Spyder: Research in London

The setting for my current TV series project, Spyder, is central London so I recently did some research in the capital to find an exact location where the series could be set. I initially chose London because it has many icons that are considered indigenous to England, the United Kingdom, their cultures and the English/British public. On thinking of England and the UK, many people think of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Thames, Tower Bridge, the London Eye and so on - all in central London.

I chose to look at two London Underground stations in central London as a setting for the Spyder Service Headquarters, since the tube is used by millions of people every day but also has many places where the general public don't go.

These photos show the exterior of Aldwych Station, known as Stand Station when first opened. It was served by the Piccadilly line but was closed in 1994. An abandoned tube station seemed a perfect location for the setting of the series. Part of the station is still used as offices, but the most part of the station very rarely sees any activity at all, besides tours for rail enthusiasts.

Building still in use as offices - note the open windows, lights on and modern seating.

The other tube station I looked at was the interior of Westminster station - the station closest to iconic London landmarks including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and a busy section of the River Thames.

 
 

The station is one of the Underground's busiest and one of the oldest and newest stations on the network - the Circle and District line platforms opened in 1868; the Jubilee line platforms in 1999. Such a huge station means loads of passages, corridors, levels, rooms, platforms and cupboards - a place used by millions of people daily, but also there are places humans don't go. Such a location in central London is the setting I have had in mind for the Spyder series.

 

             

Driver's eye view - Bank station, Docklands Light Railway

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