London Bridge Station

I hate London Bridge Station.

Whenever I go there it’s either to go see a doctor about something medical, so I’m probably sick and/or in pain; or I’m heading to visit friends South of the River and this is my second change and third train.

(Any northside Londoner will tell you the South may as well be another country.)

(I actively try to avoid any journey that involves three trains. Two trains, one change, OK. Three trains, two changes, no way.)

So today, after an inconclusive doctor’s appointment, I join the rush hour throng jamming onto the Northern line.

(Any Londoner who lives anywhere will tell you the Northern line is the worst of all the Tube lines.)

So in the midst of post-doc rush-hour rainy-day gloom, comes the pink braided station announcer.

When I arrived on the platform she was regaling passengers with some story about the Titanic and the QEII. And people were smiling. (Yes, rush hour passengers on the Northern line, smiling.)

I didn’t have much time to experience her fantastic patter as the next train arrived shortly after the previous one departed. “Mill Hill people!” she calls, “This is your time! You should board this train.”

As I got on the train she was still pattering away, even her door closing announcement had character. “Doors are closing, mind the closing doors, here we go… bip-bip-bip-bip-bip-bip-bip.”

(It was a pretty good impression of the closing door warning sound.)

So to the woman with the pink braids making station announcements on the Northbound Northern line today, I salute you.