Exploring the Piccadilly Line: Rayners Lane & Sudbury Hill

Last July I spent a day photographing Tube stations. This doesn't sound like a particularly fun day out, but it really was! There are some gorgeous old Tube stations in London, and loads of interesting details to see which you might not give a second glance to while travelling from A to B.

Kate from Made by Mrs M had organised a photowalk, to explore (and photograph) some of the Art Deco gems on the Piccadilly Line. Six of us spent the day hopping on and off the Tube, wandering round stations, taking hundreds of photos, and chatting happily the whole time.

We began the day at Rayners Lane, meeting just outside the station. How cute is that little round kiosk?

Before starting our journey along the Piccadilly Line, we popped over the road to see the Zoroastrian Centre - a very striking Art Deco building which was originally a cinema.

Then it was back to Rayners Lane to explore our first station of the day.

Here's the other side of the station entrance.

Gorgeous bricks outside the station (I can never resist some nice bricks).

The ceiling of the entrance hall - obstructed by anti-pigeon netting but lovely all the same!

Old signage on the platform.

Chipped paint on the waiting room door.

The view across to the other platform. Don't you just love all those windows?

Once everyone was finished taking photos we hopped on the next train, travelling two stops to Sudbury Hill.

There were a few decidedly non-Art-Deco details at Sudbury Hill which caught my eye.

 

 

I love all the different textures in these windows where the panes of glass have been replaced over the years.

And I know this yellow is functional, but it still looks fabulous against the black.

A couple of old signs.

And some new ones - whatever you do, don't go through that door!

Nice windows, pale concrete, gorgeous bricks and zig-zagging colour co-ordinated pipes.

 The simple but stylish walkway over the tracks.

Another fine entrance hall ceiling.

And the smart station entrance. I do rather adore that font!

As you might have guessed by now, I took loads of photos during the day so I'm splitting it into several blog posts. More Tube stations will be popping up on my blog sometime soon!