The Willesden Junction Hotel, Harlesden

Two weeks ago for the first time, if you except the two occasions when I passed through the station (and it didn't look like the kind of place you would like to get off, especially at dark), I went to Willesden Junction. Shortly before reaching my destination the bus had to zigzag between police vans as twenty or so officers were dealing with two separate incidents. Welcome to Harlesden! But then, the Willesden Junction Hotel appeared. This Victorian pub and hotel has it all: a painted name and sign, a doorstep mosaic, and certainly pretty noisy rooms! Between the patrons of the pub and the railway, this is one for heavy sleepers only. Indeed the Willesden Junction Hotel is situated opposite several railway and tube tracks, and not far from a large marshalling yard and train maintenance depots, where in steam days locomotives would have been puffing and whistling almost continuously throughout the day and night.

If those who painted the name made quite a good job -the typeface is quite attractive- this is not necessarily the case with the Taylor Walker logo. A bit clumsy...

For two seconds I wondered whether I should include signs painted on wood in this blog. But why not? After all I am already thinking of posting some electric signs later on in November. Additionally, even though it is not necessarily that old, it has faded nicely.

The
Willesden Junction
Hotel
Home of the Dome
Dunning's Bar
En-Suite Bathrooms
Big Screen
Setanta [the logo next to it could be Sky Sport's]
Sports
Darts Pool
Hot & Cold Food Served
Function Room
O...
Finally, hidden underneath a doormat, was this rather nice mosaic. The background and floral elements are simple enough to make the name, with its more delicate typeface, stand out.

Location: Station Road / All pictures taken on: 17/08/2009