Oval is a London Underground station in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is on the Morden branch of the Northern line, between Kennington and Stockwell stations. It is in London fare zone 2. The station opened on 18 December 1890 as part of the City and South London Railway and is named after The Oval cricket ground, recognised as the first international cricket ground and home of Surrey County Cricket Club, which it serves.

The station features cricket-themed decorative elements, including murals, statues and banners. Due to the range of sporting events held at the Oval, the station is used by visitors from the United Kingdom and abroad, particularly during cricket matches.

Location

The station is located at the junction of Kennington Park Road (heading north-east), Camberwell New Road (south-east), Clapham Road (south west) and Harleyford Street (north west) and is about from The Oval cricket ground. Also close by are Kennington Park and the imposing St Mark's Church.

Connections

London Bus routes 3, 36, 59, 133, 155, 159, 185, 333, 415, and 436 and night routes N3, N109, N133, N136, and N155 serve the station.

The station was mocked up by the television series Survivors: The Lights of London parts 1 & 2, broadcast on BBC One on 14 and 21 April 1976. However, the filmed site was actually at Camden Town deep-level shelter.

In 2004, station staff started to use a whiteboard to display a handwritten "thought of the day" from the Tao Te Ching for the benefit of passengers. This idea then spread to other Underground stations such as North Greenwich, where the content relates to events at the nearby O2 Arena.

References

Sources

  • London Transport Museum Photographic Archive