The Magic Door was just a brief glimpse of what the tube had to offer, its treasure there for the taking if you knew where to look. Unlike Paris, little remains in the tube stations of london. The glamorous tiles, signs and decals stripped away to reveal the cold concrete underbelly. Sure the platforms and general structures still exist, but much like a hooker without makeup, its just not as appealing. However small relics and gems are still there to be discovered by the observant traveler.

Mark Lane opened in 1884 on the Circle & District line as a replacement to the nearby Tower of London station. Renamed Tower Hill in 1946 it remained in service until 1967. Its closure was due to the opening of the newer Tower Hill station at the original Tower of London stop.

Covered in grease and grime we descended into the unknown. Creeping our way through the dusty remains, old posters advertising cars and alcohol remained untouched on the walls. Eventually we emerged onto the platform, loud grumbling’s of trains audible in both directions.

As with most types of exploration the main objective is not to be seen, the tube is no different. With a train passing every minute staying hidden and taking photographs proved to be a difficult task. Thankfully Transport For London had been nice enough to build a metal barrier around a portion of the platform, a small sanctuary for those who visit. We darted in and out of our sheltered safety, grabbing what pictures we could before the last service rolled past, time to leave.

The London Underground had once again shown weakness in its defences, its image of impregnability now blurred and tattered around the edges. But this was only the beginning.