Sudbury Town station itself is a delight for anyone interested in design. Originally at the end of the line, it was designed by Charles Holden (1931) It is best viewed from the end of Station Road. The clean lines of the façade, inspired by Scandinavian architecture of the period, are reflected in the spacious, interior and cantilevered concrete roofs of the platforms. There are all sorts of fascinating details. For instance, on the right hand side as you enter there is an original deco newspaper kiosk above which, high up on the wall, is a barometer. The wooden ticket office has been retained and, wonder of wonders, still contains a Westinghouse Rapid Printer, complete with roll-top lid – truly a collectors items. (Serious nerds should click here for further info) LINK
About ten minutes walk from Sudbury Tube station is a small municipal park in the gardens of a demolished Victorian residence which belonged to Sir George Barham founder of the Express Dairy in 1864. On his death in 1937 Titus Barham, son of Sir George, left Barham House to Wembley Borough Council. Sadly the Council let the house go to rack and ruin and it was demolished in 1957. The cheerful low black and white buildings that now house the local library are part of the eighteenth century mansion that once stood on the site. In the park are pergolas, walled gardens and lawns with lovely trees. A pleasant place to go if you happen to be in the area. To reach it, go straight out of the station and turn left at the bottom of the road to cross over into the park.
An alternative might be go to Horsenden Hill, about ten minutes walk away from the Tube in the other direction, turning left from the station into Station Crescent and then left again into Allendale Road. For full details go to the entry for Perivale.
MAP
Sudbury Town is just one walk from the many to be found at London Tube Rambles. There are architectural gems, beautiful country views, historic places and whacky buildings to be found, even in the most unpromising areas covered by the Greater London Underground stations. Usually the places listed 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 go to www.londontuberambles.co.uk to see the other destinations explored . You'll be amazed at what's out there!
© DR2007