Rotherhithe station in South East London is simple in appearance, but it holds many secrets from the past just below the surface.
A mere escalator ride away (and about 12 steps) you will arrive at the tunnel that became the first in the world to be built and used underneath a navigable river, it's name - The Thames Tunnel. The platforms take you on a visual journey back in time, whilst you gaze down into the tunnels where pedestrians once walked.
It dates back to 1843 and was designed and built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his son Marc. In fact the Brunel museum, which tells the story of the Thames Tunnel can be found a stone throw away, it contains the main shaft which took people down a winding set of stairs and into the tunnel. It's main purpose was to allow the public an alternative river crossing route.
So for the sake of history. The Bean Café (just inside) and the fact that I used to live close by - this is one of my favourite stations.
Some stations in London are petite, some are hidden deep underground, some are now disused and others are cladded in red tiles, in fact many underground stations in London are dressed in red tiles, ox blood red to be precise.
Take South Kensington station, which is another favourite of mine. It's easily navigable, it has multiple entrances, there are flower and coffee shops found on each side and the outside has a terrific red ox blood glaze.
The man responsible for so many of our stations taking on this look is Leslie Green who got the opportunity of his life time when he was asked to design over 50 stations in London. There was a lot of pressure on a 29 year old Green and although he'd spent time alongside architects and designers this was his first major solo project . One pressure he incurred was the budget, he had to choose materials and décor which would stand out and be consistent, but it also had to be within the purse. He soon came across a company who were making red ox-blood terracotta tiles and Green thought they would be perfect.
Ox blood has a deep red colour, with hues of brown and purple and for centuries it has been used to dye leather, pots and even lipstick.
Now, I'm a little biased with my last favourite, as it's the station I use the most. I think everyone if not at the start will gradually fall in love and be quite protective of their closest station to home. When things become familiar, it becomes safe and welcoming to our presence. The street artist Shepherd Fairey who is known for his use OBEY murals and fashion line, started his creative journey with a sticker that he stuck everywhere. The image (a famous wrestler known as Andre the Giant) was soon seen all over America.
Initially he was seen as a nuisance, but over time people began to accept the friendly giants face and found a fondness in the reoccurring image. So with that my third favourite station is the one that is the most familiar to me - Brockley.
Brockley Station sits in South East London and the colours cream white and orange can be seen everywhere as it's on the Overground line (like Rotherhithe). The station has two entrances, each leading to one of two platforms, My favourite entrance is towards the northbound platform, To reach it you have the options of two separate staircases and also a winding path fit for prams and the like. The path is hedged on both sides with interlocking plants and currently (its April 2024) tulips and blue bells. At Christmas time they light and decorate a huge tree and the whole area is a joy to walk through. Two weeks ago I saw two people trimming some of the hedges back; it's clear a lot of energy and thought has gone into the look, which always says to me "Welcome to Brockley Station".
So there you have it - my top three, please tell me yours.