M@

Why Is There A Tube Train Inside An Aldgate Office?

Heading out of Aldgate East underground station a while back, we were puzzled to spot this partial tube carriage lurking in the lobby of an office block.

A peculiar piece of corporate art? Or has some driver taken a very wrong turn?

Turns out that the carriage serves as a waiting room and break-out space for the various companies that inhabit the Relay Building, recently built by Hondo Enterprises above Aldgate East.

Design practice Acrylicize were commissioned to provide a seating area for the building's lobby. They hit upon the idea of using an old underground carriage, prompted by the building's location above the District and Hammersmith & City line tracks. Many of the original features of the C Stock carriage remain intact, though fortunately not the wheels. At the same time, the non-rolling stock has been refitted for office use. Here's someone using the Wi-Fi:

Those working in the building can live the dream and pretend to drive the tube train whenever they like.

The tube remnant is not open to the public, though you can easily catch a glimpse through the windows of the lobby next to the western entrance of Aldgate East (north side of the road).

We've featured train-themed work by Acrylicize before. The same company produced this ticket sculpture at Paddington station.

Top image by M@. All other images courtesy of Acrylicize.