At first glance, 23 & 24 Leinster Gardens appear to be normal London townhouses, However, eagle-eyed pedestrians will notice the dark grey panes in the windows These are in fact a 1.5m thick facade, built by the Metropolitan Railway in the 1860s to keep the posh residents of Queensway from complaining about the giant ventilation shaft which replaced the two houses which formally stood here. This ventilation shaft was necessary, as early underground trains were hauled with steam locomotives, this continued until 1905 when the line was electrified 58 Joralemon Street in NYC is another such exam…
