This is Brockley. Alight here for...
There are a lot of unexpected details that the tube's arrival in Brockley has turned up.
- The tannoy announcer system struggles to keep up with the frequency of the new service, so anyone hanging around the station for more than a few minutes is subjected to an unremitting stream of live commentary on arrivals, departures and delays.
- Brockley Station now feels naked without a proper tube map.
- And the East London Line stations themselves are one of the best illustrations of the north / south divide in London. Every station north of the river feels like a major metropolitan hub – every station south, with the exception of Canada Water, feels sleepy and provincial.
But the thing that has most struck us is that when you arrive at New Cross Gate, you’re told to alight for Goldsmiths. At Brockley, we’ve got nothing. There is no reason to get off. Even at Surrey Quays they offer you the chance to change trains.
So if the operating company were willing to change the commentary to give passengers a sense of what they are missing every time they pass through Brockley, what would we ask people to alight for?