Back in 2009 trains from the Asian side of Istanbul ran eastwards towards the Middle East.

This is where we took the Dogu Express to Ankara before continuing on to Aleppo in Syria.

Outside the station stood an old restored engine on some railway tracks, overlooking the Bosporus shipping.

The station itself was a real beauty. It has now been closed for over a decade with its future still uncertain. Such a shame for one of the world’s iconic train stations.