The original Leicester station was designed by William Parsons in

the Grecian Revival style, with a two-storey main building which was embellished with a central pediment set forward on fluted columns in front flanked by short single-storey wings and was opened in 1840. In 1892 this was replaced by the station building seen here designed by Midland's favoured architect Charles Trubshaw. The London Road frontage seen here features four entrance archways. Above each of the left-hand pair the word Departure was inscribed and, above each of the other two, the word Arrival was carved in relief. These signs were to assist horse-drawn cab drivers when dropping passengers who intended to catch departing trains, or were plying for hire by passengers who had arrived by train. Notice the clock at the far end of the station. To this day it remains the final example of a hand-wound station clock throughout the network. Incidentally, at the time of writing in 2023, there are ambitious plans in place to completely redevelop Leicester station providing it with a rather grand new entrance and pedestrianised concourse to the western side located to the right of the clock tower seen in this image.