Tubewhore (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} tubewhore) wrote,@ 2007-01-13 17:46:00 |
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| Entry tags: | bank, cannon street, mansion house, monument, platform art, waterloo, waterloo & city |
Waterloo and City Line to Bank
I was stupidly excited about doing this bit.
Arriving at Waterloo we follow signs to the W&C - often been curious about the tube's shortest line. Also, our route brought us above ground underneath a chicken-wire elephant. I have no idea why this particular creature stands guard here:
The Waterloo and City - The Drain - links Waterloo and Bank, and that's it. But then, I've been told that more people arrive and depart through Waterloo daily than there were troop movements around Europe in the Second World War, and a lot of them are going to want to head to the City Proper.
There's very little signage on the platform - I was hoping for one of those boards that tells you all the stops, but I guess there's very little point for the W&C, everyone pretty muh knows where they're going, and if you fall asleep there's a fifty-fifty chance of where you'll wake up. It's also such a pretty colour...a nice turquoise shade of aqua, very relaxing - so here's me strap hanging instead.
Arriving at Waterloo we follow signs to the W&C - often been curious about the tube's shortest line. Also, our route brought us above ground underneath a chicken-wire elephant. I have no idea why this particular creature stands guard here:
The Waterloo and City - The Drain - links Waterloo and Bank, and that's it. But then, I've been told that more people arrive and depart through Waterloo daily than there were troop movements around Europe in the Second World War, and a lot of them are going to want to head to the City Proper.
There's very little signage on the platform - I was hoping for one of those boards that tells you all the stops, but I guess there's very little point for the W&C, everyone pretty muh knows where they're going, and if you fall asleep there's a fifty-fifty chance of where you'll wake up. It's also such a pretty colour...a nice turquoise shade of aqua, very relaxing - so here's me strap hanging instead.
By this point in the afternoon we were heading into prime commuter territory and rush hour, and bouncy, giggly goth chick being bouncy and giggly over travelling on the tube got a few disapproving glances from suited types who wanted a bit of a sit down and quiet journey home. I guess that if you fail to get a seat on the W&C straightaway you're buggered as everyone is only going the one stop. I refrain from telling them they were all zombies...they were all a humourless lot though it seemed. Glad to have company rather than have to ask one of them to take the picture for me.
At Bank there's a confusion of signage. Bank is a massive interchange, spread across six different lines with more escalators (15) than any other station. All this seems designed to help you get lost and disorientated. We were trying to stay below ground for the interchange with Monument, but that was the one thing we couldn't find directions for...we did however, play on the travelator. Behind me, the thousands of homeward bound commuters stream towards a Waterloo destination:
We gave up trying to stay underground, as getting weary, and just headed up for air, finding further evidence that we were in the City itself.
Street signage pointed us to the furthest edge of Bank station's tendrils and on to the Monument. I had photocopied the bits of my Occult Britain book that pertained to London which describes the Monument as well worth a visit for the views from the top. It's about 200 feet up there...
On the platforms, more dragons...
Of course it now being five in the evening, it was dark out...we also totally failed to find the London Stone, or the goth pub of the same name at Canon Street.
Pictures hard because of the faling lights and the thousands tearing past, so this is the Canon Street 'where's wally' pic:
Mansion House, unexciting as a station, did at least close up the last gap on the District and Circle between Monument and West Kensignton
From there, we strolled back towards Canon Street, trying to find that damn pub, failed, found we'd done a big cicrle bringing us back to Bank, so footsore and slightly brain-fried, we dived into the nearest Starbucks for much needed refreshment. I tippexed out the latest batch of stations over tea and scones. Better to wait out the worst of the rush hour here than fight the crush, and we were both getting a little zoned out by the travelling. Took the time to read the occult bits that it was too dark to try and go find, and route plan.
Decided to save the remainder of the stations within the City itself for a daylight trip so we could see the London Wall and such like around Barbican, Moorgate and Farringdon, so plan is now to make Mile End the last stop taking out all the in-betweens before accompanying G back to KX
