A Seat at Paddington

Is it me or does the circle line seem to be always delayed at Paddington, then when it does come it's too full to get on.

Eisenhower Centre

Off Tottenham Court Road, this centre was an underground shelter during WWII. It also was used as part of Eisenhower's headquarters in London and D-Day communications centre with direct links to the Cabinet War Rooms.
Now it is used for security storage. Its recent paint job makes it stand out a bit more especially with that lovely sky scaffolding cover draped behind it.

Station in the Crypt

The City has so many fascinating stories. This entrance (the right arched door) to Bank Tube Station leads you into what was once the crypt of St Mary Woolnoth crypt.
This spot has always been used for religious purposes. Bronze age man worshipped next to the holy spring that existed back then. The Romans built a temple here. In 1211 a Norman Church was built on the site. In 1711 coal taxes were used to build yet another church.
However in 1900 the church had to sell the crypt to the railways for the underground railways. The sum paid of £340,000 was a fortune back then. The railways built the fancy facade with the two reclining women figures. The woman on the left represents Electricity, surrounded by billowing thunder-clouds and shooting lightning bolts from her extended finger. Mercury reclines on the right, representing Speed. Scrolls above the figures where originally intended to bear the name of the company.
In the 21st century a Starbucks arrives alongside the entrance. What new religious purpose will appear in another 100 years do you suppose?

A Visit to Aldwych

Those of you who follow this blog will know that I get very excited at any opportunity to visit closed and secret places underground. Yesterday the chance to see the closed station of Aldwych tube (formerly The Strand Station) had me leaping out of my sick bed.

Opened in 1907 it was never really a success as a station as the original rail plans for this area never really took off. The most significant use of this station was as a bomb shelter during WWII. To start with 300 people took shelter but as the war continued and more Londoners (especially those in the east End) were made homeless, a reluctant government had to install chemical toilets and bunk beds. By then 1500 people were sheltering in this station.
After the war a very limited service was reinstated to the station. It was not on any main route, but a branch of its own from Holborn Station, known as a spur. Finally closing in 1994, it is now a Heritage II site with very limited public access.

Enjoying Waiting for a Train

What a pleasant wait for a train. The art work that runs along the platform is by artist Clare Woods, influenced by the surrounding area, particularly the pools on the Heath.
A quick check and I found this map of art on the underground. A project looming to bring it all to you I think.

Trains Galore

This weekend is one of the rare days the London Transport Museum's depot at Acton Town is open.
Everything from miniature steam engines to Victorian trams and buses. Station signs showing the stops that were planned and never eventuated.
More than 70 rare vehicles are on display. I loved the original switchboard and manual signal box. Some real gems on display.
You have until the end of today to catch it.

Picture Postcard

Some days you see a spot you've been to hundreds of times at a slightly different angle. I came out of the tube station at Tower Hill to catch the last of the afternoon light. I think I've always walked the other side of the underground side as I haven't noticed this view before.
Perfect tourist postcard I thought.
May also be partly due to the Tower having no scaffolding on it. London is currently being spruced up for all of you coming to the Olympic games next year.

Endangered Art

Tottenahm Court tube station is about to undergo the next stage of redevelopment as part of the new cross rail work. The tiling created in the last renovation may be destroyed in the process.

An extract from TFL's site telling us the disruption we can expect here:

To enable the Bond Street station upgrade to get underway, Oxford Street will be closed eastbound between Duke Street and Vere Street for utility works from 14 February for nine months and several bus routes will be on diversion. From April, for eight months, the Northern line won’t stop at Tottenham Court Road station so that major structural works can take place in the platform tunnels. The Central line will continue to serve the station as normal.

You may like to revisit a post I did on this station last April

How Do I Get Home?

Tubes on strike yesterday caused chaos.

Light Through The Tunnel

Waiting for a train.

Lion on the Train

London is truly multi-cultural, even lions can be seen on the underground.

Strand Station

The Strand station opened in 1907 and closed in 1994. It was renamed Aldwych in 1915 as there was already a Strand station (what is now Charing Cross). In 1974 the Strand was renamed Charing Cross. All of this was to avoid confusion.
Oh and Embankment was part of the Strand station.
I'm glad they cleared up the confusion for us.

Liverpool St Station

Dating from 1874 Liverpool Street Station sees 123 million visitors pass through each year.

Mid-Month Subway - East Finchley

The East Finchley station (Northern Line) was rebuilt in art deco style in the 1930's.

Designed by Charles Holden, influenced by Dutch architects of the time.

The Archer is firing his arrow toward London and its said that his arrow would reach the next station on the line before the tube.

Mid-Month Subway Battersea Station

Although mid month is subway day, today I am showing you an overground station. Battersea Park station on a cold afternoon. Does anyone know what the big blue/grey tank is?

Mid Month Subway - Blackfriars

Black Friars station opened in 1870. One of the busiest, it has overground trains, the Thames link, and the tube all running through it. Closed for 3 years for major work on the Thames Link -the planned reopening is late 2011.
The pedestrian subway is also being dollied up. When it is finished it will be the first station to span the Thames and you will be able to pop up from the underground either side of the river. You'll miss the wonderful river views going this way, but the bonus is that you won't get wet (or should that be saturated!) on a day like yesterday.

However, the rain didn't deter the Morris Dancers from entertaining us (does anything?) and throwing the St John's Ambulance woman into the air as part of their ritual in front of the station.

Mid-month subway is also shared by:
Peter of Paris

Mid Month Subway - York Way

There are a number of closed underground stations in London, many with interesting stories to tell. This closed station is in York Way (at the back of Kings Cross).

I don't have any wonderful stories to tell about it, in fact I haven't been able to find much information about it at all.
Other than it was one of the original stations on the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway, (now the Piccadilly line). Opened in 1906 and closed in 1932.
There is talk of it being reused as part of the redevelopment of Kings Cross.

subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:
London - Paris - Stockholm - Sydney

Mid-Month Subway - Rebecca

Drama at Leytonstone. Today you have it all. Jealousy, fear and obsession.

Alfred Hitchcock was born in this town (near the end of the central line. (That's the red one on the tube map for the out of towners).

To mark one hundred years since the birth of their local hero, with the slightly odd upbringing, (No wonder he became fascinated with psychological thrillers) stunning mosaics depicting scenes from his movies and portraits of his life were installed in Leystone tube station.

The scene shown here is from Rebecca. Hitchcock's first American movie. Made in 1940, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine.
The new Mrs De Winter is being encouraged by Mrs Danvers (the jealous housekeeper) to commit suicide. Mrs Danvers had an obsession with Rebecca (the first Mrs De Winter) and wont accept the new wife.

Great Hitchcock drama.

subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:
Budapest - London - Paris - Stockholm - Sydney

Tomorrow is competition day! Be here for a great prize.

Mid-Month Subway - Orientation

When you pop up from the tube it can be difficult to find your bearings. Some of the tube stations have really helpful maps that help you work out where you are.

subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:
Budapest - London - New York City - Paris - Stockholm - Sydney


The answer to yesterdays quiz was that Christian Lacroix did NOT design the uniforms. I know they look just like the bling he would design, but really a French designer for British uniforms. That would create another 100 year war.

Russel Square Tube

Russel Square tube is one of my favourites. Built in 1906 it has lovely tile work and those great lights outside. It services the Piccadilly line which as I have said before is one of the deepest. If the lifts aren't working that means a climb of 177 steps. You get out here to go to the British Museum.

subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:

Budapest - London - New York City - Paris - Stockholm - Sydney

It is also skywatch friday with beautiful skies around the world.