In a city as tightly packed as London, it’s a struggle to fit everything we need.
The people who built it and continue to do so, have had to resort to some pretty clever solutions to making the most of the space.
Looking at our rail and London Underground stations you can really see this ingenuity.
Blackfriars is a station built over the Thames. Heron Quays is one built in a skyscaper.
And over in West London there is a station built underneath a river.
Sloane Square Station has the River Westbourne flowing right over the platforms.
Passengers who want to look up and see the fishes will disappointed though.
It runs through a large iron conduit that can be seen by those waiting for the next train.
The river rises in Hampstead and Brondesbury Park before flowing through Kilburn and down through Bayswater.
From there it cuts through Hyde Park and into the bougie parts of West London including past Sloane Square, finally running out into the river near Chelsea Bridge.
Although it’s covered for it’s entire length, you’re not missing out on much.
It’s also not the nicest of rivers, having been turned into a storm drain/ sewer during the 19th Century.
When the station was built they had to incorporate this sewage pipe/river over it.
Around 17 million people use the station every year with many oblivious to the river (and sewage) flowing above their heads.
