Downing Street to Warren Street
The final stretch of my Saturday stroll across central London
(Photos/words © urban75, 3rd March 2007)

A tourist-tastic walk from Pimlico to Warren Street, taking in Tate Britain, Parliament, Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square .


The rather tourist-unfriendly frontage of Downing Street. The only times I've ever stood outside is during protests and Critical Mass rides!


Memorial to the women who served in World War II, close to the Cenotaph on Whitehall. The striking sculpture was unveiled on 9th July 2005 by the Queen.


One of the curious tourist rituals to be found on Whitehall - people stare, take pictures, pull faces and take the piss out of the guard in the silly uniform who does his best to ignore them all.




Looking from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament.


Sitting on the base of Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square.


Photo opportunity, Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square.


The curious standing bloke by the fountains, Trafalgar Square. He didn't move the whole time I was passing through.




Passers by, St Martin's Place.


More passers by, St Martin's Place..


Come to the church of Vista! Last month there was a ruddy great iPod advert slapped in front of the landmark St Martin's In The Fields church.


Revolving circular sign on the top of the Coliseum Theatre, St. Martin's Lane.


Sign for the The Green Man and French Horn pub on St. Martins Lane.




Chinese lanterns in Chinatown, still up from the Chinese New Year celebrations.


Hiding parking ticket unit, Alfred Place, off Tottenham Court Road.


The Eisenhower Centre, an indescribably ugly building with a fascinating history.

In the 1930s, an ambitious plan was hatched to relieve congestion on the Northern Line, by building a second pair of tunnels running in parallel with the Charing Cross branch of the Northern Line. These deep level lines would serve as an express route through London.

The expansion was abandoned at the outset of the Second World War, but with Underground platforms being increasingly used by the general public overnight as air raid shelters, deep level shelters were constructed in 1940. It was intended that they would be used as platform tunnels for the express route after the war.

On the surface, the shelters were protected by specially constructed concrete buildings to prevent bombs damaging the shaft. These were fitted with air filters in case of a gas attack.

Initially, the shelter by was only used as General Eisenhower's headquarters, until increased devastation from V1 and V2 flying bombs convinced the government to allow the public to use the shelters.

The Eisenhower Centre is now used to store films and video tape.

Underground History




Lino's cafe, Albert Place, an old school chips'n'eggs cafe that is sadly no longer with us.


A late afternoon view of the BT Telecom Tower.


Shiny mirrored office block by Warren Street tube.


Spiky punk rocker on the down escalator at Warren Street. Shortly after I took the photo he launched into a very loud pretend phone call about Princess Di. Most odd.

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