London's lost tube stations

Aldwych station from The Strand

Abandoned tube stations are a bit of a horror movie cliche. Dark, dingy, solitary... Not for me. I make no secret of my fascination with the London Underground, especially it's history and design, so this was an absolute treat. Aldwych underground station opened in 1907 and closed in 1994. While only being on a branch line of the Piccadilly line, it has had a fascinating existence from providing bomb shelter to being a film set and providing storage for works of art.

Occasionally the London Transport Museum open the station for tours and late last year the Aussie and I went to have a look...

The two platforms are now mainly used as film sets, but London Underground also test out tiling and other decorative materials for the stations here.

 Aldwych station was originally called 'Strand'. You can still see the original name in some of the wall tiles.

 You can see Aldwych on its branch off the Piccadilly (blue) line

One of my favourite things about the tour was the extensive collection of posters still on the station walls. Some were originals, but some were later additions as part of film sets. The beautiful Man Ray 'Keeps London Going' poster dates from 1938

My favourite was this rather magnificent and slightly psychedelic one for the old London Planetarium...

Second world war era poster - many tube stations were used as bomb shelters...

 

And why did I take a picture of this lift shaft? Because The Prodigy's Firestarter video was shot here. Really!

If you a fancy a trip to Aldwych or one of London's other closed underground stations, keep a watchful eye out on the London Transport Museum's website They book up quickly, but with entrance to the brilliant London Transport Museum in Covent Garden included in the price (and a discount in the magnificent shop) it's an worthwhile excursion for any London-phile.

Sorry about my poor quality photos, for reasons I don't quite understand, LT Museums impose a DSLR ban in Aldwych station. So I had to resort to my trusty phone.

499,800 Not Arrested

This isn't a political blog but I have been so frustrated with the media coverage of the 'March for the Alternative' on Saturday, that I had to share my photographs of it with you. It seems hugely unfair that the actions of under 200 people get more news coverage than nearly half a million firmly, but peacefully making their point. It was completely safe and we had a great time. My friends even bought their baby girl in her pushchair.

I also think I should share these, given recent events in Africa and the Middle East, because we should never take our right to protest for granted. Please excuse the quality, they were taken on my phone, but this is was Saturday's march from my point of view...

Waiting to start on the Embankment

Under Waterloo Bridge

Towards Westminster

A wonderful percussion band - they were seriously magnificent and gave a real carnival atmosphere

Houses of Parliament

That well known dangerous political activist - Postman Pat (no sign of his black and white cat though)

Downing Street

Towards Trafalgar Square

Ten Ten Ten in Ten

1 - A breakfast of champions (Baked beans on toast with cheese and Henderson's Relish)


2 - Robot in disguise


3- Pictures for our new kitchen from Killer Strawberry


4 - Rare picture of Australian national with a beer


5 - Camden Town


6 - Mornington Crescent


7 - The rules of Mornington Crescent (there are no rules)


8 - Looking for more cider


9 - A kiss goodbye at St Pancras Station


10 - Joining the pom pom scarf brigade

What did you get up to at the weekend?

Somebody's Daughter

This weekend wanderings resulted in us discovering the memorial gates at the Cross Bones graveyard in Southwark, South London.




From medieval times to the 19th century, Cross Bones was a deconsecrated burial ground for prostitutes, who were denied a traditional (for the times) church burial, due to their profession and resulting social status. There are believed to be 15,000 bodies buried on the site.

Described on the Cross Bones website as a spontaneous "living artwork and memorial to the outcast dead", an unofficial shrine has grown on the gates to the site - a vibrant scene of colourful ribbons, flowers and plaques in tribute to women that have lost their lives working in more recent history.

A fascinating place, tucked in the streets of south London and whatever your beliefs, a reminder that some people in society should not be forgotten, especially during their lives.



An article in the Independent about Cross Bones

The Ipswich 'Somebody's Daughter' Memorial fund

Urban Exploration: The Southbank

Training for walking the Essex Way has taught me that not all 'rambling' needs to be in the countryside. I recently spent a happy day walking from Bankside to Putney along the south bank of the River Thames. It was a joy to walk through such a varied urban landscape, all linked by being on the bank of the river. Seeing the old generators of the city's power, some now reused, some now fallen in to disrepair to seeing the seat of the country's power. Seeing formalised gardens in the form of parks, to more informal greenery in gardens and treehouses....

Tate Modern - the former Bankside power station

Blackfriars railway bridge

Houses of Parliament, Westminster
Brunswick House Cafe, Vauxhall

Grapevines, Vauxhall

Boating lake, Battersea Park

An urban beach party, opposite Lots Road Power Station, Chelsea

Towards Wandsworth and Fulham

Treehouse, Wandsworth

Putney Bridge - famous for being the start of the boat race

(merino jumper -Howies)

Twelve miles later, a tired rambler before rewarding herself with a cask-conditioned prize.

Are you a countryside lover or a fan of our urban spaces? When you are in towns are you waterway stroller or more of a window shopper? Please let me know:

Born to Kiln

Whilst out exploring Greenwich at the weekend, we came across this unusual piece of street art set in to a pothole on the Thames path.

I love innovative street art, I love the personalisation of place. Stuff like tagging personally leaves me cold, but stuff like this I find really exciting and inspiring.

Armed with Google, I found that it is one of a series and that the person who makes them calls themselves 'Born to Kiln'. There is an interview here on the Creative Nonconformity blog

and Born to Kiln's own Flickr feed can be found here

Itinerant Ice Cream

“Ice-cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal.”

- Voltaire

The Elephants on Parade

Walking around Greenwich, we stumbled across some unusual additions to the conventional sculpture in the gardens of the Royal Naval School.



(elephants at the Royal Naval School)

The Elephant Parade is a public art exhibition across the capital to raise awareness of the threats to the Asian Elephant, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to the loss of its native habitat. In the past 100 years the Asian elephant population has declined by 90% and it is estimated that the species could vanish all together in the next 30 years.

(chillis at Greenwich Market)

The Elephants are all unique decorated and located across public spaces in London until the 20th June. They really are a joy to find and will hopefully raise some more awareness for this important cause, as well as brightening smiles and spaces.

More information can be found here.

(this post can also be found at the trainee geek blog. Please stop by)

Sunday wanderings...

A beautiful spring day led me to a pre-match mooch towards Brick Lane in search for salt beef beigels and bits of crafty/ arty inspiration at the Sunday markets.



Friends tell me the quality of the markets has deteriorated over the recent years, I was a little disappointed with the rows of identikit stalls and over-priced second hand clothes, but there were still some pockets of ideas



With a overwhelming love of Americiana my eye was drawn to these fine figures of men, on a cushion cover made from reclaimed materials.




I was also intrigued by this bit of graffiti I spotted in several locations, what is the significance of the enlightened cyclist?