Plaque Wording:
Heritage information.
Piccadilly Circus Station. Listed as a building of national importance.
Architects: Entrances and ticket hall - Adams, Holden & Pearson in collaboration with S.A. Heaps, 1928 rebuild.
Piccadilly Circus opened on 10 March 1906 on the Baker Street & Waterloo Railway (Bakerloo line). The Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway (Piccadilly line) platforms and interchange opened on 15 December 1906. When originally built the station had a street level building incorporating a ticket hall designed by Leslie Green, which stood on the corner of Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket. This was abandoned following the 1928 redevelopment and has since been demolished. The increasing number of people using the station led to a major redesign and a new sub-service ticket hall and circulating area designed by Charles Holden, which would also provide public pedestrian subways opened in 1928.
Due to the difficulties in managing the roads above the station, the current ticket hall was excavated from the bottom upwards rather than the traditional 'cut and cover' method more commonly used. The high cost of such a complex task prompted the 'Office of Woods and Forests' to transfer the rights in the subsoil of the Circus to the Underground for a sum of ten pounds. Walls and stairwells were finished in cream Travertine marble with a coffered fibrous plaster panelled false ceiling. The roof itself is supported by four central columns, with fifty other columns spaced around the columns in two rows. The columns were clad in a maroon scagliola {imitation marble or stone} which was enhanced by the tungsten lighting then in use.
The first fluorescent tube lighting to be used on the Underground system was installed on the westbound Piccadilly Line platform on the 2 October 1945. All four platforms were left untouched by the 1928 reconstruction but extensively modernised by the Underground in 1987.
The ticket hall was Grade II listed on 2 October 1983.
Piccadilly Circus opened on 10 March 1906 on the Baker Street & Waterloo Railway (Bakerloo line). The Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway (Piccadilly line) platforms and interchange opened on 15 December 1906. When originally built the station had a street level building incorporating a ticket hall designed by Leslie Green, which stood on the corner of Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket. This was abandoned following the 1928 redevelopment and has since been demolished. The increasing number of people using the station led to a major redesign and a new sub-service ticket hall and circulating area designed by Charles Holden, which would also provide public pedestrian subways opened in 1928.
Due to the difficulties in managing the roads above the station, the current ticket hall was excavated from the bottom upwards rather than the traditional 'cut and cover' method more commonly used. The high cost of such a complex task prompted the 'Office of Woods and Forests' to transfer the rights in the subsoil of the Circus to the Underground for a sum of ten pounds. Walls and stairwells were finished in cream Travertine marble with a coffered fibrous plaster panelled false ceiling. The roof itself is supported by four central columns, with fifty other columns spaced around the columns in two rows. The columns were clad in a maroon scagliola {imitation marble or stone} which was enhanced by the tungsten lighting then in use.
The first fluorescent tube lighting to be used on the Underground system was installed on the westbound Piccadilly Line platform on the 2 October 1945. All four platforms were left untouched by the 1928 reconstruction but extensively modernised by the Underground in 1987.
The ticket hall was Grade II listed on 2 October 1983.
Plaque Wording:
Oakwood station
Listed as a building of National Significance
Architects: C. H. James with Adams, Holden & Pearson, 1933
The station opened on 13 March 1933 as part of the extension to Cockfosters. The station was originally named Enfield West with a suffix 'Oakwood' being added in 1934, following a local Borough Council petition to name the station 'Merryhills' or Oakwood Park'. The reference to Enfield was finally dropped on 1 September 1946.
The station building is a fine example by the architect Charles Holden built for the Piccadilly line extensions, with a large and imposing box-shaped ticket hall spanning the railway lines. At lower level within the interior use is made of black glazed bricks with white pointing lines and above the ring beam walls are of "No.2 light brown Welsh" pressed brick. The rear of the ticket hall forms a gallery across the tracks with steps down to the island platform. The ends of the gallery have since been closed off and adapted into offices and more recently the step-free access lift that was added in 2007.
The concrete platform canopy was designed by Stanley Heaps, the Underground's architect. It is cantilevered from a single row of piers with seats in between fitted with glass screen partitions as windbreaks. The piers, staircase and nameboard plinths were painted in three colours: black skirting, elephant grey dado and green waistband. The colour scheme for the canopies included yellow and pale primrose.
When the station opened in 1933 a commemorative bronze plaque was fixed to the ticket hall wall claiming 'This station is the highest point in Europe in a direct line west of the Ural Mountains in Russia'.
Like other extensions of the London Underground lines, the opening of the Cockfosters extension stimulated the rapid development of new suburbs and much of the open countryside that had existed in 1930 when construction started was quickly covered by new housing developments.
The station was Grade II listed on 19 February 1971.
The station building is a fine example by the architect Charles Holden built for the Piccadilly line extensions, with a large and imposing box-shaped ticket hall spanning the railway lines. At lower level within the interior use is made of black glazed bricks with white pointing lines and above the ring beam walls are of "No.2 light brown Welsh" pressed brick. The rear of the ticket hall forms a gallery across the tracks with steps down to the island platform. The ends of the gallery have since been closed off and adapted into offices and more recently the step-free access lift that was added in 2007.
The concrete platform canopy was designed by Stanley Heaps, the Underground's architect. It is cantilevered from a single row of piers with seats in between fitted with glass screen partitions as windbreaks. The piers, staircase and nameboard plinths were painted in three colours: black skirting, elephant grey dado and green waistband. The colour scheme for the canopies included yellow and pale primrose.
When the station opened in 1933 a commemorative bronze plaque was fixed to the ticket hall wall claiming 'This station is the highest point in Europe in a direct line west of the Ural Mountains in Russia'.
Like other extensions of the London Underground lines, the opening of the Cockfosters extension stimulated the rapid development of new suburbs and much of the open countryside that had existed in 1930 when construction started was quickly covered by new housing developments.
The station was Grade II listed on 19 February 1971.
Plaque Wording:
Southgate station Listed as a building of national significance
Architects: Adams, Holden & Pearson. 1933
Southgate station opened on 13 March 1933 on the second phase of the northern extension of the Piccadilly line from Finsbury Park to Cockfosters.
The station is one of the best known of the many stations Charles Holden designed for London Underground. The station building is circular with a flat projecting concrete roof. Externally, the flat roof of the raised central section appears to be supported by nothing more than a horizontal band of windows that provide natural light to the interior, although it is actually supported from a central column in the ticket hall. The whole building is topped by an illuminated feature resembling a Tesla coil, The station is externally flanked on two sides by circular reinforced concrete waiting shelters including the "bullseye" roundels which were designed by Stanley Heaps.
The station retains much of its original decorative style. The two escalators have the original column lighting which has been adapted to meet modern lighting requirements, while bronze panelling is in evidence throughout the station. In 2007 the station was extensively renovated to bring the station back to its former glory. The tiles were renewed using the original colour scheme while sensitive repairs were undertaken to the ticket hall area. In recognition of this renovation the station gained a National Railway Heritage award in 2008.
The station was originally Grade II listed in February 1971 and subsequently Grade II* listed in 2009.
The station is one of the best known of the many stations Charles Holden designed for London Underground. The station building is circular with a flat projecting concrete roof. Externally, the flat roof of the raised central section appears to be supported by nothing more than a horizontal band of windows that provide natural light to the interior, although it is actually supported from a central column in the ticket hall. The whole building is topped by an illuminated feature resembling a Tesla coil, The station is externally flanked on two sides by circular reinforced concrete waiting shelters including the "bullseye" roundels which were designed by Stanley Heaps.
The station retains much of its original decorative style. The two escalators have the original column lighting which has been adapted to meet modern lighting requirements, while bronze panelling is in evidence throughout the station. In 2007 the station was extensively renovated to bring the station back to its former glory. The tiles were renewed using the original colour scheme while sensitive repairs were undertaken to the ticket hall area. In recognition of this renovation the station gained a National Railway Heritage award in 2008.
The station was originally Grade II listed in February 1971 and subsequently Grade II* listed in 2009.
Plaque Wording:
Sudbury Town Station
Listed as a building of National Significance
Architect: Adams, Holden & Pearson Partners, 1932
The original station opened on 28 June 1903 on the Metropolitan District Railway extension from north of Ealing Common to South Harrow. It was rebuilt in preparation of the transfer of services to the Piccadilly line on 4 July 1932.
Sudbury Town is seen as one of the seminal works of the architect Charles Holden and as such it set many of the elements for the other Underground stations he was to design in the 1930s. It saw the move away from the use of Portland stone, as had been seen on his previous designs for stations such as Ealing Common, towards a more European idiom based on unadorned concrete and brick that was a real change in British architecture of the day. It is viewed by many as being one of Britain's best buildings of the time.
The main structure consists of a red Buckinghamshire brick 'box', flanked by single storey extensions and all topped by a concrete flat roof. Each façade is punctuated by a large vertical window that allows natural daylight to flood in and at night, be illuminated - making the building, as intended, a beacon in suburbia. The design also integrates the overbridge and other buildings. The ticket hall still retains much of the original decor including the original passimeter and, on the platforms, the original designs for concrete fencing and lampposts are still used. Some of the signs on the station make use of of the rare, serrifed variation of the traditional Underground Johnston typeface.
The original station opened on 28 June 1903 on the Metropolitan District Railway extension from north of Ealing Common to South Harrow. It was rebuilt in preparation of the transfer of services to the Piccadilly line on 4 July 1932.
Sudbury Town is seen as one of the seminal works of the architect Charles Holden and as such it set many of the elements for the other Underground stations he was to design in the 1930s. It saw the move away from the use of Portland stone, as had been seen on his previous designs for stations such as Ealing Common, towards a more European idiom based on unadorned concrete and brick that was a real change in British architecture of the day. It is viewed by many as being one of Britain's best buildings of the time.
The main structure consists of a red Buckinghamshire brick 'box', flanked by single storey extensions and all topped by a concrete flat roof. Each façade is punctuated by a large vertical window that allows natural daylight to flood in and at night, be illuminated - making the building, as intended, a beacon in suburbia. The design also integrates the overbridge and other buildings. The ticket hall still retains much of the original decor including the original passimeter and, on the platforms, the original designs for concrete fencing and lampposts are still used. Some of the signs on the station make use of of the rare, serrifed variation of the traditional Underground Johnston typeface.
Plaque Wording:
Manor House station
Architect: Adams, Holden & Pearson (Charles Holden) 1932
Opening on 19 September 1932, this was the first station on the northern extension of the Piccadilly line beyond Finsbury Park.
The station has very little prominence at street level with only limited canopy structures over the park-side entrances. There were also originally subways that served now demolished tram loading shelters that stood in the middle of the road. The asymmetrical ticket hall was carefully designed so to make best use of space and Holden took great care in the details and finishes to features such as the central columns. The ceiling, decorated in a pattern of circular mouldings with inset lighting compliments the unusual shape of the ticket hall.
The platforms were lined to give an elliptical or egg shaped profile to enable the recessing of equipment and furniture to give clear lines of sight. The platforms tiles were originally made by Carter's Poole Potter{y} in Dorset and are similar to other adjacent stations apart from the different coloured border tiles - here they are blue. Also of note are the bronze ventilation grilles that depict a stylised play on the station name. These were designed by Harold Stabler R.D.I., a notable artist and designer, who was elected a "Royal Designer for Industry" in 1936 He was closely connected with the Poole Pottery.
In 2006 a modernisation of the station resulted in the platform wall tiles being sensitively replicated according to the original design. In addition the crude strip lighting that had disfigured the ticket hall ceiling was removed.