Covent Garden Station.

[marjoram]

Whilst enjoying an end to end trip Uxbridge to Cockfosters today, I noticed Covent Garden station appears to sport some, possibly unique, large solid-red roundels on the tiled walls. The station name is displayed across them in the normal manner. I wonder if anyone can enlighten me on their history - they certainly looked rather out of place to my eyes!

[spsmiler]

There are some similar station names on platforms 8 and 9 at Ealing Broadway - these are the two District line platforms which extend in to the train shed. See below:



In addition, for a variation on a theme, there are these on the District line platforms at West Brompton (just look at those letter W!)



I do not know the full history, so to avoid errors I'll only say that they are historical curious from much earlier days.

I'm not sure whether their having survived was by design or an oversight (ie: when newer signage to a uniform design was introduced these were forgotten / missed out by accident).

However, it seems that all the older style Metropolitan Railway signage was replaced, although some was reinstated at Moorgate station in connection with the 1863 - 2013 150 years celebrations.

Simon

[marjoram]

Thanks for the reply, Simon. Your comments are very interesting as are the attached photographs, I haven't seen the other examples, you mention but I will put them on my to-do list.

Thank you Richard M.

[littlejohn]

A good source of info is 'Underground Heritage' by Antony Badsey-Ellis (Capital Transport, 2012). It seems that the Bullseye/Bar and Circle was originally a solid red disc until redrawn as a ring by Edward Johnston in 1917. There is one at Caledonian Road that is original, those at Ealing Broadway are replicas dating from 1992. Underground Heritage is strongly recommended - there is a whole host of information about the stuff we see every day (or in my case, when I can get to London) but never notice.

[marjoram]

Nov 29, 2017 14:50:20 GMT littlejohn said:

A good source of info is 'Underground Heritage' by Antony Badsey-Ellis (Capital Transport, 2012). It seems that the Bullseye/Bar and Circle was originally a solid red disc until redrawn as a ring by Edward Johnston in 1917. There is one at Caledonian Road that is original, those at Ealing Broadway are replicas dating from 1992. Underground Heritage is strongly recommended - there is a whole host of information about the stuff we see every day (or in my case, when I can get to London) but never notice.

Thanks Littlejohn - sounds like an excellent suggestion for my Christmas present list!

Richard M.