The Lumber Room: September 2023

‘Elementary’, the US modern-day Sherlock Holmes series created in 2012 by Robert Doherty, is set (and filmed) in New York, but featured London (as itself) in three episodes: ‘Step Nine’ in 2013, ‘Whatever Remains, However Improbable’ in 2018, and ‘The Further Adventures’ in 2019. I therefore decided to visit the London filming locations.

Catching the Northern Line to London Bridge, I made my way over the bridge, to Lower Thames Street (previously visited as the location of ‘The Bar of Gold’ in ‘The Man With The Twisted Lip’). I was looking for the driveway next to #30, which appeared as New Scotland Yard in ‘Step Nine’, the first episode of Season Two (2013). Having just arrived in London from New York, Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) and Joan (Lucy Liu) get out of their taxi here (having seemingly just driven past Buckingham Palace [also seen in 'Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia'] then over Westminster Bridge). This is not the real New Scotland Yard, and the building used for the filming was destroyed in 2014. However, the driveway to the Thames quays remains. It was here that they met with DCI Hopkins (Tim McMullan) overlooking the Thames, with both Tower Bridge and the Shard being clearly visible.

Retracing my steps, I made my way back to Monument Station which I had passed on turning right from the bridge. From here, after quite a wait, I caught a #388 bus to Brick Lane, alighting outside Rich Mix, an arts venue that I had attended to watch the film, ‘Containment’ starring Sherlock’s Louise Brealey. A very short walk brought me to Redchurch Street, and then the corner with Turville Street. This appeared as Baker Street in ‘Step Nine’, with Sherlock taking Joan to his former home at 221B Baker Street to settle down, being surprised to find a completely renovated apartment inhabited by his brother, Mycroft (Rhys Ifans). The off-licence seen in the episode is long closed, but 221b itself, a former Truman Brewery pub with its green tiles, now the location of ‘Labour and Wait’ a high-end household goods store remains.

Catching a bus back to Liverpool Street Station, I changed onto the Central Line for the short journey to Holborn. Having picked up some lunch, I made my way to nearby Bloomsbury Square, where the ending to Season 6 was filmed. In ‘Whatever Remains, However Improbable’, the final episode of the season 6 (and at that time believed to be the last ever episode), Sherlock returns to ‘Baker Street’ to set up his London practice again. It was buildings in this square that represented 221B (and 221A which Joan took over), with some CGI’d additions. The square also appears as Baker Street in ‘The Further Adventures’, the first episode of unexpected Season 7, prior to his returning to New York, including the scene on a bench where Sherlock eats an ice cream with Kitty’s son, Archie.

After around a twenty minute walk, I found myself at Trafalgar Square (which also features in ‘Sherlock: The Blind Banker’ & ‘Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall’). In ‘Step Nine’, Sherlock leads Joan into Trafalgar Square, carrying two large poster boards which asks for a list of all 3D printers sold in the last 18 months. He holds them up to a surveillance camera and loudly announces his name. After waiting for hours, Joan is bumped into and the list is placed in her handbag by 'Langdale Pike'. [In ‘The Noble Bachelor’, Holmes suggests that Lestrade drag the Square’s fountain, as he is as likely to find the missing bride there as in the Serpentine.]

I then made my way to the nearby Charing Cross Station, catching the Bakerloo line to Paddington Station, making my way to Platforms 6 & 7. Once the investigation is complete in Step Nine’, Sherlock joins Joan here to take the Heathrow Express to catch their plane home.

Making my way to the recently opened Elizabeth Line, I caught a train to Farringdon, where I just missed a train to Maze Hill. After a half-hour wait, I finally caught a Thameslink train. From Maze Hill it was a ten minute walk to my final destination of the day, the Trafalgar Tavern, located just next to Greenwich’s National Maritime Museum. This pub appeared as ‘The John Harington’ (an Elizabethan courtier who invented the first flushing lavatory) in ‘Step Nine’, being where Sherlock locates Gareth Lestrade (Sean Pertwee). The pub was very busy and it was difficult to take a suitable photo, but I managed, including ones of the nearby railings behind which Lestrade is filmed when talking to Holmes.