Kingsway Tram and Chord Show

Today I got the opportunity to visit an art installation called Chord. It's done by a man named Conrad Shawcross and you can read all about it here.

However, since I know that you are a discerning reader and don't like to click links a lot, I'll sum it up for you.

Man makes large machines. Much in the style of the "tunnel cleaning machines" from the movie Labyrinth. If you never saw that movie, get out. In the movie, they are scary round machines that clean the tunnels. These ones are large spidery machines from which several dozen spools of thread are attached. The machines face each other and turn slowly, creating a rope between them. I'm sure there is something deep and artistic to write here about art, but I won't. It's cool, which is enough.

Although I have to admit, the real reason I went to the art installation is because it's being held in part of the now disused Kingsway Tram. This tram hasn't been used since it was shut in 1953, and as is common with many disused tube stations, they just shut the doors, leaving the original posters and walls intact:

Including some walls intact with old newspaper clippings and adverts. The wall was quite dirty and I couldn't make out an exact date on any of the papers.

And an old tube map! How exciting!

Auction anyone? You'll need a time machine to get there.

If you'd like to read more about the Kingsway Tram, you can on Wikipedia here and on "Subterranean London" page here and here.

I'm so very pleased that they let me take photos here, and I'm thinking about booking another slot to go down before the exhibition is over in a month. It's not every day you get to wander around an abandoned station. Very cool.