Saturday, February 6, 2021

Marlborough Road


This peculiar building stands at the corner of Finchley Road and Queen's Grove, not far from where I work. It doesn't seem to be occupied now, but you can tell it used to be something, right? (Besides just providing a window ledge for the traffic warden to write tickets.)


Well, back in the '90s, it was a Chinese restaurant. But long before that...


...it was the Marlborough Road tube station. There used to be stations here and at Lord's cricket ground, both on the Metropolitan Line. They were both closed in 1939 when the current St. John's Wood station opened, served by the Bakerloo Line. In 1979, the Jubilee Line took over this Bakerloo branch, and continues running through this area and up to Stanmore.

So there's your history lesson for the day! (These pictures are from Richard Tames's book "St. John's Wood and Maida Vale Past," which we have in our library.)

Olga has been on my last nerve all night. She's been demanding to be let out every four hours or so, and then when she comes in her paws are all muddy from running around in our quagmire of a garden. I had to wash her feet at 2 a.m., and I should have done it again at 4 a.m. but I didn't have the patience! I don't know if she's just excited because she's hearing foxes doing springtime foxy things, or if something's wrong with her stomach or what. In a word, high maintenance. (Okay, two words.)

This week we began offering curbside pickup for library books. There are still some kinks to work out in the system, but at least we're now able to make books available to our patrons, and I never have to come face-to-face with them. They just pick up the books from a cart at the front of the school. We're still not expecting school to reopen until March at the earliest.

Dave and I still haven't heard anything about vaccines, but I see from the government's guidelines that everyone over 50 is supposed to be inoculated by the end of March. So presumably we'll be hearing something within the next several weeks.

41 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

What a great photos series! Olga and our cats are lucky they're cute.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I never anticipated that that building might have started out life as a tube station. To me it looked like an old bank. If you bought Olga some little doggie wellingtons you would not have to clean up her paws in the early hours.

Ursula said...

Thanks for the laugh (re the jab). March? Don't know what your main source of info is, mine says May. Or maybe targets within London are different to the rest of the country. What I'd like to know, and will find out, whether the individual will have a choice of which vaccine to go for. Probably not. Luck of the draw. It's just that I have more confidence in some countries and their science than others. Still, if cautious Germany buys from Russia then anything goes. Make mine a Putin - a large one.

In Olga's defense I'd say she is very considerate. Better to do her business outdoors than in. Spare a thought for the carpets of him who I am not allowed to mention by name. In that context cats are definitely easier - the cat flap lets themselves in (and the whole neighbourhood) and out. I also always provided a litter tray - just in case it was raining cats and dogs outside.

They did Tube stations so much better in the olden days. Atmospheric. Your little snipe at traffic wardens made me smile. Still, they are human too. If not popular. Smile at them on their rounds, talk to them and they prove a mine of information on all sorts.

Currently enveloped in thick fog reminiscent of a Hitchcock murder or two,
U

Bob said...

Gorgeous building back in the day.

Ms. Moon said...

Buildings were made to last then, weren't they? It really is a classic design and shape and could lend itself to another business, I think. I hope it is.
Thank you for being curious and doing the work and presenting your findings to us.

Anonymous said...

Love seeing the photos of the building and learning a bit of its history. Did you scan the pics from the book or find them online?
Hope all is well for Olga.

Red said...

The joys and pleasures of having a smart dog!

37paddington said...

Love the story of that building. It has character, which makes me wonder why it hasn't been put to some other use. I guess it's good Olga has a back yard, even a muddy one!

ellen abbott said...

I wouldn't have thought a restaurant or a tube station (tube stations are not in my experience), looked more like a place of worship or an event venue.

my cat likes to come in in the middle of the night when she hears me stirring to get petted. if I won't comply she keeps patting my face with her paw until I do. talk about annoying.

Steve Reed said...

Oh yeah, they are saying by May now -- if that means May 1 it's just a delay of a few more weeks. I don't care which vaccine they give me. I'll take any of 'em.

Steve Reed said...

Those bollards certainly make it look secure like a bank. I read on Wikipedia that it now contains an energy substation for the tube system, which is presumably why it's protected.

Steve Reed said...

I love seeing those historical pictures! Olga's cuteness will only take her so far. :)

Steve Reed said...

It was, wasn't it? The more modern tube stations, built in the early 20th century, are even more remarkable.

Steve Reed said...

I'd love to see what it looks like inside, just out of curiosity.

Steve Reed said...

I scanned them. I'm assuming the second one, in particular, is in the public domain, being so old.

Steve Reed said...

Well, as Ursula said above, at least she troubled us to go outside rather than just having an accident in the house!

Steve Reed said...

Apparently (according to Wikipedia) it is occupied by an energy substation for the tube system. I have no idea what that really means, but it is being used for something.

Steve Reed said...

Having seen other former tube stations, I can see it, but I never would have guessed that off the bat. Olga sometimes wants to be petted during the night too, and I have to hide my hands under the blankets or she keeps nudging them. Fortunately she hasn't tried to nudge my face!

Linda Sue said...

Oh I would bet you a nickel that under that building is some interesting stuff, old tiles maybe, a tunnel, and a community of whiskered furry creatures. That would be fun to explore.
When Dexter got to be an old pooch, it was like having a new born- no sleep, lots of work, discomfort for him. Another reason I do not get another dog.

Steve Reed said...

LOL -- I'm sure there are furry creatures! I would love to see the interior. Since it spent years as a Chinese restaurant, I bet there are traces of that, too.

Sharon said...

I got my first dose last night. Today, I'm nursing a sore arm. It's the strangest thing. Yes, my arm has had a small sore spot before when I get the flu vaccine each year but this is different. I woke up at 3:30 in intense pain. It felt like my arm had been ripped from the socket. Now isn't that a strange reaction? My boss got the vaccine two weeks ago and said her arm hurt for a day or two but I thought she just meant that normal bruise-like sore spot. Maybe it was more than that. Anyway, regardless I'm happy to get it and I'll be back on March 2nd to get the second dose. By the way, my friend David drove me because it was so far away and so late at night. He was able to get the vaccine too even though he's only in his 50's. We had heard they were pretty generous on the late night appointments and it turns out they were.

Sharon said...

I forgot to say: I enjoyed the history of that building. It does look more like a tube station than a restaurant. However, it might make a good pub in the future.

Margaret said...

Over 50? I wish they were doing it that way here. It's 65+ in my state, and I'm 64. :( That's an interesting building with quite a history.

Angelicastar said...

I think Olga might be faking it sometimes like my little Queen and Milo. I don't trust it, so I let them outside in the back yard. When I decide to look out there they are sitting down being nosey. I take them out between 5 and 5:30 am, 8:30am and around noon. They go out again between 4:30 and 5pm. They eat their dinner and out again at 7. (lol) I try to keep their bodies empty.

Thanks for the history on London buildings. They are beautiful buildings and built to stand for many years. I know I probably will never get there but thanks for taking me there with your blog. The houses are beautiful also. They all seem to be built to last forever.

Ellen D. said...

In your first picture, at first I thought the building was sitting in water! It certainly is wet there, huh?!

Catalyst said...

Marlborough Road looks like Marlborough River in your photo. Hoping you and Dave will get your vaccine soon.

Sabine said...

Olga's kidneys acting up? Pee is always more urgent at night with the elderly females.

That building is impressive in its way, I wonder how much of the underground structures are still there.

I have been told that I'll be in line for vaccine in February but not whether it's this year or next.

Moving with Mitchell said...

That's exactly what SG said to Dudo and Moose at 2:00 this morning. Well, not exactly. The language was a bit more colorful... A LOT more colorful.

Edna B said...

That's a beautiful building. (first photo) Wonder why it couldn't be used to house homeless folks or animals? Have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

Anonymous said...

I would have never guessed the purpose of the building. Very interesting.

The Padre said...

Thanx For Sharing The Rich History And Photos - Olga Girl Knows Why, Just Ask Her - However, I Feel Your Late Night Pain Because We Know She Sleeps Comfortable All Day - But You Can Hind A Biscuit From Uncle T Regardless - Stay Strong

Cheers

Steve Reed said...

How strange! I'm glad you were both able to get shots, although the arm pain doesn't sound like any fun. :/

Steve Reed said...

But eventually they'll be doing 60-65, right? That's how it is here -- they subdivide the population into age groups (in five-year chunks) and work their way down the list.

Steve Reed said...

The older buildings here are very solid, although I suspect they also take a lot of maintenance work. Newer ones are just as shoddy as they are all over the world!

Olga, it turns out, wasn't faking -- she had an upset tummy.

Steve Reed said...

Ha! Now that you say it, I can see how you'd have that impression -- but the sidewalks were just wet. We've had a ton of rain lately.

Steve Reed said...

Ha! It really IS just a road with a wet surface. The standing water is an illusion!

Steve Reed said...

No, this wasn't pee, it was poo. I think she just ate something that gave her the runs. (At the risk of giving you too much detail.) Like someone said yesterday, at least she was demanding to go outside!

Steve Reed said...

Apparently it's not really vacant, although the doors and windows are all sealed. It's some kind of energy substation for the tube system.

Steve Reed said...

I thought you'd especially get a kick out of it, Andrew, given your affinity for public transportation!

Steve Reed said...

She sleeps comfortably about 23 hours per day!

Janie Junebug said...

I hope your turn for the vaccine arrives quickly, and mine! So nice that you can put out books to be picked up.

Love,
Janie