The Hub

The Hub


The Hub of Torchwood Ten is situated under Picadilly Circus.

It was built in 1928, at the time of extensive renovations to the Tube station. Due to the time it was built, there are art deco touches throughout.

The walls are mostly grey tiles. There are obvious patches where tiles have been replaced. Although there are many corridors and the like, they are on odd levels to accomodate any other construction in the area and to work around the Underground. Some corridors have been deliberately blocked off. There is one area with a number of pictures. These pictures are the sole memorial of the previous teams.

The Hub is organised around a central column. This column has cables and fibre optics snaked around it. The column would at one time have been right underneath the Fountain and statue of Eros.

Part way up the Column is the Derowens office. It is perched partly through the column, and partly supported on struts that angle out from underneath. There is a wrought iron bannister surrounding the office, to accommodate a tiny ledge that circles the column. Affectionately known as the perch, this ledge is where Wen will lean out to yell for people in the area below.

One side of the central area of the Hub is arranged for comfort. Old leather sofas and armchairs are grouped to enable easy conversation. It’s almost homelike. There is a picture of a young Queen Victoria on the wall here.

The other side has workstations and offices. Cables of different sizes and types are strung on hangers around the walls. Team members are encouraged to arrange their work areas the way that they want.

There are a number of corridors leading from the central Hub. One leads to the morgue, one to the archive levels, one to the library. The one closest to the comfort zone leads to personal areas and the gym.

Every member of the team has at least a room here. It is not much. Anyone who lives off site has a single room for those nights when things are too hectic. Anyone who lives onsite has two or three rooms depending on their needs.

There is one last corridor that is locked at all times. It leads to Derowen’s personal area.

There are two entrances through Piccadilly Circus Tube station, one through the Trocadero and one in the Regent Palace, a hotel that has recently closed. Yes, there is a special part of the Fountain too.

The Trocadero is the most used entrance. It leads from a discreet door on the lower level shopping area, down a long flight of stairs to a heavy metal door. Mounted on the wall beside it is a hand scanner. Just inside the doorjamb itself is another scanner for a thumbprint. This is the secondary security measure in case anyone is forced to open the door.

It is always wise to say hello to Torchwood when entering.