Click images to enlarge
I use this London Underground station to traipse to and from my day job every day. It’s on the Hammersmith and City line so isn’t deep beneath the surface – but certainly feels that way.
Many stations on the Tube network have been spruced up in recent times, but not Great Portland Street. One end of the platform is a dank, sodden and seemingly long forgotten corner where water drips and lies in pools.
This brief snapshot was taken at the weekend. During the working week it’s heaving with passengers – sometimes I’ll wait for the next train rather than attempt to shoehorn myself into a non-existent space.
But it gets us Londoners around. And I love the atmosphere of these photographs which you don’t find on the bright, squeaky clean stations of the city network.
I have too agree Mike, give me grungy underground any day rather than squeaky clean. So much more character, even if the odd whiff of wee, wafts under the nose from time to time.
Hahahaha! Thank goodness there’s no smellyvision technology available here :)
Love the top image- the textures, light and color really do bring to mind another world -terrific photograph!
Thanks very much, Meg. The world of the London Underground is definitely another realm – how, er, lucky I am to see it most days!
Beautiful deep tones and colours, Mike. There’s nothing like a deserted tube station! :)
Thanks Richard! Well, there were a few people about and it’s always busy during the week. I only noticed the other day that the end of the platform I photographed is partly open to the elements. No wonder it’s sodden!
Amazing! So beautiful, shows you just have to look :)
Thank you! You’re quite right :)
Grungy and damp has it in spades for atmosphere, I couldn’t agree more Mike. Something sterile about gleaming white tiles :) Love how you included the light in the first shot.
Thank you very much, Lee. I have to see this place at least four days a week! If you look closely enough near the light on the first shot, you’ll see a big drip coming down. They need to sort it out, but I kind of like it.
Indeed they do, didn’t notice the drip before. Wouldn’t do to have the electricity shorting out down there.
Indeed not. Still, it has a grace and dubious charm all of its own.
I really like the words ‘isn’t so deep beneath the surface’, they conjure up the sense of another world on the London Underground, which in a way is what it is.
Great Portland Street definitely has a sense of the subterranean with the damp and dinginess, although just two very short flights of stairs down.