Tube Station Roulette

By Tise Ojo

I’m absolutely in love with the London Tube. How could you not? The fact that you can get from one end of the city to the other in just 30 minutes is nothing short of miraculous. I mean, think about it: you could be in trendy Shoreditch one moment and sipping tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace the next! And let’s not even get to the quirky station names that add so much character to the system. If you’ve ever found yourself chuckling at the names of the British tube stations, you’re definitely not alone. There are some stations on the London Underground that sound like they were named by someone who had a bit too much to drink or had a particularly strange sense of humor.

These were my personal favs:

1. Cockfosters. Yes, you read that right. Cockfosters is the northern terminus of the Piccadilly line, and its name has been the source of countless jokes over the years. It’s not entirely clear where the name comes from, but one theory is that it’s a corruption of “cock forester,” which referred to someone who looked after the king’s game birds.

2. Piccadilly Circus. I’m sorry you had to find out this way but it’s not a circus with clowns and acrobats, but a place where you can get lost in a sea of tourists and flashy billboards. The station is named after the street it’s located on, which was named after the piccadill, a type of stiff collar that was fashionable in the 17th century. Today, the station is known for its brightly lit advertising screens and street performers, making it a popular spot for tourists.

3. Tooting Bec. To me, this name for a tube station is absolutely hilarious. Call me childish but I still laugh at silly words like ‘toot.’ Tooting is a district in south London, and Tooting Bec is the name of the nearby park.

4. Canada Water. This station was named after the former Canada Dock of the Surrey Commercial Docks. It’s not a particularly funny name on its own, but when you think about it, it’s kind of odd that there’s a station named after Canada in south London. Maybe they just wanted to make sure Canadian tourists felt at home?

5. King’s Cross. One of the most iconic tube stations in London; it had to make this list. A station that’s more famous for its platform 9 3/4 than for its actual trains. Don’t try to run through the wall, you might hurt yourself. Legend has it that the name comes from a statue of King George IV that once stood at the junction of Gray’s Inn Road, Pentonville Road, and Euston Road. The statue was removed in 1845, but the name King’s Cross stuck.

All in all, the London Tube is a marvel of transportation engineering and a true testament to British ingenuity. Whether you’re commuting to work or exploring the city as a tourist, the Tube is an essential part of the London experience. So next time you’re on the train, take a moment to appreciate the magic of this world-famous system.”