O is for Oxford Street

The theme for my A-Z posts this year is London Underground Stations.  I've chosen a station for each letter and at the end of each post I've listed the other stations for that letter with their Wikipedia entries.  I've tried to visit each station and take my own photos.

Oxford Circus Station is at the junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street in London’s West End.  The station serves the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria Lines.  It is the busiest station in the UK.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

The Central line station opened in 1900 followed closely by the Bakerloo line in 1906.  The Victoria line did not open until 1969.  There were several reconstructions and improvements in between.  Some of these were aimed at easing congestion and some led to the original lifts being replaced by escalators.

Station entrance at the junction of Oxford St. and Regent St.

There are four entrances to the station at each corner of the road junction – these being stairways down to the concourse where the entry and exit barriers are to the escalators leading down to the various platforms.  To the east of the junction on Argyll Street are the original station entrances to the Bakerloo line and the Central Line.  These were built independently although there were connecting passageways underground to switch lines.

When I travelled there this week I was amazed at how quiet the concourse was.  I’ve been there at the end of the working day and it is manic.  Sometimes they even have to close the entrances to the station due to overcrowding.  

An extremly empty concourse!

Both Oxford Street and Regent Street are magnets for tourists particularly with many flagship stores nearby.  Oxford Street boasts John Lewis, Peter Jones and Selfridges to name a few while on Regent Street the most famous are probably Liberty and Hamleys.

London Palladium - courtesy of Wikipedia

The London Palladium is just by the station in Argyll Street.  One of the UK’s most famous theatres, it has hosted the Royal Variety Performance more than any other theatre, most recently in 2014.

Looking north along Regent Street Old Souls Church can be seen and beyond that is the BBC’s Broadcasting House.

It is a very busy area of London and one I try to avoid if possible.  During my visit I escaped to one of the City’s green spaces, Cavendish Square Gardens, just behind John Lewis for a picnic lunch.  

Back entrance of John Lewis

Cavendish Square Gardens.

 I also had a quick browse in John Lewis, (they have free, clean toilets) and managed to get some wool that I needed.  It was a good day out.

Other “O” stations are:

Oakwood

Old Street

Osterley

Oval

Next stop P is for ...?  Come back tomorrow to find out.  Thanks for visiting.