Sometimes, things are not what they seem.
The five story terraced Georgian house at 23/24 Leinster Gardens is a case a point.
It's not a house at all.
The Metropolitan Line was the first underground train line in the world, and was opened on 10 January 1863 after three years of construction. The subterranean portions of the line were constructed using the "cut and cover" method, which involved digging a trench for the tunnel and subsequently covering it over.
The trains were steam-powered, which meant they had to "vent off" regularly. Even though they were fitted with condensers to reduce smoke and steam in the tunnels, these had to be vented regularly into open air. The railway company therefore needed to make sure that there were open stretches of railway at regular intervals.
So they bought the house at 23/34 Leinster Gardens. And demolished it.
But Leinster Gardens was in a very upmarket area of London. So the company maintained the full five-storey facade, complete with balconies, fake windows and a fake front door.
There are some clues to its nature. The windows are simply painted onto concrete, and the front door has no letter box.
It remains one of the few blank facades in London.
Location
23/24 Leinster Gardens, London, W2 51° 30' 45.2" N, 0° 11' 0.39" W
Recommended reading
A History of the Metropolitan Railway
Tags
Railway, Transport, Architecture
| < Prev |
|---|
