Public places with playable pianos

[Bevan Price]

Not seen one recently, but at various times there have been pianos in / near the Liverpool ONE shopping area.

 

[py_megapixel]

I know the shopping centre bit of St Pancras has a piano which members of the public can sit and play.
There's also one on one of the platforms at Bristol Temple Meads.
Stockport has one, but it's in very poor condition (most of the keys don't work, and those that do are extremely out-of-tune)

 

[Darandio]

Darlington certainly had one added 3-4 years ago. Not sure whether it still is though, I haven't thought to look!

 

[trainmania100]

Saw one in South London last week in an underpass between platforms. Selhurst I think it was (hopefully someone can back me up ...)

 

[Dent]

I don't know whether it is still there but there used to be one in the ticket hall at Tottenham Court Road underground station.

 

[Pete_uk]

There were a few around Gloucester s few years ago. One in a shopping centre was being tapped at by some kids. When they moved I walked up and hit a few keys like I knew what I was doing and a rather nice tune came out of it.
Half the shopping center stoped and looked at me and after a moment someone said 'I thought you were going to play a nice tune!'.

 

[Purple Orange]

There is one at Manchester Piccadilly which seems to be getting played every time I walk through. There was one at Manchester Oxford Road, but I am not sure if it is still there. There should be one at Manchester Victoria - the new concourse demands it. There is also a piano placed outside Forsyth’s music shop on Deansgate, which gets played a lot too. I love seeing them about and there should be more.

 

[Enthusiast]

Bromley South had one on the overbridge just beyond the ticket barriers. The last time I was there I didn't notice it by my train was pulling in and I had to dash. I'll look next time.

 

[Paul Jones 88]

There was one at Canterbury West a couple of years ago, however, it was out of use due to the pandemic.

 

[GusB]

Glasgow Central has one that regularly features on the BBC documentary series "Inside Central Station".

 

[D365]

Derby, on the bridge between Platforms 1 and 2. And I'm surprised that York hasn't been mentioned yet.

There's also one on one of the platforms at Bristol Temple Meads.

I raise you the following video:

"Playing Thomas the Tank Engine theme in a Train Station" by Joe Jenkins (YouTube)

 

[iphone76]

There was one at Liverpool Street Station near the MacDonalds. Strangley, the one at Abbey Wood Station now resides in one of the staff toilets. Very surreal.

 

[Enthusiast]

Strangley, the one at Abbey Wood Station now resides in one of the staff toilets. Very surreal.

Handy when playing "Handel's Water Music"

 

[D6130]

There's one in the Downside waiting room (platform 2) at Hebden Bridge. It's been re-tuned a couple of times since it was donated, but is now badly out of tune again, as it gets some pretty heavy punishment from schoolkids and teenagers messing about. To be honest, I don't think a small waiting room is the ideal location for a piano. They're fine out on the wide, airy concourse of a large station, but to subject weary commuters to an out-of -tune rattling, jangling version of 'Chopsticks' while they wait for their delayed train on a cold, wet morning in a twelve foot x twelve foot waiting room is a form of torture which should be outlawed by the Geneva Convention!

Pianos are also quite common on the concourses of large European stations too.

 

[Jimini]

There’s one at Euston as well, opposite the WHSmith store on the main concourse.

 

[Class800]

I played the St Pancras one a while back - nothing fancy, just a few chord progressions really

I am a drummer, and haven't really played keyboards much for nearly 15 years now

 

[seaviewer]

One appears on the concourse at Brighton from time to time

 

[satisnek]

Derby, on the bridge between Platforms 1 and 2.

Last time I was up there, there was a lad, with his mates, bashing out December '63 (Oh What A Night)

But does anybody tune these things? If they don't, then they're just going to sound worse and worse...

 

[geoffk]

A few years ago Blackburn market had one and I think Heaton Chapel station also. Not noticed any since moving to Devon.

 

[Jimini]

Reading has one as well now, on the Caversham side of the station by the entrance on Vastern Road.

 

[Purple Orange]

I was in Manchester Piccadilly on Friday and there was a member of staff playing the piano which has been moved to Metrolink escalators near P9 & P10. He seemed to have a bit of an audience because he was playing something really beautiful and it made you feel almost in hypnotic state.

 

[duncanp]

There is a video of one at Chicago station which plays automatically - watch the annoyed businessman around 1 minutes in!

It is amusing to see someone having a loud mobile phone conversation in a public place complaining about an irritating noise.

 

[gg1]

Anyone for some Metallica at St Pancras?

 

[Tom B]

Orchard Square shopping centre in Sheffield has (had? haven't been in there in a few years) one in the food court.

 

[JRT]

There's one in the Downside waiting room (platform 2) at Hebden Bridge. It's been re-tuned a couple of times since it was donated, but is now badly out of tune again, as it gets some pretty heavy punishment from schoolkids and teenagers messing about. To be honest, I don't think a small waiting room is the ideal location for a piano. They're fine out on the wide, airy concourse of a large station, but to subject weary commuters to an out-of -tune rattling, jangling version of 'Chopsticks' while they wait for their delayed train on a cold, wet morning in a twelve foot x twelve foot waiting room is a form of torture which should be outlawed by the Geneva Convention!

Pianos are also quite common on the concourses of large European stations too.

Doesn't seem to get played much these days