcels, news paper traffic on top of the pasanger traffic then now the station is about moving people but thats just how the world has moved on.