Leytonstone has few claims to fame, but one of them is that one of Hollywood’s most famous film directors was born there, and the tube station which is decorated with murals of his films.
Completed 15 years ago, they were made in Greenwich and took seven months to assemble, from around 80,000 tiny tiles. Although Alfred Hitchcock was born in 1899, the centenary decorations therefore took until 2001 to complete.
The murals feature recognisable scenes from his movies, and also a couple which show the man himself directing actors, and the family store where he worked as a kid.
There is a small metal plate next to each one explaining which film it’s from and a few choice nuggets from the actors, but they are in an often busy corridor which seems to be used by people in a hurry who dislike loiterers admiring the walls.
In total there are 17 murals to see, and also a protected set of old adverts.
Pleasure Garden
Strangers on a Train
Underpass lined with murals
Saboteur
The Birds
Preserved old adverts
The north entrance to the station
North by Northwest
The Skin Game
Suspicion
Psycho
Number 17
The family shop
That’s the South entrance.