Who's London
The following tour can be undertaken easily within a single day, and takes in several notable locations from a variety of stories. It also takes in many of the major landmarks of England's capital, not to mention the all-important science-fiction bookshops.
It does involve quite a lot of walking, so I don't advise that elderly relatives, or people who are unable to walk for long distances take part. However, for anyone young, fit, and visiting London, it hopefully forms an enjoyable day out. The rough time to walk the Waterloo to Tower Bridge section is 4 hours. This does not include the additional trip down Wapping High Street to the final two locations which may add another 40 minutes to the timing, there and back. Finally, needless to say, it is a walk preferably undertaken on a day when it is not pouring with rain - a good spring, summer or autumn day would be ideal, although if you particularly like the cold, then go for it in winter.
ITINERARY
The tour starts at London's WATERLOO STATION, which can be reached by British Rail overground trains from the south of England, and also by London Underground. Waterloo is on the underground's Northern Line (black on the tube map). Waterloo East is effectively the same station, although it is on a different overground line, serving the mainline Charing Cross and London Bridge stations, and is not on the underground.
LOCATION 1
Leave Waterloo station by either of the WATERLOO ROAD exits. There are two ways of doing this: one exit is situated opposite platforms 1-3 on Waterloo's main station concourse which takes you straight down onto Waterloo Road (Exit 2). The other exit is reached by heading up the escalators roughly in the centre of the station (beside a Burger King) towards Waterloo East station. Across a walkway over Waterloo Road, on the right hand side and before you reach the ticket machines for Waterloo East, is an exit down a great many stairs to SANDELL STREET.
Follow Sandell Street away from the station and turn left under the railway bridge. First on the left is BRAD STREET. Go down this road (which takes you alongside the railway arches) until you come to WINDMILL WALK.
Under the bridge here is where the battle between the Daleks and the Special Weapons Dalek took place in Remembrance of the Daleks.
Windmill Walk
From WINDMILL WALK, turn left and head towards THEED STREET. On the way, you'll pass a pub on the left, the King's Arms, which was where Sylvester McCoy was interviewed for the Mastervision video documentary The Doctors.
Left down Theed Street on the left is the doorway, still with its 'Beware of the Dog' sign, that the Doctor and Ace hid behind whilst avoiding Daleks in Remembrance of the Daleks.
Theed Street - door
Also in THEED STREET, across the road and down a little from the doorway, is where the location for Ratcliffe's Yard from Remembrance of the Daleks used to be. This has now been redeveloped into office-flats and looks little like the actual location. Never mind.
Theed Street - Site of Ratcliffe's Yard
From THEED STREET, turn right down CORNWALL STREET, and cross the busy STAMFORD STREET, heading for the Thames. Continue down CORNWALL STREET and cross UPPER GROUND. In front of you is the National Theatre complex which was used as the Earth prison complex in Frontier in Space.
The National Theatre Complex - walkway
Head along the Thames towards BLACKFRIARS bridge. This takes you past the London Weekend Television building (the white tower on the right).
Just past the LWT building is GABRIEL WHARF, a small shopping and restaurant open-air area where you can stop to eat if you wish.
Slightly further along is the OXO TOWER. Eating here costs a fortune and you have to book, but it is worth ascending via the lifts on the side of the building farthest from the Thames. There is a bar and a viewing gallery on the 8th floor which give superb panoramic views of the Thames, including the GPO TOWER to the left, prominently used in The War Machines. Drinks are expensive, but the cost of a cappaucino or a fruit drink (around two pounds fifty pence at time of writing) is worth it to enjoy a drink while taking in the view. You don't have to pay or buy anything to use the gallery, however, so this can be done for zero cost if you're on a budget.
Descending from the Oxo Tower, continue along the Thames and head under BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE. Shortly, on the right, is the new Tate Gallery of Modern Art. Also here is the Millennium Footbridge which links the north and south sides of the Thames.
Across the Thames can be seen ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, made famous during the Cyberman invasion in The Invasion. This location is not visited on this particular walk, although you can nip across the Millennium bridge for a quick look now, or call in on the way back from Tower Hill at the end if you have time.
Further along the Thames, and on the right, is the new Globe Theatre. Not a Doctor Who location as such, although one of the streets used during The Talons of Weng Chiang, SKIN MARKET PLACE, was demolished to make way for the Globe complex.
LOCATION 5
Behind the Globe Theatre is BANKSIDE, and off this is EMERSON STREET. This was again used in The Talons of Weng-Chiang
LOCATION 6
Just past the Globe, and under SOUTHWARK BRIDGE, you come to the ANCHOR PUB. This is one of the oldest pubs in London, and another good place to rest awhile. Facing you as you approach the pub is CLINK WHARF which was used as streets around the Palace Theatre in The Talons of Weng-Chiang where the TARDIS arrived in episode 1.
Left past the pub is CLINK STREET, which was where Mr Sin attacked the cab driver Buller in episode one of The Talons of Weng-Chiang. I believe that the place used was the corner around mid-way down the narrow street which is now the entrance to The Clink, a museum based on the original London gaol which gave its name to all the others.
Clink Street
Continue following the road past the Cathedral and go under LONDON BRIDGE. Following this road straight on will take you onto TOOLEY STREET and on the right are the LONDON DUNGEONS, another great place to visit if you have a macabre state of mind.
Just past the LONDON DUNGEONS, on the left hand side of the road is an archway leading into HAYS GALLERIA. Opposite the Archway on Tooley Street is where the SPACE ADVENTURE ride used to be situated. This had a Doctor Who exhibit for a year or so in the late eighties, and was where the 25th anniversary launch party for the show was held. The press photographs of Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred with the cake were taken beside the arch leading to the Galleria.
Head through the arch to the Thames. Within the Galleria there are several pubs, expensive restaurants and sandwich bars. When you reach the Thames (passing an amazing kinetic sculpture called The Navigator in the middle of the Galleria), turn right and continue along the bank of the Thames, passing HMS BELFAST moored on the left. HMS Belfast was used as the location for the independent video drama Shakedown.
Continue along the Thames towards TOWER BRIDGE. On the far side of the Thames can be seen the TOWER OF LONDON. Never used as a Doctor Who location, the Tower is, never the less, a big tourist attraction.
LOCATION 7
Follow the pathway under TOWER BRIDGE and emerge into SHAD THAMES. This street has been extensively renovated, but still retains the overhead walkways that made its use in Doctor Who so memorable. This was in Resurrection of the Daleks and it was the main location street for the scenes set in London. Today, the street is lined with shops, and the old warehouses have been converted into flats. It's still an impressive place, however.
Shad Thames
Off to the left as you go down SHAD THAMES is an archway that leads to BUTLER'S WHARF. This was where the TARDIS arrived in Resurrection of the Daleks and from where a good view of Tower Bridge can be enjoyed.
Butler's Wharf
Off Shad Thames to the right are two streets, also used as locations in Resurrection of the Daleks. These are CURLEW STREET and LAFONE STREET. The latter is where Colonel Archer tried to make a telephone call - the call box does not exist, however - the former has been redeveloped and now looks totally unlike it did in the show. It is where the massacre of the fleeing slaves took place at the start of part 1, where the bomb disposal team arrived, the Dalek explosions in parts 1 and 2 and Lytton's escape in part 2.
Lafone Street
Retrace your steps down Shad Thames and ascend a flight of steps up onto Tower Bridge. Looking across the Thames, on the opposite side of the bank, immediately beside the bridge, is the entrance to ST KATHARINE'S DOCK. This was used as street scenes for The Talons of Weng-Chiang. To get to the dock, you must cross Tower Bridge and then turn left onto EAST SMITHFIELD and then immediately turn right into ST KATHARINE'S WAY. The entrance to the Dock is on the left.
LOCATION 11
If you're feeling fit, then contine down ST KATHARINE'S WAY and bear left. Follow St Katharine's Way until it becomes WAPPING HIGH STREET. Continue along Wapping High Street until you reach the junction with SAMPSON STREET on the left. This was used as the street outside the Palace Theatre in The Talons of Weng-Chiang.
LOCATION 12
A little further along WAPPING HIGH STREET, on the right hand side, is WAPPING OLD STAIRS EAST. This is a set of steps leading down to the Thames. This was used as the location in The Talons of Weng-Chiang where Buller's body was pulled from the Thames, watched, and commented on, by the toothless ghoul.
***
This marks the end of this walk. To return to Central London, head back along Wapping High Street and back up St Katharine's Way to the end of Tower Bridge. Cross over the road and locate TOWER HILL Underground station (it's well hidden!). From here you can catch a tube back along the District Line (green) to Embankment station. If you wish to stop off and explore St Paul's Cathedral, then get off at Mansion House or Blackfriars stations. The Cathedral is situated between the two.
From Embankment station, you can walk up to THE STRAND (turning right along THE STRAND will eventually bring you to THE STAMP CENTRE, a small store with a large selection of Doctor Who goodies) and then, cross that and head on up ST MARTIN'S LANE. On the left hand side, past the junction with LONG ACRE, and under a large white tower block (Orion House) can be found two shops that comprise THE CINEMA STORE. These stock magazines, model kits, celebrity photographs, videos, film books and other merchandise.
Continue up ST MARTIN'S LANE. At SEVEN DIALS (a small and cramped junction of six roads with a monument-thing in the middle), if you take the left hand exit of EARLHAM STREET, at the far end of the street by CAMBRIDGE CIRCUS is a small comic and gaming shop called THE ORC'S NEST. This is good for all your gaming needs.
At the top end of MONMOUTH STREET, turn left and opposite you is FORBIDDEN PLANET, London's biggest genre store, in Shaftesbury Avenue.
Finally, don't forget, there are two other 'obvious' Doctor Who locations in the central London area:
TRAFALGAR SQUARE - which the Daleks invaded in The Dalek Invasion of Earth
WESTMINSTER BRIDGE - again, seen with patrolling Daleks in the same story.
USEFUL ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS
THE OXO TOWER
Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, South Bank, London SE1 9PH
Tel: 020 7803 3888
SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE
New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1
Tel: 020 7928 6406
Restaurant Bookings: 020 7928 9444
THE ANCHOR INN
Park Street, Bankside, London SE1
Tel: 020 7407 1577
THE CLINK PRISON MUSEUM
1 Clink Street, London SE1
Tel: 020 7378 1558
The Clink Online
THE GOLDEN HINDE
St Mary Overie Dock, Cathedral Street, London SE1
Tel: 020 7403 0123
THE LONDON DUNGEON
28-34 Tooley Street, London SE1
Tel: 020 7403 0606
HMS BELFAST
TOWER BRIDGE
ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL
THE STAMP CENTRE
79 The Strand, London, WC2R 0DE
Tel: 020 7836 2341
FORBIDDEN PLANET
179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR
Tel: 020 7420 3666
THE ORC'S NEST
London Travel Information: 020 7222 1234
Southwark Tourist Information Centre: 020 7403 8299
Southwark Internet Pages
THANKS
Thanks in compiling this walk must go firstly to Maria Hallett who inspired me to put this together in the first place, and with whom I spent an enjoyable hot and sunny day (Thursday 6th August 1998 to be precise) following the route. Thanks also to The Doctor Who Production Guide Volume 1: The Locations by Keith A Armstrong and published by David Brunt for the DWAS for initial references.
If you do this walk, or visit any of these locations, please drop me a line and let me know what you think. I can add the best comments here.
COMMENTS
From: "Stephen Carter"
Subject: Howe's Who - Who's London walk and locations
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 18:00:17 +0100
Hello David
Just thought I'd email you in connection with the 'Who's London' tour section of your website which is very nicely done.
I have a particular interest in Doctor Who locations and ... Seeing the London tour on your website inspired me to go out and visit some of the locations you featured, particularly those from 'Frontier in Space' and 'The Talons of Weng-Chiang'. Although I've not walked the full tour as such, I have visited many of the tour locations on separate occasions and photographed them for my website.
I went to the South Bank on a gloomy, overcast day which somehow seemed to capture the mood of those grey, concrete buildings. After wandering round for an hour or so, I managed to find most of the areas used for filming in 'Frontier in Space' - they're mainly in and around the Hayward Gallery. Some of the stairs are off limit to the public and are used as emergency fire exits. I didn't visit MOMI this time, but I have been in there before. Sadly, the museum is due to close down in August.
Visiting locations from 'Talons' was great fun. Clink Street is definitely where Buller is attacked by Mr Sin, and also where the Doctor and Leela fight the Chinese Tong. Do you know for sure if Clink Wharf is where the TARDIS arrival was filmed? I thought it may have been Wapping High Street, near Gun Wharves, but that's just speculation. Bankside is itself a location in the story - numbers 49-52, a row of fine Georgian houses next to the new Globe Theatre, appear in the background of the scene where the Doctor exits a cab to head for the Palace Theatre. Many of the locations in this story are in Wapping and, in particular, Wapping Pier Head just off the High Street was extensively used - my website has more details on this. While there I actually spoke to an elderly resident who recalled the BBC filming in her street and clearly remembered the horse-drawn cab being brought in. She lives next door to the house used for the scene where Teresa is hypnotised by Chang watched by Leela from behind a wall. St Katharine Docks is a pleasant place to visit on a sunny day and is where scenes of the Doctor and Litefoot in a boat were filmed. Incidentally, the tall ship used in the recent 'Hornblower' television series is often moored here.
As yet, I haven't been to 'Remembrance' locations in the Waterloo area although I have been to other places used in the story, such as the cemetery and the school.
I think it's a good idea to link Who locations together by way of a tour, and it works particularly well in London because the locations are close to each other and usually within easy walking distance of a tube station. It's probably possible to devise more than one tour as there are so many locations in this area.
Best wishes
Stephen Carter