The A to Z of the Vauxhall Tavern
T is for Trains

"the universe rumbles over Vauxhall Tavern, illuminating boys on the verge of things." Christopher Rye, The Accidental Londoner

As your train rumbles from Waterloo to Vauxhall, look out of the window to your left, just past the gaily-coloured tethered balloon. There it is, faded gold lettering on a black background running around the building's curved facade: "The Royal Vauxhall Tavern".

Or take the Victoria line tube around 5pm one Sunday and see how the carriage gets gayer and gayer the nearer you get to Vauxhall. I call it the RVT Express. The tourists get off at Victoria, leaving a curious mixture of Brixton-bound elderly black women and shaven-headed men in bomber jackets. While you hang around in the ticket hall, see if you can spot 'The Hoist Nightclub' on the 'Local Information' map. Then follow the shaved heads, the bomber jackets...