 Charing Cross railway station was built on the Strand in 1864 , providing a boat train service to Europe , which stimulated the growth of hotels in the area to cater for travellers . These included the Charing Cross Hotel , attached to the station itself . Today , there are several luggage outlets and tourist agents on the Strand , as well as old <unk> stamp dealers . The <unk> Stanley Gibbons opened a shop at No. 435 in 1891 . It moved to No. <unk> in 1893 , and is now currently based at No. <unk> . 
