Where to Find & Photograph London Stations' Art Deco Architecture, History and Mystery Murals and Statues - London's beautiful, fascinating Underground and overground railway stations

 

1 Charing Cross Station has several murals. You can see the portrait of Shakespeare. And several more historical characters.

2 Baker Street - for Sherlock Holmes in murals on the platforms. Also see his huge statue outside on the pavement. (Americans say sidewalk.)

Sherlock Holmes statue. Red London bus in the distance. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

3 Hyde Park Corner has sloping walk-in and walk out entrances which are lined with many the historic panels along the walkways.

Hyde Park Corner underground railway station, descending approach walkway. Photo by Angela Lansbury. 

 Once inside, you meet another internal corridor, going left and right, with more murals. The story of the battle of Trafalgar, and Waterloo. Learn about, and the queen who established the park. Queen C. 

Above Hyde Park Corner station is Number one, London, Apsley House, home of the Duke of Wellington, who won the battle of Waterloo. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Above Hyde Park Station, at ground level, you can see the outside of number one, London, home of the Duke of Wellington. Years ago I took a never forgotten guided tour of the house. We stopped by the giant statue of Napoleon in the hallway. Wellington had the statue made much larger than life. Wellington's intention was that when he saw Napoleon, the little Napoleon would seem much smaller and insignificant than previously imagined. 

On one of the panels you read reveals that Wellington admitted that Waterloo was a close-run victory. 

4 Leytonstone - Alfred Hitchcock memorials

A depiction of an Alfred Hitchcock film, in the station. The site of the place where he was born also has a mural.

Out in the suburbs:

5 Northwick Park - for the artwork on both sides of the stairs. As the trains enter and leave towards the centre of London, you see the floodlit Arch of Wembley stadium. Wembley Stadium, where the band Queen performed, as you can see on the biopic.

6 Rayners Lane, art deco exterior to admire as you walk or drive past. Opposite is another fine art deco building which has changed hands several times, becoming a religious centre, a gym. 

Some of the side streets have art deco houses, white with green tiled rooftops. Triple oblongs around the entrance door. Half semi-circle bay windows. Oblong windows.

Art deco house semi-detached suburban house in the Rayners Lane area. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Apologies for the poor quality. I took it late at night with a mobile phone from a moving car.

7 Hatch End - frequent winner of the best station for flowers. In the lobby is a bookcase for book swapping. On the platform going north to Watford is a plaque about the local walk.  You can look down on the platforms by walking along the main road from the station towards a large supermarket, the English Morrisons (on the other side of the road - with a pedestrian crossing if you want to go there).

Outside the station, parallel to the main high street called The Broadway, because it is so broad, the walk along Offa's Dyke takes you over a pedestrian bridge, looking down on the station from afar. It crosses the countryside and a big main road, leading alongside Grismdyke, once home of Gilbert of Gilbert & Sullivan operas. His former home, with a blue plaque, is a hotel and restaurant and they used to hold Gilbert and Sullivan operetta evenings.

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