Pimlico tube station

Pimlico station stands in the heart of Westminster, on the Victoria line between Vauxhall and Victoria. It is the only station on the line without an interchange to another railway or Underground line. The station is also the deepest beneath sea level on the Victoria line, with platforms around 22.5 metres below ground. Its main entrance is part of an eight-storey octagonal building designed by William Whitfield in 1976. Next to the entrance is a sculptural ventilation shaft by Eduardo Paolozzi, built between 1978 and 1982. The area takes its name from Ben Pimlico, a 16th-century publican known for brewing nut-brown ale. The station was a late addition to the Victoria line, approved in 1968 after strong local support. It opened in 1972, more than a year after the rest of the line began operating. The construction faced challenges, including the Kings Scholars Pond Sewer and water-bearing gravel. In 2015, Pimlico became the test site for Wayfindr, an app helping visually impaired passengers navigate the station. The station was temporarily closed in 2020 and again in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and staff shortages. Inside, the station features op art yellow spots on the platform walls, designed by Peter Sedgley. A poster by David Booth, part of the "Art on the Underground" series, shows the tube lines as paint squeezed from a tube. The station serves as the main transport access point for the Tate Britain gallery. The surrounding area includes several Grade II listed buildings, though the station itself is not listed. The station’s distinctive artwork and architecture make it a notable stop in central London.