Oxford Circus station graffiti

[ChristopherJ]

Saw this tonight on a NB Victoria Line train, my carriage stopped opposite the 'COVID LIES' tag.

Since every LUL station has CCTV and (most) Zone 1 stations have a Station Supervisor overnight for contractor work, I'm baffled how they did it without being noticed.

Grenfell artwork appears alongside 'extensive' graffiti at Oxford Circus station

It is not clear who sprayed the words across the station but transport police say they are investigating.

news.sky.com

It is not clear who sprayed the words across the station but transport police say they are investigating

Graffiti artists have sprayed a Grenfell mural inside Oxford Circus underground station in central London.

Along with the huge "Grenfell" piece emblazoned on the wall behind the tracks, commuters spotted the words "COVID lies" and "sane" sprayed on the Victoria line platform.

The letters "TVZ" and "DDS" are also painted periodically all over the station's walls.

 

[StephenHunter]

That's a massive breach of security. Remember the IRA put a bomb in that station back in 1976.

 

[Mojo]

Since every LUL station has CCTV and (most) Zone 1 stations have a Station Supervisor overnight for contractor work, I'm baffled how they did it without being noticed.

It happened last night (ie. Christmas Day).

 

[Ladder23]

Cameras were turned away/ painted over from photos I saw on social media.

I’m sure if this was banksy it would of had a warm applause, but hey!

 

[matt_world2004]

I thought certain underground stations (of which Oxford Circus was one) had to be staffed Christmas day for fire safety reasons.

 

[ScottGallagher]

That's a massive breach of security. Remember the IRA put a bomb in that station back in 1976.

It's extremely concerning because there is no obvious entry point from the surface on Christmas Day and Oxford Circus on any of it's lines is way away from an outside station where tunnel entry could be gained more easily. Unless they did indeed walk from Queens Park!!

I thought certain underground stations (of which Oxford Circus was one) had to be staffed Christmas day for fire safety reasons.

Wouldn't that only be the case if contractor work was going on? The CCTV can probably be monitored remotely these days (or not in this case)

 

[matt_world2004]

It's extremely concerning because there is no obvious entry point from the surface on Christmas Day and Oxford Circus on any of it's lines is way away from an outside station where tunnel entry could be gained more easily. Unless they did indeed walk from Queens Park!!


Wouldn't that only be the case if contractor work was going on? The CCTV can probably be monitored remotely these days (or not in this case)

I thought the purpose of having it staffed 24/7 was so that someone was there with keys if there was a fire. And someone who knew the station layout and advise fire brigades accordingly.

 

[ScottGallagher]

I thought the purpose of having it staffed 24/7 was so that someone was there with keys if there was a fire. And someone who knew the station layout and advise fire brigades accordingly.

That may well be the case and Oxford Circus has quite a substantial control room in the ticket hall , but if it was staffed why wasnt this noticed until Boxing Day. Something doesnt add up.

 

[Trackman]

That may well be the case and Oxford Circus has quite a substantial control room in the ticket hall , but if it was staffed why wasnt this noticed until Boxing Day. Something doesnt add up.

Puzzling, even if it was done remotely it would set off a motion-detector alarm even before they reached the platform.

 

[Mojo]

That may well be the case and Oxford Circus has quite a substantial control room in the ticket hall , but if it was staffed why wasnt this noticed until Boxing Day. Something doesnt add up.

It wasn’t staffed. Whilst all LU managed stations are staffed 24/7, this doesn’t extend to Close of Traffic Christmas Eve to start of traffic Boxing day.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Shouldn't the station, or at least the Northbound Victoria line be closed temporarily to allow for the police to have full access, as well as giving the platform a deep clean? You can't really do it with passengers wandering around.

 

[ScottGallagher]

Puzzling, even if it was done remotely it would set off a motion-detector alarm even before they reached the platform.

What's also strange is why Oxford circus was picked, if the perpetrators did come via the tunnel route from afar theres plenty of other stations en route to spray paint such as Baker St, Paddington , Euston etc yet nothing else appears to have been done to my knowledge.

 

[swt_passenger]

What's also strange is why Oxford circus was picked, if the perpetrators did come via the tunnel route from afar theres plenty of other stations en route to spray paint such as Baker St, Paddington , Euston etc yet nothing else appears to have been done to my knowledge.

Because they get their kicks by getting further into the system than the last people to do it? I’d assume...

 

[Mag_seven]

Was the traction power on?

 

[Mojo]

Was the traction power on?

Yes, current is always left on over Christmas (except as required for the small number of engineering possessions).

 

[Ladder23]

What's also strange is why Oxford circus was picked, if the perpetrators did come via the tunnel route from afar theres plenty of other stations en route to spray paint such as Baker St, Paddington , Euston etc yet nothing else appears to have been done to my knowledge.

Because of the reaction it got from the media maybe, it’s obvious to me. Clapham North was also done but there is no coverage of that anywhere

 

[Mag_seven]

Yes, current is always left on over Christmas (except as required for the small number of engineering possessions).

Given the position of the graffiti, I'd suggest the person knew what they were doing in avoiding getting electrocuted - that implies to me either a current or ex employee. I'm sure the BTP will be perusing this possibility as a line of enquiry.

 

[the sniper]

Unless they're retiring their tags, they've just made themselves the focus of the BTP graffiti team...

Because of the reaction it got from the media maybe, it’s obvious to me. Clapham North was also done but there is no coverage of that anywhere

Bet the 'artists' are gutted.

 

[ScottGallagher]

Given the position of the graffiti, I'd suggest the person knew what they were doing in avoiding getting electrocuted - that implies to me either a current or ex employee. I'm sure the BTP will be perusing this possibility as a line of enquiry.

I'd agree, especially if the juice is still on!!

 

[Tube driver]

Given the position of the graffiti, I'd suggest the person knew what they were doing in avoiding getting electrocuted - that implies to me either a current or ex employee. I'm sure the BTP will be perusing this possibility as a line of enquiry.

doesn’t take much knowledge to figure out how to avoid touching stuff you shouldn’t down there.

I imagine that the ‘artist’ is well used to getting into places he/she shouldn’t and the more high profile the better which is probably why they seem to have bypassed a few stations to get to OXO.

implying it‘s a member of staff just because they know the difference between a running rail and a juice rail is a stretching it a bit too far without evidence to the contrary.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

doesn’t take much knowledge to figure out how to avoid touching stuff you shouldn’t down there.

I imagine that the ‘artist’ is well used to getting into places he/she shouldn’t and the more high profile the better which is probably why they seem to have bypassed a few stations to get to OXO.

implying it‘s a member of staff just because they know the difference between a running rail and a juice rail is a stretching it a bit too far without evidence to the contrary.

Considering the amount of graffiti around 3rd/4th rail electrified lines (both LU and NR) if the only people who could do it without being killed were staff then there's an awful lot of frustrated creative people stuck in railway jobs when they'd rather be at the Tate Modern... either that or there'd be several deaths on the network every week!

 

[Mag_seven]

implying it‘s a member of staff just because they know the difference between a running rail and a juice rail is a stretching it a bit too far without evidence to the contrary.

Not saying it is just that it will be a line of enquiry for the BTP.

Considering the amount of graffiti around 3rd/4th rail electrified lines (both LU and NR) if the only people who could do it without being killed were staff then there's an awful lot of frustrated creative people stuck in railway jobs when they'd rather be at the Tate Modern... either that or there'd be several deaths on the network every week!

That's a good point. However given how "inaccessible" Oxford Circus should be when shut I wonder how they got in?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Not saying it is just that it will be a line of enquiry for the BTP.



That's a good point. However given how "inaccessible" Oxford Circus should be when shut I wonder how they got in?

To us "normies" the idea of walking down a tube tunnel for several miles seems rather daunting, particularly if the juice is still on. However there's a fair overlap between graffiti "artists" and urbexers (and freight-surfers for that matter) and these folk can be pretty adventurous as well as having stones like medicine balls on them. Others may see it as stupidity rather than bravery, it's probably a little bit of both.

For avoidance of doubt, I was in fact agreeing with @Tube driver that it's unlikely to be railway staff (unless almost all graffiti is done by disgruntled railway folk- something which is highly unlikely).

 

[Ladder23]

Unless they're retiring their tags, they've just made themselves the focus of the BTP graffiti team...



Bet the 'artists' are gutted.

If you do some search of the “tags” including dds you’ll see that these names go way way back in time with “London graffiti” so will be very well known already

Not saying it is just that it will be a line of enquiry for the BTP.

That's a good point. However given how "inaccessible" Oxford Circus should be when shut I wonder how they got in?

“Exit” tag on the end of the platform pointing towards into the tunnel may be a hint.

 

[Trackman]

That's a good point. However given how "inaccessible" Oxford Circus should be when shut I wonder how they got in?

I’m guessing via one of the subway shutters.
I suppose if you are down the steps trying to force it, no one would notice you, and you could always pull it shut afterwards. Again, CCTV should be lurking at the exit/entrances.

 

[Scotrail314209]

One of the feasible ways you can get in, if they are Urbex then they'll have no issue climbing down heights, is pop in via one of the parts of the sub-surface where its open aired, like the Met at Baker Street.

 

[philthetube]

Going back a few years thee was a lot of speculation that TOX must be staff because of the locations he accessed, it turned out that he wasn't.

 

[class303]

One of the feasible ways you can get in, if they are Urbex then they'll have no issue climbing down heights, is pop in via one of the parts of the sub-surface where its open aired, like the Met at Baker Street.

Yes here, or if i was a betting man I'd say from the Bakerloo depot at London Road. Seems to be just Victoria and Bakerloo northbound areas, so rules the Central line out for me. Plus not a huge distance to travel in the tunnels.

 

[Dstock7080]

Clapham North was also done but there is no coverage of that anywhere

Thankfully Clapham North station was not attacked.

 

[Ladder23]

Thankfully Clapham North station was not attacked.

I’m writing to say yes, it was, not to the same extent but 2 large graffiti pieces by two popular names around London were.