Loughton Underground station

The main structure (ticket hall) of the station consists of a high, square block dominated by large arched windows and is a Grade II listed building.

However what I like about Loughton are the platforms which are graceful, gull-winged shaped reinforced canopies.

Gants Hill underground station

Gants Hill tube station is at the eastern end of the Central Line; located beneath a very busy roundabout it is the easternmost station to be completely underground on the London Underground network. During the Second World War the station was used as an air raid shelter and the tunnels as a munitions factory for the nearby Plessey electronics firm. The interesting part of the station though is the lower concourse which is rather beautiful and brings to mind the stations on the Moscow underground system, probably because the LU architect Charles Holden advised on the construction of the Moscow Metro.

Newbury Park tube station

The second in the exciting new (occasional) series 'my favourite underground stations' is Newbury Park which is situated at the eastern end of the Central Line. To be entirely accurate it's not the underground station which is the interesting part of Newbury Park station, it's the adjacent bus station. It was designed by Oliver Hill, and opened on 6 July 1949. Distinguished by the copper covered barrel-vaulted roof, the structure, now 'listed' as being of architectural merit, also won a Festival of Britain architectural award in 1951.  The rest of the station's proposed reconstruction was not completed due to lack of money - plus ca change!

Aldgate East tube station

One of my favourite underground stations (and kicking off the new occasional Kunst Critique series 'My favourite London Underground stations') although it's hard to explain why. It's shabby and the yellow hue given off by the tiles reminds me of the inside of the smoking carriges back when smoking was still permitted on the underground (it seems amazing now and the smoking cars were truly disgusting). I like the view from the entrance/exit at both ends of the station looking down on the platforms, although possibly the best thing about it is it's only yards from the Whitechapel Gallery and Freedom Books, the anarchist bookshop.