163. Preston Road

Thursday 18th January 12.30pm

This is one of those stations that I'd never heard of before and if you'd told me the name I'd have guessed it was some little stop on a branch line in the middle of suburbia, which I suppose it is only it happens to be on the Tube. Who even knew there was an area of London called Preston? (Although it is basically Wembley.) It's one of those stations that you don't quite notice in a row of shops, which seems practical and appropriate.

Wikipedia entry here.

162. Dollis Hill

Saturday 9th November 10.25am

"Dollis" is an odd word isn't it that makes me smile for no good reason. The station is the exact opposite to the one I'd been to before (Neasden) in that its ticket office is underneath the rail tracks, with a subway to roads on either side. It's only little with two barriers and an office with a window opposite them to keep an eye on what's going on, and it was surprisingly busy when I was there.

Wikipedia entry here.

162 stations is 60% of the stations on the underground (270). This is what that looks like:

There's still a lot to do isn't there? Unbelievably I'm now in my fifth year of this foolishness and I suspect I thought it would all be over by now, but looking at the map and all those stations stretching beyond the M25 I can't help thinking it will take another five!

161. Neasden

Saturday 4th November 10.10am

Unexpectedly for a zone 3 station in the middle of nowhere - it's very adjacent to the North Circular - this is a station I've been through several times before, way back when, and could remember. There's an IKEA within walking distance and I went there several times about 25 years ago when it was one of the few in the country. How time's change!

The station is a small building perched on top of a bridge over the railway itself which really is a very practical way of building stations. I do like the roundels built into the seating, and actually despite its location it's a nice little station.

Wikipedia entry here.

160.Bow Road

Saturday 9th September 6pm

This is a nice little red brick station that's set back from the road so I you can't see it until you're right upon it, which is a bit confusing and was making me start to worry I was lost, especially as I'd just walked under a railway bridge that looked like it was an ideal place for an elevated station, and also a DLR station. The platform is downstairs, half in a tunnel half out.

As I walked her from Bromley-by-Bow I was reminded of the thing about Bow bells and cockneys but apparently that's a different Bow, although this is still proper East End anyway. How confusing.

Wikipedia entry here.

159. Bromley-by-Bow

Saturday 9th September 5.45pm

Another outdoor platform but this one is at ground level. The station building isn't though - it's on the bridge over the tracks, and is currently being refurbished so all you can see of the front is scaffolding, not that you could probably see much anyway as it's right next to a busy main road.

Slightly confused by the name though as I thought Bromley was in Kent.

Wikipedia entry here.

158. Parsons Green

Saturday 9th September 12.05pm

As I approached this it seemed so familiar I thought I'd been there before but I was just confusing it with Turnham Green - similar name, both near a park (green), elevated and with a bridge over the road. But not the same place at all. I like the wooden shelter on the platform.

Wikipedia entry here.

157. Putney Bridge

Saturday 9th September 11.45am

This roundel made me nearly squeal with delight - look at the red edging around the name bar, I've not seen that before! And the gap between the outer black circle and the big red ring. It's painted - enamelled? - onto metal so it's modern rather than vintage, and is therefore an exciting deviation.

As for the station itself, it's one of those elevated ones that there are quite a lot of in West London, which I'm rather fond of although I imagine if it had been wet and cold rather than sunny the exposed platforms would be a bit grim. There's stairs to ground level and a small ticket hall. I didn't pay any attention to the building as I was too busy getting lost.

Wikipedia entry here.