GOLDHAWK ROAD (Hammersmith and City Line)
SHEPHERD'S BUSH MARKET (H. and City Line)
SHEPHERD'S BUSH (Central Line)
An exploration from LONDON TUBE RAMBLES
Start from Goldhawk Road Tube, taking the right hand exit and crossing Goldhawk Road at the traffic lights to reach Shepherd's Bush Market. This runs all the way along a railway viaduct and opens six days a week (not Sunday). It's a proper (not tourist) market with a predominantly ethnic flavour. When you get to the end you will see Shepherds Bush Market station on the other side of the road. Walk to the right for the Bush Theatre, well known for supporting new playwrights. If you think the building looks somewhat municipal, you would be correct - in 2010 the theatre moved from its home above the Bush pub to a redundant public library. Proceed to the green and turn right to find a building which was constructed in 1910 as the Shepherd's Bush Palladium, you can still see the long terracotta plaque along a side wall: 'CINEMATIC THEATRE CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE SEATS 1/- 6d & 3d.' 
Next comes the Shepherd's Bush Empire, (the O2 Empire) which opened in 1903 as a music hall. Now a famous music venue. Go to the end of Shepherd's Bush Green and cross to Shepherd's Bush Road. Soon you will see an unusually ornate (former) Baptist Chapel and next to that a large, 1930's block of flats, The Grampians. This has a splendid Art Deco forecourt complete with curved shop windows in front of a monumental entrance. Make your way back to the green and take the diagonal path across the large grassy space which is edged with old plane trees.
Turn right along the Uxbridge Road to see the striking statue of an angel on the war memorial. Believe it or not there was once a night club in the old toilets opposite.
Return to the Uxbridge Road, and go left to cross at the lights, walking to the right until you reach Plimley Place. Slip through this to get to a surprise. Shepherd's Bush Place is full of cottages with small front gardens and traditional white picket fences. Sadly, some of them now look out on to a blank wall of the new (2008) Shepherd's Bush station. Originally built in 1900, it was completely reconstructed to service the tempting Westfield Shopping Centre just round the corner.
Note:You might want to check that Queens Park Rangers are not playing at home, as their Loftus Road stadium is nearby.
MAP
www.londontuberambles.co.uk
This is just one walk from the many to be found at London Tube Rambles. There are architectural gems, beautiful country views, historic places and quirky buildings to be found, in the area covered by the outer London Underground stations. Usually the discoveries are within a mile of the Tube - often only five minutes walk away. If you reached this as an individual page via a search engine, you might like to click on the link above and see the other destinations explored. You'll be amazed at what's out there!
© DR
