When Londoners are on the tube, we’re usually rushing from one place to another. Rarely do we take the opportunity to take a look around and discover the secrets of the tube network, but there are plenty to discover.
One of the most beautiful secrets is the artwork on the Victoria Line. Easily missed, there is one artwork per station which links to the station name or local history of the area. Given that there are 16 stations on the line, that’s a lot of murals to look out for.
While some are a bit more obvious to work out, for example, the silhouette of Queen Victoria at Victoria station, some are more cryptic, like the design of bricks at Brixton station.
Well, art lovers, we’ve got all the lowdown on all the art that you can find on the Victoria Line platforms at each station so you can look out for them on your next commute.
Each Victoria Line station artwork
King’s Cross St Pancras station: A pun in this design that depicts five crowns arranged in a cross shape, get it?
Stockwell station: A stylised version of a swan to nod to a pub and music venue in the area called The Swan.
Vauxhall station: This tiled design illustrates Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, which stood at this location.
Tottenham Hale station: This artwork depicts two people and a dog in a boat as a nod to a ferry which used to transport people over the River Lea from the local area.
Brixton station: This mural depicts a “ton of bricks”
Pimlico station: A modern art motif to honour the Tate Gallery, which was once found in this area.
Green Park station: This abstract design depicts trees found in the green park nearby.
Victoria station: A silhouette of Queen Victoria to honour the monarch that the station was named after.
Oxford Circus station: Another abstract design that represents the underground lines (Central, Bakerloo and Victoria, of course) that run through the station.
Highbury & Islington station: This design shows a castle which once stood in the area.
Seven Sisters station: This mural shows seven trees, from which the area was named.
Blackhorse Road station: A black horse to honour the name of the station.
Warren Street station: Much like Brixton station, another pun, in that this design shows a maze, also known as a warren.
Walthamstow station: This design is a homage to artist William Morris who once lived in the area and is now home to the Wiliam Morris Gallery.
Euston station: This mural depicts the Euston Arch, which used to standat the station until its demolition in the 60s.
Finsbury Park station: These tiles show two pistols crossed over one another as apparently this part of London was once known as a popular duelling site.
Have you spotted any of these the last time you were on the Victoria Line?
