Something different! My mate is very keen on all things London Underground and likes his art. When he suggested spending a day with him seeking out District line labyrinths. This allowed me to scratch a fair few District line shacks and return to a few not done since the 70’s.
Each of the 272 London Underground stations has a different all separately numbered labyrinth, a sort of Spirograph creation. They were designed by artist Mark Wallinger and are located at various places at each station. Today my mate decided to do the Eastern end of the District Line plus it’s Wimbledon branch.
Whitechapel’s labyrinth had been removed during Elizabeth line reconstruction, Plaistow still had its LTSR lettered bench legs, East Ham as detailed in the gen section had special memories. We got a terminating train into the bay at Dagenham East, the retro 1930’s benches at Upminster Bridge remain.
The “Junction” pub alongside Upminster station was an excellent lunchtime venue then 357005/203 whisked us back to Central London much faster than our all shacks outward journey. The leafy Wimbledon branch saw nice shacks like Putney Bridge done. With great help from the barrier staff we were advised that the Wimbledon labyrinth had been removed for an advertising screen by SWT and not reinstated. Southfields saw a down 450 pass through emcars, loads of returning Wimbledon tennis crowds there. A few more shacks then home on the 1909 ex Euston.
The District line is a fascinating line passing through varied scenery from leafy Putney Bridge to the less leafy East Ham and the on train air conditioning works a treat!!
The leaps!
51558 NO Bank EU-BA
24467 DI Aldgate East MO-AE
21432 phot
21525 DI Whitechapel AE-WH
21496 DI Stepney Green WH-SG
21343 DI Bow Road SG-BR
21391 DI Bromley by Bow, BR-WH
21541 DI Plaistow WH-PL
21385 DI Upton Park, East Ham PL-UP,UP-EM
this was my first visit to East Ham tube station since February 7th 1975. This was to attend a Hawkwind concert at the nearby East Ham Granada. Whilst the concert was average, a vivid memory was a flash red car with the album cover shield logo from Hawkwind’s Doremi fasol latido album on it’s bonnet parked outside the station. This got much attention, sadly the car had moved on 51 years later!
21440 DI Barking EH-BK
21498 DI Upney BK-UP
720602 1227 Shoeburyness – Fenchurch St – phot
21558 DI Becontree UP-BE
21556 DI Dagenham Heathway BE-DH
21431 DI Dagenham East (Bay -plat 1) DH-DE
21501 DI Elm Park DE-EP
21417 DI Hornchurch EP-HO
21427 DI Upminster Bridge HO-UP B
21500 DI Upminster UP B – UPM
710111 1411 Romford – Upminster – phot
357005} 1441 Shoeburyness – Fenchurch St UPM-FS
357203}
24420 DI Tower Hill, Blackfriars TH-BL
21492 DI St James Park BL-SJP
22351 DI Putney Bridge SJP-PB
21370 DI plat 3 – 4 Wim PB-WI
21520 DI Wimbledon Park WI-WP
23548 DI Southfields WP-SO
24486 DI East Putney SO-EP
21343 DI Parsons Green, Fulham Broadway EP-FB
21531 DI FB-WB
21560 DI High St Kensington WB-HSK
21449 DI South Kensington HSK-SK
173} PI SK-GP
576}
11026 VI GP-EU
Upton Park and Parson’s Green were visited by leaping off, photting the labyrinth and getting back on the same tube.
Underlined shacks are new to me.
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Leighton Lists 