Westminster Station

 

Walls like catacombs.

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Most of the Unfinished City's underground stations have unique features or something that stands them apart from the others. The surface stations are different as they were all built to the same standard, although some, which were added later, were designed to stand out.

Supports, staircases & escalators.

My favourite underground station, from the extension of the Jubilee line, is Westminster, which has a uniqueness to it that I have not seen at any other subsurface station. From the giant box that you descend into, to the staircases, escalators and elevators all supported from giant steel pillars, it is like descending into the bowels of the Earth.

Structural supports.

The lighting is just right to show off the skill and workmanship that went in to constructing this behemoth of a station and, considering the depth to which you descend, this station only has four platforms: Circle & District line eastbound, Circle & District line westbound, Jubilee line eastbound & Jubilee line westbound.

'Station Box'

King's Cross Lighthouse

King's Cross Lighthouse

If you are ever in the King's Cross area keep an eye open and see if you can spot what looks to be a lighthouse, atop a flatiron-style building.

The building stands on the junction of Euston Road, Grays Inn Road, Pentonville Road and York Way and is an enigma to the area.

During recent years the building, and said lighthouse, were boarded up and awaiting reconstruction work, as the entire area was transformed. The lighthouse itself had been daubed with graffiti and looked to be falling apart, due to a lack of care and attention.

There are many stories and suppositions as to why there is what appears to be a lighthouse atop a building, miles from any serious navigational river, but none of these are confirmed.

It is possible that was just an architectural whim, or was meant as some grander scheme.

The most prevalent story is that it was built as a kind of advertising stunt, in the 1870-1880s, when the shop below was Netten's Oyster Bar. 

Following much regeneration, in the area, I was glad to see that the lighthouse had been rejuvenated, too, rather than have being removed or altered.

So, if you are ever near the plaza, outside King's Cross station, look across and take a look at this lighthouse, in the middle of a busy thoroughfare.