Video: The Secrets Of The Victoria Line

By · March 18, 2013 at 12:30 pm · 24 Comments · Miscellaneous · Report an error ·

Look carefully at the wall tiles next time you travel on the Victoria Line. They hold many hidden messages and symbols. In this short video, Geoff Marshall travels along the whole route, looking out for unusual patterns, the network’s biggest roundel, vanished station names and other curiosities. Even the most jaded of commuters will find something to enliven their journey.

Geoff Marshall knows a thing or two about the Tube network, having previously held the world record for visiting all the stations in one day. He’s also the brains behind the Station Master App. Geoff’s keen to build on this feature to cover all the Tube lines, so please help spread the word by sharing this video through the usual channels.

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  • Simon

    No Oxford Circus?

  • Konstantin

    interesting :)

    but Highbury Islington tube station has a far more exciting past that the old building you showed.

    It used to look as grand as this before the war

  • vickster

    Poor old Vauxhall obviously has nothing interesting about it….

  • Geoff Marshall

    It should be noted that Tottenham Hale and Vauxhall got cut from the final edit or it would have been too long. I did have facts about the but they’re not the best.

    Oxford Circus and Euston I’m hoping to cover when (and if) I do other lines.

    Also, Waterloo & City line is also also completely underground, but how many people consider that a proper tube line? :-) [operationally speaking, it's part of the Central Line anyway]

    What line would people like me to do next?

    • http://twitter.com/Katkimjac Kathy May

      do the oldest ones and work forward? :)

    • al

      Enjoyed this, but you can’t really claim it to be every station on the Victoria line then can you? No Tottenham Hale either?

    • Philip

      Metropolitan! Loved the video, can’t wait to see more.

    • http://twitter.com/totallygone Simon Saunders

      Operationally speaking, I thought it was a drain that had been re-purposed but not renamed. ;-)

  • Richie

    “Only tube line to run entirely underground” – Waterloo & City anyone?

  • http://twitter.com/Katkimjac Kathy May

    very interesting, never knew what the tiles, but not think i will have a closer look! thanks for sharing Geoff!!

  • pat86

    What are the directions for the Kings X Victoria line shortcut please? I always get the Northern Line instead because there’s a shorter walk than that long walk down the tunnel from VIctoria line platform to exit. Looked in the video like you follow the signs for the Northern Line?

  • http://www.facebook.com/vix.proctor Vix Proctor

    What happen to Oxford Circus and Vauxhall??

    • MattFromLondonist

      As Geoff says above, he’s saving them for when he covers other lines.

      • http://www.facebook.com/lee.hunter.549 Lee Hunter

        Vauxhall isn’t on any other tube lines. Can you people not even check the most basic facts? Have you any idea how infuriating it is when people set themselves up as expert representatives of our beloved city and then CAN’T DO THE JOB? You should rename yourselves Londonish because if you were genuine you couldn’t possibly not know this stuff.

        • MattFromLondonist

          True, but he specifically explains why he cut Vauxhall from the mix. “It should be noted that Tottenham Hale and Vauxhall got cut from the final edit or it would have been too long. I did have facts about the but they’re not the best.”

          • outraged

            How much is too long? cant be more than 10 seconds per section, are Londonist Readers supposed to have to short an attention span? Pimlico is covered on the dodgey basis of a light and least used and omit one of the busiest interchanged. Come on try harder! There must be something, from the bus station, the arches, the old pleasure gardens (the new eh hem pleasure gardens, secret tunnels to MI6 ?

  • Iain

    Pat86 – be at the front of the Victoria train coming southbound (or rear northbound) then there’s an exit to your left. Take this then turn right (if coming from the southbound) and then a few yards down on the right is the small staircase Geoff mentions. At the bottom you have the Piccadilly to your right and a short escalator down to the Northern

  • Iain

    just re-read and I wasn’t clear – Northern escalators to your left

  • http://twitter.com/stephenmid Stephen Middleton

    Specially loved the tile colour change at Green Park.

  • Kris in Hawaii

    Next time I go I’m heading straight for the Oyster free gate.

  • Onionwoman

    I thought thus was a very interesting and informative video. Next time I am in London I will look out for these tiles.

  • straighttogold09

    Could you still say what the facts were for Tottenham Hale and Vauxhall?

  • Tom

    Nice one Geoff! Though the 1904 building at Highbury became disused in 1968 as the Victoria Line opened, not 1975.

  • milesaugust

    Loved this, more please….

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