Uncovering layers of Oxford Street

The overhaul of Tottenham Court Road station to make way for the Crossrail project is seeing the urban fabric stripped back. The dilapidated Victorian corner blocks are being pulled down; expect a glass and steel replacement.

Most of the area is covered with scaffold and protective sheets, like a theatre curtain disguising a change of scene.

Dionysus chip shop has gone: no fish and chips this side of Holborn now.

And down on Oxford Street, Waterstones has been closed. The shop sign has been pulled down, revealing the long-forgotten Dillons bookshop chain. The mind is cast back to a time before the coffee shop and gourmet sandwich takeover, to the 80s high street, of Our Price, Wimpy, Woolworths and C&A.

Standing faded and unnoticed on London's most famous shopping street, it looks older than any church: the prehistoric world of retail before the internet; the high street before Americanisation.

I just like to travel on trains

I yawn.

Rotund Asian man, mid 30s, with Prince Naseem haircut: Are you tired?

Yes, a little bit.

I’m tired too. I’ve been travelling for 14 hours today, since 7 this morning.

That’s a long day.

Yes, a long day.

Where have you come in from?

Milton Keynes.

I hear Milton Keynes is interesting. Lot of straight roads, very modern.

Yes, it is very nice.

What did you do there?

Had a look around, went to a café for a cup of tea coffee.

And now you’re off to Wolverhampton?

Yes, I’m going to Wolverhampton and then I catch the train back to Coventry.

That’s a lot of travelling.

I like travelling on trains. Have you got a job?

Yes. In London.

I don’t need to work. My parents give me 350 a week so I don’t need to. Every day, I travel. I go out in the morning and don’t get back until they are in bed.

That’s great.

Yes, next week, I have booked to stay in Leeds for a fortnight, so I can travel around there.

I like Leeds.

It is my favourite city. It means I can go up to Edinburgh during the day, and come back to Leeds at night. Are you married?

No.

My parents want me to get married but I don’t want to. I just like to travel on trains.

welsh women on a train

Woman on train from Swansea to Cardiff sitting down with a coffee:

"That was a long way that was. Right down the other end. I went all the way up there and the woman behind the counter says to me, ‘can you come back in five minutes. I’m just setting up.’ I said, no, I’ve come all the way up the train for a coffee; I’ll wait here until you’ve done what you are doing.

"I waited there and asked for two lattes, and you know what she said, she said I couldn’t have them because the machine wasn’t working, it’d have to be instant. She pours me two coffees and says, that’ll be £3.40. £3.40! I said, You’ve only put coffee with water.

"I said I wanted a latte and you’re charging me for a latte and I’m only getting instant. She said a latte was £1.90."

"Outrageous."

"I know. And she was rude. Can I come back in five minutes? She could have just said, could you wait here while I set up, I’ll be with you in a minute, but no."

White van man

"That's what you get when you buy snide Sat Nav. It won't tell you where you need to go."
White van man to second white van man, Streatham