A giant departure board from London's Euston station, which was replaced in 2022, has found a new home in a warehouse in Margate, Kent. The 22-metre-wide screen continues to display live train updates, even though it is now 80 miles from the station it once served.
The board is owned by Jeremy Hosking, a multimillionaire asset manager and railway enthusiast. Hosking, who also part-owns Crystal Palace FC and a luxury hotel in Sussex, has housed the board in a storage facility that doubles as a private museum. The collection includes steam and electric locomotives, a 1990s Channel tunnel train, and an art deco observation car.
Hosking admitted he initially believed he was acquiring the original 1960s analogue 'split flap' board, but instead received a 2003 LED version. 'To have given house room to the wrong departure board? Yes!' he said, though he hopes future generations will appreciate it.
The board's removal from Euston was part of efforts to address overcrowding, but its replacement with smaller displays caused public outcry. In Margate, the board remains on constantly to avoid stressing its electrical components. It will be open to the public next weekend for the 200th anniversary of the modern railway.
