Paul Terry wrote in message ...
In message , Dominic
writes

Did Praed Street Junction exist when the Metropolitan Railway opened
between Paddington Bishop's Road and Farringdon Street in 1863? Or was
the junction only added when the line south to Gloucester Road opened
in 1868?

The latter - 1868.

In books about the Metropolitan one often sees a picture of a broad
gauge steam locomotive going over the junction, dated as 1863. But why
would the junction be there at that time?

One of the classic early lithographs (but dated c. 1868) is ...

http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/r...image=10302307

Is that the one?

Yeah, that's it. I think in London's Metropolitan Railway by Alan
Jackson it's dated wrongly as 1863, which didn't help me when I was
trying to resolve that Bishop's Road is the original Paddington, and
Praed Street was added later. Thanks,
Dominic