Blog

Grand Central's whispering gallery

By: Mark Mason

A hidden secret in a New York icon

Grand Central Terminal (yes, pedants, I know it's Terminal not Station) celebrates its 100th birthday this week. As with most great buildings, my favourite thing about it is one of its secret and quirky little details ...

Michael Caine and the Tube

By: Mark Mason

Leicester Square station's role in movie history

It's been great to soak up the Tube trivia this week, as the grand old network celebrates its ton and a half. The facts about the system itself are legendary, from Mark Twain being a passenger on the Central Line's first ever journey, to Canary Wharf station being big enough to house 1 Canada Square. But some of my favourite tales are the ones where the Tube plays only a bit part. They sum up the way the Underground is just there, part of London's fabric. One of the best is the story of Michael Caine and the telephone in Leicester Square station ...

Saturday night with the Unknown Warrior

By: Mark Mason

One of London's most moving ceremonies

In case you're looking for something to do in London tomorrow night, could I recommend platform 8 of Victoria Station at 8 o'clock? It won't be your usual Saturday night jollity, but you'll be free by 8.40pm, and you'll have witnessed one of London's least-known and most moving traditions: the commemoration of the Unknown Warrior. Why does it take place at Victoria Station?

The incredible ‘Birthday Problem'

By: Mark Mason

When little numbers get surprisingly big

How many people do you have to gather together in a room before it becomes more likely than not that at least two of them will share a birthday? This teaser is something I mention on the Central Line walk (which passes the wonderful Gresham College, where I first learned about it.) For years I've struggled to convince people that the answer - just 23 - is correct. But recently I found a way of doing it that really brings the truth of the puzzle home ...

Water water everywhere

By: Mark Mason

The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association

It can get pretty hot in London during the summer (though perhaps not this summer). It's easy to forget in these days of Evian and Buxton in every newsagents that clean drinking water was once a rare commodity in the capital. That's where the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association came in. Their beautiful monuments are still dotted around the city.

Satire on two wheels

By: Mark Mason

Subtle addition to a Boris bike

An indoor marathon

By: Mark Mason

524 laps of the Royal Albert Hall

The Olympic event I'm looking forward to most is the marathon - the women's one takes place this Sunday (5th August), the men's a week later. Having hobbled one myself, in over twice the world record time of 2 hours 3 minutes 38 seconds, I'm constantly amazed at the effort it takes to run that fast for that long. The other reason I love the marathon so much is it reminds me of one of my favourite bits of bizarre London history - the indoor marathon staged at the Royal Albert Hall in 1909 ...

Why actors say ‘break a leg'

By: Mark Mason

The Theatre Royal and a feisty horse