From: tolly@access1.digex.net (A Prince of A Guy)
Newsgroups: rec.music.beatles
Subject: Re: how do I find abbey road?
Date: 29 Dec 1997 16:10:13 GMT

Susan Long (slong@neosoft.com) wrote:

I'll be visiting London for the first time next month (on business), and if I do nothing else, I want to go by Abbey Road Studios and get my picture in the zebra crossing. Only trouble is, I'm not sure I will be able to find it. My husband went last year, and asked a cab driver to take him there, and they couldn't find it. Can someone help me out with foolproof directions?

Well, I don't have a map handy, but I was just there last year so I hope that I can help. Take the tube to the St. John's Wood Station in Northeast London. I believe the station is on a corner and that there is only one exit. Here is a rough diagram:

                                                     Tube Station
 Studios    |      |                      |    |     |          |
            |      |                      |    |  <-Exit        |
 Crosswalk  |zzzzzz|  <-Couple Blocks->   |    |     |----------|
------------|      |----------------------|    |-----------------
               X <-Roundabout
------------|      |----------------------|    |-------------------
            |      |                      |    |

You pretty much just have to walk out of the station exit, cross the street, and continue down the road until you see the statue in the middle of the roundabout a couple of blocks away. In my opinion, it's *very* easy to miss becuase it's a very small crossing (just about four strides wide:) ). Look for the zebra crossing and other fans hanging around taking pictures of each other. Have a good trip!

Yours,
Joe

From: dlm3@midway.uchicago.edu (saki)
Subject: Re: how do I find abbey road?
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 20:57:43 GMT

In article <688i15$7bi$1@news2.digex.net>, A Prince of A Guy wrote:

Well, I don't have a map handy, but I was just there last year so I hope that I can help. Take the tube to the St. John's Wood Station in Northeast London. I believe the station is on a corner and that there is only one exit.

Yes, but make sure you take Grove End Road to the right of the tube station as you exit. This leads directly to Abbey Road, and you make a slight right turn...and there you are.

If you get lost, you can always ask one of the folks walking nearby and they'll help you.

In my opinion, it's *very* easy to miss becuase it's a very small crossing (just about four strides wide:) ).

The size of Abbey Road Studios is deceiving; the building extends back from the street a fair distance, but the front can appear surprisingly small. The zebra crossing (as they're termed over there) is quite modest. Amazing they could fit four Beatles into it. :-)

But it's a moving view, and I recommend the visit wholeheartedly.

If you can get a copy, I also recommend using Schreuders/Lewisohn/Smith's "The Beatles London", a terrific, comprehensive guidebook, that even tells you what tube stops are handiest for seeing Beatles-related sites in London.

I also recommend buying tube (subway) passes and finding your way around that way; much cheaper than cabs.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"'So this is America!' says Ringo. 'They all seem out of their minds.'"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
dlm3@midway.uchicago.edu

» Return to The Beatles Reference Library