Tottenham Court Road | Hidden London Hangouts (S07E11)

[@RaggyAl1971]

Good to see Siddy back from her honeymoon.Congratulations.

[@siddyholloway8404]

Bless you! Thank you so much 🙏🏻

[@Clavichordist]

When I visited London in '84 and '85, I used this station to visit Denmark Street and vicinity to visit the music shops and purchased sheet music and books. Thank you for the memories of my youth.

[@Loki1815]

Talking about music back in the day, at Tottenham Court Road, head east after leaving the station into New Oxford St and at No 69 was WEA Records and next door was Rocket Records (Elton John). Head south and turn right into Soho Sq, on your left is Greek St, where Warner Brothers Music lived. Turn west from the station and follow Oxford Street and on your right was Atlantic Records and The 100 Club at 100 Oxford St. I used this station every day because I worked for WEA, where I met my wife and we are still married!

[@michaelmiller641]

Great episode! Thankyou so much!

[@rikardottosson1272]

Used to cut through that corridor between eastbound Central and southbound Northern around the renovation when the tiles were taken down and it was very cave like. Incredibly convenient transfer between lines, too.

[@alexgrundon2346]

I remember it too. Teeny tiny corridor with a low ceiling

[@peterpetrou2466]

Thank you to the team for another great exploration of Hidden London. Camden Town crossover would be an awesome track walk one day.❤

[@mrbma]

Think they're at Camden on the new series of Secrets of the Underground.

[@markellis6413]

I remember in the 90's - every evening rush hour they used to direct passengers down the spiral staircase to the Northern Line platforms. The tunnel rings are etched on my brain walking down those stairs...

[@DJ_K666]

I really need to get back down to London and down to the museum. I'm in exile in the Midlands. Congratulations Siddy! I hope you had a wonderful honeymoon 😂

[@andyg6520]

Another awesome episode, have the upmost respect to you guys for showing all of these now closed off areas to view supurb!!

[@johninloes8817]

When I'm in London, I stay near King's Cross, but I generally transit through Tottenham Court Road at least three or four times a day, so it's nice to see an episode devoted to it (and you filmed it in May, on the week I was there!). As Alex mentioned, Foyles is right there, and it's a lot easier to walk to Soho, instead of getting out at Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus. For those of us who won't be back in London for a few months, it's a nice way of staying connected.

[@stephenmoss2554]

I am binge watching these, having devoured the tv series! Just like to add that when I was in my teens (60s/70s), I was heavily into HiFi. TCR was a Mecca for people like me.

[@timothyp8947]

Always amazing to see behind the scenes - and this time there’s stuff hidden in plain sight: the walkway punched through a disused life shaft, those beautiful mosaics which must be from after I was a regular tube traveller. Then through the locked doors and so much original tiling preserved - and no need for wet-wipes. Also to see the old flood gate machinery, lying 'in state'. Great show, team!

[@martynthomas7486]

Nice, I'd made a comment in the comments section for the Gloucester Road video whether there'd be any 'deeper digs' of stations that were featured in lockdown but couldn't be explored at the time and then for the very next edition it's a proper look around TCR that couldn't be done a couple of years ago. One thing I miss in the new station are the emergency stairs to the Northern line which are no longer accessible- might we see that in this video perhaps? Also it's nice to see you didn't stop at 10 episodes and are ploughing on with more great stuff!

[@chrisnix7981]

Thanks Martyn. we are glad we kept going too. you may get your wish on those stairs...

[@keithjackson8183]

Thanks team for another great episode. I used to use TCR a lot in my youth to get to Virgin Records and HMV as well as rock gigs at the (sadly no more) Astoria. Late night travel from there back to Newbury Park, the nearest tube station to where I lived in Seven Kings, as it was too late to get the train from Liverpool Street was common. This leads me on to ask if you have considered visiting any of the Thirties Expansion Stations where LT took over lines from the main railway companies of which Newbury Park is very dear to my heart especially as I have to use it quite often for Rail replacement bus services from Chelmsford of late. As you are well aware (and covered, I believe, in Siddy's Secrets of the Underground) the tunnel from Wanstead to Gants Hill was used as a Plessey production line during WW2. The reason I bring this up is if you could clear up a possible urban myth about Gants Hill. This was that before Frank Pick went to Russia to advise them on building the metro, Soviet officials were shown Gants Hill and were so impressed with the station layout that all the Moscow Metro station follow this station's layout. Can you confirm or deny? Anyway sorry for the ramble, keep up the good work, Keith

[@Blade_Daddy]

Another great episode.

[@robertwilson2416]

Hey Laura, was good to see you on this channels ‘spin off’ series on Yesterday this evening 😊

[@CHAFVBC]

I love these shows so much... and anyone who can identify an x-wings engine tone, is a joy! haha

[@liamkenny6747]

Really enjoyable episode. Thanks Team HLH!

[@Nick-13]

Another great one - sorry I missed live. Very much looking forward to the meet-up ! Pains me every time I see old plugs, etc, had to dispose a few when clearing my parents house pre-covid - sorry @Alex

[@stephensaines7100]

I was fascinated by your looking through the grate when in the now service tunnel to see (ostensibly) Northern tracks and trains running underneath. I consulted a number of 'exploded diagrams' online (3D pictorials) to try and locate where you were, only to find the extent of tunnels at Tottenham Court Station to be very complex...not to mention the Crossrail tunnels threaded through there with extremely close tolerances. Absolutely intriguing. Did I miss a clue as to the strata you were at for that back tunnel explore? I'll watch again later to see if I can answer my own question, but as always, any reference to diagrams most welcome. Great episode, brought back memories. I used to work on Denmark Street about two decades ago as an electronic tech, and used the station almost every working day.

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

Famously as close as 300mm!

[@edhiorns1626]

been through tottenham court road loads of time never through there be so much to see there cant wait to see where is next

[@raphaelnikolaus0486]

Cozy Green, that is what I half expected Siddy to call her sweater

[@borgdylan]

Last time I was in London I missed the amazing Paolozzi artwork when changing trains at TCR. I was mainly changing between Elizabeth Line and Northern Line trains.

[@drmal]

Eduardo Paolozzi was born in Leith, Edinburgh to Italian parents. He's widely regarded as the founding father of Pop Art. I think his mosaics are stunning, it's such a shame most people don't have the time to pause and enjoy them.

[@JetA1_]

Have you guys got some new cameras and if so what model are they?(I see Sony) the quality is fantastic! Loved the episode! 🙂

[@OofusTwillip]

That shade of green in the original tiles is Arsenic Green or Paris Green.

[@NoviceSandi]

G'day from Melbourne, Australia.🌏 I'm a new subscriber and I'm currently binge-watching your absolutely wonderful videos. Also, I've just finished watching the video 'Heart of The Angel' and really enjoyed it, thank you very much for recommending it. I look forward to watching many more of your entertaining videos.👍 Sending good wishes to you all, from Sandi

[@Muswell]

I was fascinated by the 4 pics at the start - I paused them for a long time to take it all in. Looking at the Joan Crawford/William Powell film poster, that TCR platform pic was taken in 1937. That man sitting on the platform bench would have no idea that he was going to see the horrors of war two years later. I love the human stories behind the old pics.

[@michaelmiller641]

Another interesting episode thanks guys!

[@NapierNimbus]

Excellent. As always fascinating. Radically different from my childhood days from the 60s (visits to Moorfields Eye Hospital). My father told me about the floodgates seem to recall could see the edge of one by tunnel entrance at end of platform.

[@gerbilmajor]

Missed the 6pm show as didn't get notification

[@ricstanden]

Great video as always. I was wonder if you could do a video on any accidents or disasters that have happened on the underground. I know it’s a bit morbid, but it would show how safety has changed over the century. Most of us will remember the King’s Cross fire from 1987 (I would have been 10 years old) and there are the many war disasters. Or maybe you could do a video on mock evacuation and how it all works. Anyway keep up the good work and looking forward to more videos!

[@thickernell]

When I saw the mosaics from the early 80s I couldn’t help but see a representation of computer graphics from that wea, especially video games. Very colorful and highly pixelated. Any one else see that and wonder if it was intentional by the artists of the time? That was a popular technique in marketing, advertising and public art at the time.

[@jamesbalchin4640]

Very good

[@mrbma]

Hi team. Great ep. One odd but massively important question... Are tube drivers allowed to wave at each other when passing ? Watched a lot of cab ride videos and you never see it. Been keeping me awake !!! 😂

[@ericadodd4735]

Great episode guys! If anyone wants to see the original northern line tiles at Tottenham court road there is a scene (on KZbin) from the 1981 film American Werewolf in London, which is like a little snapshot in history.

[@Pez1979]

Can we also give a shout out to Tim Dunn - who brings these Hidden Underground Secrets to the masses on the TV show, along with Siddy Holloway - the new season started strong with Camden.

[@marcingiebultowski6309]

'Sounds like an X-Wing'

[@richardsingh5827]

I used to go there a lot in the 80s

[@doublea06]

I haven't seen these for long.

[@isashax]

What happened with the mosaics that were taken out on the renovation? Are they saved anywhere?

[@alexmckenna1171]

There don't seem to be many surviving photos of the old Hampstead Tube station at TCR, on Charing Cross Road, or the other old buildings which were in the Centre Point area, in that corner..

[@borassictime918]

The station should really have been called St Giles Circus - the name of the crossroads, which was the name on road signs around the West End for many years. There’s quite a bit of the original tiling buried under the Paoluzzi mozaics. I remember at the time they created a new skin over the previously curved platform walls to make them perpendicular, plasted over it and then applied the mozaic on top. This effectively made the platforms quite a bit narrower, which I recall was not liked by passengers at what has always been a busy station.

[@kevinlucioni7256]

The original name of Goodge Steeet was Tottenham Court Road.

[@soton5teve]

Did they do Earls Court yet?, cgi stepping out the tardis😮

[@redvelvetshoes]

@siddyholloway just watching Hangouts, reminded me of when I* clocked you, you clocked the clock,and me clocking you clocking the clock,put me off saying how much I enjoy - and envy - your work. So I’m saying it now, if that’s ok. Xx *odd little woman on northern line, Sept ‘22.

[@jacksugden8190]

Nice tour, never knew all that was there hidden away, think I preferred the design tiled concept tiling and lifts, these days the platforms and passages were a little too bland.

[@Muswell]

After watching all of your videos, there's one thing I don't think has been addressed. . . I understand that tube tunnels are circular because of the tunnelling machines. But why are liftshafts always circular? Surely it was much easier to dig a hole with straight sides - especially as the lifts going in them were rectangular ?

[@alexgrundon2346]

That’s a very good question. I’m not sure but is there not added strength in circular structures that interlock than ones with straight sides?

[@Muswell]

@@alexgrundon2346 Maybe, Alex. I guess it would be stronger.

[@davidboden7457]

The ceiling reminds me of a Doctor Who tardis 6:57

[@stephenwhitehead1160]

The two most beautiful , interesting ladies in London.

[@alexgrundon2346]

They will love you for saying that

[@Muswell]

The cream & green tiles remind me of spearmint chew sweet. Do you remember those? They were cream with a green stripe.

[@paulokill750]

Mmm Pacers, used to love those!

[@mattielad8650]

Hi . Is there any other way of being able to apply to win a tour with your selves than Twitter please as i dont have a Twitter account, and id love to enter like all of us would. Thanks Matt ...

[@unknownregions5014]

The photo at 13:53 the speakers on the wall, I have those speakers. They are by General Electric Company.

[@HugoDaWChadBoi]

HEY HIDDEN LONDON HANGOUT! PLEASE MAKE A NEW VIDEO AND DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF AN VERY OLD STATION: HOUNSLOW WEST.

[@ianmcclavin]

Only the entrance and ticket hall at Hounslow West is that old; the platforms (and connecting passageway) just date back to the mid-seventies.

[@HugoDaWChadBoi]

DONT NOT FORGET THE MORTAL REMAINS OF THE OLD STATION AND THE OLD CANOPY AND OLD PLATFORMS...

[@tardismole]

Minor gripe. Since when is the Eurovision Song Contest more important than the London Underground? Anyway. Enough of that; was it good? As good as Tottenham Court Road?

[@alexgrundon2346]

😘😊

[@ruthbrierley1798]

Denmark St is all but dead now. Very sad.

[@GavinMuir-t1o]

Did you not go into the old staff accommodation? There is some very out of character tiles to be seen.

[@rikardottosson1272]

Not X-wing, but definitely Tie fighter

[@mrbma]

I was thinking the same !

[@barrycoppock]

Alex - who did you upset to be consigned to the Eurovision Song Contest?!

[@alexgrundon2346]

😂😂😂😂 I worked on it for years and was a guest this year! Was so much fun but I did have a bit of FOMO about missing TCR’s secrets

[@ralphups7782]

the woman in 8:06/29:18 kept appearing in ad's on my computer, and now here i am watching a video with her in it.?

[@mrbma]

No Alex ?

[@chrisnix6352]

Don’t worry. He’ll be with us on the show.

[@thomascook578]

He said he was at eurovision the night they filmed this

[@mrbma]

​@@thomascook578Poor him !!!😂

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

Not a fanatical fan of tiles as seems to be de rigeur in UndergrounD circles, these undeniably exemplary mosaics have been my nemesis on too many occasions. The last thing you want to have surrounding you when fresh out of an all-nighter at dawn o'clock is a load of busily brilliant blocks of colour like this lot. 8:05

[@alexgrundon2346]

Maybe we should just bundle you into an Uber, just to protect Topps Tiles and others 😉

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

@@alexgrundon2346 Thanks but there's sthg to be said for emerging into the daylight at your home tube station all matted-hair and so on just as them what's that little bit older un you enters it en route to the office.

[@dminalba]

Any mention of an American werewolf in London

[@doublea06]

✴🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@Jojo-ss8ou]

Hello

[@doublea06]

18:18 *🟣TRICKED🟣*

[@merbertancriwalli8622]

Fail - London Transport museum. Went to buy a gift voucher for my son at 5:30 pm and despite the fact the fact that they say they are open until 6 pm ticket office was closed. Staff were very unhelpful and the manager was condescending.

[@loveserendib04]

Developers have ruined this London intersection. Modern ugly monstrosities dominate. The upper street level part of the station is in a dirty and filthy state. It is extremely tacky and downcast.