EUSTON UNDERGROUND: THE LOST TUNNELS

I have recently booked my fourth Hidden London Tour, Moorgate: Metropolitan Maze, which follows my previous tours, Euston Underground: The Lost Tunnels, Dover Street: Alight Here For Green Park and Aldwych: The End Of The Line.

In this article I will look back at my first tour, Euston Underground: The Lost Tunnels, which I went on back in 2023. I will also include a brief history of Euston Mainline Station and Euston Underground along with photos I took during the tour.

Euston Station opened in July 1837 as the terminus of the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR). The original station was demolished in the 1960s and replaced with the modern style new building. During this work the original Euston Arch was also demolished, although the two original Portland Stone lodges still stand on the original site as a reminder of times past.

The demolition was described by the Royal Institute of British Architects as, "one of the greatest acts of Post-War architectural vandalism in Britain."

The replacement building has been described as a,"dingy, grey, horizontal nothingness" and lacked any of the sense of adventure that the original Victorian building gave to the traveller.

Richard Morrison, writing in The Times, felt that even by the bleak standards of 1960s architecture Euston was, "One of the nastiest concrete boxes in London, devoid of any decorative merit and a blight on surrounding streets." He went on to say, "The design should never have left the drawing board - if, indeed, it was ever on a drawing board. It gives the impression of being scribbled on the back of a paper bag!"

Back in 2009 the Euston Arch Trust revealed plans to rebuild the arch in front of the station but so far it just remains a topic of discussion.

Over the years the station and railway, the gateway from London to the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland, has been operated by a number of companies. Between 1837 and 1846 it was owned by the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) and from 1846 to 1923 The London and North Western Railway (LNWR). Other companies to operate from Euston were, The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) (1923-1948), British Railways (1948-1994), Railtrack (1994-2002) and currently by Network Rail.

Euston Station was not served well in the early days of the London Underground Network. The closest underground station was on The Metropolitan Line, around five to ten minutes walk away, in Gower Street.

It would be 1907 before a permanent connection was made to the mainline station when, in May,  The City & South London Railway (C&SLR) opened the extension from Moorgate on what was known as the Bank Branch of the Northern Line.

The entrance to the station was on the corner of Seymour Street (now Eversholt Street) and Dorie Way. Designed by Sidney Smith it was Morrocan in style and covered in white tiles. The building was demolished in 1934 and a new one built, Euston House, which was the head offices of the British Railways Board. 

The following month The Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway (CCE&HR) opened an adjacent station. This was on the Charing Cross branch of the Northern Line.

Situated to the west of the mainline station, on Melton Street, it was a Leslie Green style building with the familiar ox blood tiles and arched windows.

A deep-level passageway ran between the two stations with lift shafts taking passengers up to the mainline station. There was also an interchange ticket office situated in the passageway, the only one on the whole of the London Underground Network. In the early days of the London Underground the various companies only sold tickets to stations on their own lines.

This meant that passengers travelling on the City & South London Railway (C&SLR) who needed to transfer to the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway (CCE&HR) to continue their journey would have to purchase another ticket. Having a ticket window between the two stations would save passengers having to exit to the mainline station to purchase a ticket.

New lifts were also installed which surfaced in the main station. However, it soon became clear that running three different entrances to the underground was unnecessary and both the Melton Street and Seymour Street buildings were closed leaving just the one entrance to the underground situated inside Euston Station.

Meanwhile, in 1909, with the recent construction of the two new underground stations, Gower Street Underground Station was renamed Euston Square.

In September 1968 the first section of the new Victoria Line, the first new underground line in more than fifty years, was opened and ran between Walthamstow Central and Highbury & Islington. 

The next section to open was between Highbury & Islington and Warren Street on 1 December 1968. The Victoria Line was officially opened by H. R. H. Queen Elizabeth II on 7 May 1969.

The new line was designed to provide the maximum amount of connections to the existing services, both underground and mainline, and to relieve the pressure which was becoming a major issue on other lines. It would give an alternative route through the centre of London.

With the construction of the Victoria Line, which passed through both Euston and Kings Cross/St Pancras Mainline Stations, it was necessary to expand and remodel the existing Euston Underground Station. This work included new platforms, cross-platform interchanges, a new ticket hall and new escalators.

During this work many of the old passages were closed off with some subways retained for ventilation shafts.

This brings us to my visit to the Lost Tunnels of Euston Underground. In the advertising London Transport describe the tour... 'This exclusive guided tour takes you into the labyrinths of secret passageways that are hidden within Euston Tube station. You’ll uncover time-capsules that haven’t been seen by passengers in decades, but which still stand as witnesses to the changes that were made to London’s transport infrastructure over the years.'

They go on to say, 'Explore secret parts of Euston Tube station, including two former passenger galleries that have remained frozen in time since their last commuters passed through in 1962 and 1967. Uncover the vintage advertising posters that still adorn the walls, experience the atmosphere of a bygone age, and spot adverts for famous film productions of that era.'

The 90-minute tour started outside Euston Square Underground Station where we were met by staff from London Transport. Following safety information the guides gave us a short talk on the history and layout of the stations and how they were all linked together. We then took the short walk to the site of The Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway building on Melton Street, a few yards from Euston Mainline Station.

Although now due for demolition, due to the construction of HS2, and with work being carried out in the area, we couldn't enter the old building. It is such a shame that the station, a Leslie Green design with the ox blood tiles, will be, or already is, gone forever and the photo earlier in this article was taken by me a few years before I did the tour.

From here we entered Euston Station and headed for the southbound platform of the Bank Branch of the Northern Line where we would gain access to the disused areas through a door at the end of the platform. I noticed several passengers giving us strange looks and wondering where we were headed. I am sure many were envious and with good reasons.

We walked along what was the interchange tunnel between the two original stations with the blue and white tiles which would not have been updated in many decades. 

After a few steps it was back in time when we came to the old ticket office used by passengers changing between the two different lines. Definitely one of the highlights of the tour and with the window open and surrounded by tiles and the In/Out signs still in place it was a photo opportunity not to be missed!

However, a real journey into the past was waiting for us next and was definitely the highlight of the tour for me.

Covering the walls of the next tunnel was a wealth of old movie and advertising posters from the 1960s. It was incredible to think these had been here for more than sixty years. Yes, some were torn or peeling off the walls and many were covered with other posters but it was still a sight to see. What was interesting to note was how many of them were still colourful and bright, a mark of the 1960s design and print.

There are too many to mention here but these are just a few worthy of mention. Movie posters, blockbusters and some less so, included Spartacus, Terror Of The Tongs, One Born Every Minute, The Errand Boy, Lonely Are The Brave, West Side Story and Hitchcock's Psycho. My love of the 1950s and 1960s 'Kitchen Dramas' was satisfied when I spotted the poster for John Schlesinger's 1962 A Kind Of Loving. The film starred Alan Bates and June Ritchie and portrayed disillusionment and desperation of modern life in the sixties.

There were posters for theatrical productions including  Puss In Boots along with advertising for products like Brushwave (the first permanent wave for colour treated hair), Springbak (a ground-breaking fabric) and even a poster advertising the Theosophical Society, a quasi-religious, esoteric movement founded in 1887 by Russioan Helena Blavatsky! Finally a poster offered The True Story Of Coronation Street, which was only in its first season in December 1960 but would become the world's longest running soap opera.

It wasn't only old movie posters that could be seen. As we approached the corner of another tunnel there were three posters facing you, all of which related to British Rail. The first advertises the Midland Pullman, a first-class express service famous for its luxury that ran between St. Pancras and Manchester in the mid-1960s. In the middle is a poster advertising 'Travel Times Cut!', something many of todays passengers may not totally agree with. 

Lastly is a poster offering 'Bargain Travel' and 'More Miles For Your Money', again something many of today's rail passengers might disagree with. Interestingly on this poster is the British Rail logo designed by Gerry Barney and launched in 1965. The two-way track logo was the new identity for Great Britain's rail network and utilised on trains, advertising and uniforms. The logo has often been ridiculed and referred to as 'Arrows Of Indecision' among other derogatory terms.

Leaving 1960's London behind us we were shown more tunnels and areas that were now being used for storage, ventilation and trunking for the many power cables serving the needs of the station network. Once again you could see the original blue and white tiles.

The next stop was the lift shaft which would have taken passengers up to the mainline Euston Station building. It was impressive looking up and seeing how high it was and the photo I took doesn't do it justice. The lift shafts have been capped and there is no sign of where the original lifts were located when you are inside the current mainline station.

Our final stop on the tour was the ventilation tunnel for the Victoria Line. Built in the 1960s and never intended for passengers to walk along. It was interesting to see that part of the tunnel was built like actual tube tunnels with cast iron segments.

Walking up a slight slope the tour draws to a close with the chance to look down, through the ventilation grills, at passengers waiting on the platforms below and oblivious to us staring down at them from above.

Since going on the tour and whenever I am waiting for a train on the platform, I will look up at the ventilation grills and wonder if there is a group of people looking down at me.

This bought our tour to an end and we returned to Euston Mainline Station where we said our goodbyes and thanks to the wonderful staff and headed home.

The Hidden London Tours are very enjoyable and interesting and I cannot recommend them highly enough. I'm planning on booking more tours and writing about my other tours in future articles.

DEPTFORD CREEK LIFTING BRIDGE

One of my many interests and hobbies is disused railways and I have spent many hours in London hunting out and photographing old stations and other related buildings and structures.

I recently followed part of the route of the London and Greenwich Railway which was London's first passenger steam railway and opened in stages between 1836 and 1838. My walk took me alongside the Southwark Viaduct which runs for almost four miles and carried the railway from London Bridge to Greenwich. It was constructed with 878 arches and originally, in 1836, only went as far as Deptford but was extended to Greenwich in 1838.

One of the places I missed on my walk was the Deptford Creek Lifting Bridge and during my latest London trip I took time to visit and in this article I give some history of the area, the bridge and include many of the photos I took. 

Deptford is an area on the south bank of the Thames that lies within the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham. The name Deptford originates from a ford where the River Ravensbourne was crossed by the A2 (Watling Street... the old Roman Road) and first appeared in records as Depeford, meaning deep ford, back in the 1200's.

In the mid-16th century it was home to the Deptford Dockyard, one of the Royal Dockyards, and was a major shipbuilding location until it closed in 1869. The whole area is currently undergoing regeneration focussed on improving the town centre with amenities and housing projects.

Deptford Creek is where the Ravensbourne meets the tidal Thames and at high tide is very deep. This meant that it could be used by sailing barges with their tall masts who had right of way over any other form of transport. This meant that when plans were made to extend the London and Greenwich Railway to Greenwich a decision had to me made as to how the railway could cross the Creek, a challenging task for the railway. The idea to extend the viaduct was a non-starter due to both the high tides and the right of way granted to shipping.

Two options were put forward, a swing bridge or lifting bridge. There would have been many problems with constructing a swing bridge at the same height as the viaduct, so the decision was made to construct a lifting bridge. This would allow the rail tracks to be raised letting high-masted shipping through. The complications in constructing such a structure delayed the extension of the line to Greenwich which didn't open until December 1838.

There have been three lifting bridges built over the years with the first opening in November 1838. Constructed of iron it had a central section where the two railway lines crossed the creek. Opening and lifting the bridge was a time-consuming task which would take between 30 minutes and an hour to complete and required eight strong men to complete the task. Bolts had to be removed that secured the tracks to the fish-plates and a complicated series of chains, pulleys and counterweights were then tackled by the men to raise the section of the bridge and allow ships to pass. Delays in the operation often meant that train timetables were seriously disrupted with passengers facing long waits, either on the train waiting to continue their journey or those people waiting in Greenwich to meet friends and family.

An Act of Parliament required the bridge to be raised promptly and in a timely manner. Failure to raise the bridge was a criminal offence and the railway company could be fined. It wasn't until the 1980s that the act was abolished.

In 1884 the original lifting bridge was replaced after being in service for more than forty years. However, technology had not improved the procedure to raise the tracks, which was now even more complicated than before. The actual rails had to be removed to allow the bridge to be raised and rather than eight men it now required twelve!

This second bridge was in service for almost eighty years before being replaced in December 1963. The new bridge was designed by British Rails Southern Regions Chief Civil Engineer, A H Cantrell and built by the Glasgow firm Sir William Arrol & Co.

Any barges wanting to pass through during high tide would have to book a time in advance to allow the bridge to be opened.

In the 2000s the central span, which weighed around 40 tonnes, was welded shut and new rails were laid in a permanent position.

The bridge, which is now a listed structure, is managed by Network Rail who are considering removing the lifting mechanism which, after being inoperative for almost thirty years, has become run-down and fallen into disrepair.

Often described as 'ugly' it is part of Deptford's industrial heritage and many locals would hate to see it demolished. Maybe a new lick of paint would make it more attractive and could also serve to protect the ironwork which has either rusted over the years or was, at some time, painted black.

My own personal opinion is that it should remain, freshly painted, as it has so much historical value and from experience I have seen so many old railway structures demolished or left to slowly disintegrate and it is such a shame.

Visiting the bridge is easy and it can be reached from either Deptford or Greenwich Stations, both on the line out of London Bridge and with a journey time of less than ten minutes, and then a short ten minute walk from either station.

I approached the bridge from Greenwich Station, continued across Ha'Penny Bridge and along the Creekside Street Art Footpath, where all the railway viaduct arches are covered in street art, before turning back.

Ha'Penny Bridge, which is painted blue and visible in one of the photos above, also has an interesting history. It's actual name is Ha'Penny Hatch Bridge and the original wooden bridge was built in 1836 allowing passengers who had travelled by train to Deptford, the end of the line at the time, access to the other side of Deptford Creek and onto Greenwich.

As we have already seen the line was extended in 1838. For those two years it allowed passengers to finish their journey, on foot, at the cost of a halfpenny. The original wooden bridge closed in the 1920's.

The modern replacement, built in 2002, still gives access across the creek and has a steel lifting mechanism which continues to allow access for boats that occasionally make their way up and down the creek.

Most of the photos included in this article were taken from the Ha'Penny Bridge and the Creekside Street Art Footpath although I also walked around the local area to capture different views.

I enjoyed the walk and pleased to have viewed this impressive structure and would recommend a visit to anyone interested in the history of the railways. This will not be my last visit to London and I look forward to discovering more of London's hidden gems.

I will be covering some of my other photographic trips to old railways and will be posting more articles in the future.

HISTORY ARTICLES

I recently set up a new profile on my instagram account which concentrates on my interest in World War One, World War Two and my relevant photography... @ww1.ww2_history_photography

This blog has also included a few articles on history and my various Leger Battlefield Tours to Belgium and France and, with another trip very soon, I will be adding more articles in the coming months.

In the meantime I have written this latest article to promote those I have featured on this blog over the past few years. They are listed below with the title, date first published, an image, a short excerpt and the link to the full article.

ORADOUR-SUR-GLANE
First published 5 March 2021

Oradour-sur-Glane was a small idyllic village, with a population of around 350, located approximately 15 miles north-west of Limoges which, on 10 June 1944, was the site of one of the worst crimes against civilians in occupied France.

Following the allied landings on 6 June 1944, along the beaches of Normandy, efforts by the resistance increased with the aim to disrupt German supplies and communications. Any organised attacks against German military personnel or property was met with brutal consequences resulting in members of the French resistance or sympathizers being killed or sent to concentration camps. Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, Commander-in-Chief for the West, ordered that the resistance must be crushed, swiftly and with ruthless initiative.

There has been much speculation as to why Oradour-sur-Glane was subject to such a horrific massacre, especially when no German troops occupied the village and it seemed likely that the war would pass it by. Of course, as we shall see, this couldn't be further from the truth.

A number of reasons have been given... the killing of German troops by the resistance or an attempt to blow up a bridge at the nearby village of St. Junien. However, the most common theory was the abduction and execution of SS Sturmbannfuhrer Helmut Kampfe.

Read the full article here...

Oradour-sur-Glane

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D-DAY LANDINGS IN NORMANDY
First published 13 June 2022

An early start saw us heading the short journey to Pegasus Bridge, originally the Benouville Bridge, the site of the first action of D-Day.

Led by Major John Howard, a force from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and a platoon of Royal Engineers, landed in fields close to the bridge in three Horsa Gliders at 00:16 on 6 June. The defending Germans were taken by surprise and within ten minutes the bridge was in Allied hands. 

Reinforcements from the 7th Battalion Parachute Regiment soon arrived. One member of the regiment was actor Richard Todd who would go on to play the role of Major Howard in the film The Longest Day.

The bridge was renamed Pegasus Bridge in late 1944 in honour of the operation and the name was taken from the shoulder emblem worn by the British Airborne Forces, Bellerophon riding the winged horse Pegasus.

The original bridge was replaced in 1994 and is now housed in the grounds of the nearby museum along with a replica Horsa Glider.

Inside the museum you can follow the story of the capture of the bridge with hundreds of items related to that first attack including uniforms, equipment along with scores of photos and information boards.. A very interesting museum that would take several hours to read and view every item.

Read the full article here...

D-Day Landings In Normandy

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DUNKIRK AND FORTRESS EUROPE

First published 5 August 2023

Following Hitler's invasion of France on 10 May it was only a matter of a few days before his Panzer Divisions had moved through Northern France towards the coast. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and French Army were trapped in a pocket and were forced to retreat to Dunkirk.

Forced back towards the coast they formed a perimeter along the canals and both the Royal Welch Fusiliers and Durham Light Infantry were ordered to defend and hold Robecq, Saint Floris and Saint Venant.

This first stop was an opportunity to see the canal area at Saint Venant defended by the Royal Welch Fusiliers and Durham Light Infantry and the memorial. We also visited the Communal Cemetery where many of those killed in Saint Venant are buried.

Moving on to Cassel Hill we examined the last stand of the Gloucestershire Regiment and the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. They had reached Cassel on 25th May and were ordered to hold the western and eastern halves of the town. The plan was to hold the line to allow the BEF to be evacuated from the Dunkirk beaches.

Despite early success in holding the Germans back, continuous heavy air and ground attacks reduced much of the town to ruins. Most of the regiments men were either killed or taken prisoner. However, they had succeeded in delaying the German advance giving the troops in Dunkirk the much needed time to get off the beaches.

Read the full article here...

Dunkirk And Fortress Europe

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WAR BY TIMETABLE

First published 26 August 2024

An early breakfast and then we set off to our first stop of the day, the Steam Railway of the Three Valleys in Belgium whose name derives from the three rivers the line follows, the River Eau Blanche, River Eau Noire and River Viroin. It is a non-profit society that operates the service which connects with the Belgian rail network at Mariembourg.

A specially arranged journey on a period steam train saw us travel the 14 kilometre journey from Mariembourg via Nismes, Olloy-sur-Viroin and Vierves to Treignes, the last station before the French border. The line does continue the 2.5 kilometres to the border but is not used anymore. An enjoyable journey with great views of the Belgium countryside from our carriage. The staff at the station and onboard the train were excellent and very helpful.

At the end of the journey there was time to look around the museum which was very interesting with its collection of various trains, both steam and electric, along with items of railway memorabilia.

Following a quick lunch, Croque Monsieur and a refreshing drink, in the cafe at the station in Treignes we headed out of Belgium and to our next stop in France.

At La Capelle we visited the memorial marking the spot where the German parliamentarians crossed the French lines seeking an Armistice on 7 November 1918.

Read the full article here...

War By Timetable

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Look out for more World War One and World War Two related articles in the future.

SEEING RED

The history of the London Underground has always interested me and in this latest article I am going to look back at the life of Leslie Green, the English architect who was responsible for the design of iconic stations with the distinctive ox blood tiling. I'll also look at the stations I have visited so far and give a brief history.

Leslie Green (Photographer Unknown)

Leslie William Green was born in Maida Vale, London on 6 February 1875 and educated at Dover College and South Kensington School of Art.

In 1897 he established his own architect practice working from his father's offices before moving to Haymarket in 1900 and finally Adam Street, close to The Strand. He had been made an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1898 and a year later a member of RIBA.

His early work included many shops and homes across London but it was his work for the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL) for which he will be best remembered.

It was in 1903 that he was appointed as architect for the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL) to design the stations for the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (GNP&BR), the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway (BS&WR) and the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway (CCE&HR) all of which were under construction. Today the lines are known as the Piccadilly Line, Bakerloo Line and Northern Line.

Green was tasked with designing fifty new stations. Not only the exteriors but also the fixtures and fittings internally. He had developed a modern style for the ground-level stations with each adapted to suit their locality. Constructed as two-storey structures with steel frames, an idea that had originated in America, they provided large internal areas for ticket halls and lift shafts

The exteriors were clad in ox-blood (sang-de-boeuf) red glazed tiles. They were manufactured by the Burmantofts Pottery based in Leeds which, in 1889, merged with other companies to become the Leeds Fireclay Company.

Covent Garden Station

Built with separate entrances and exits the stations were noticeable by not only the red tiling but the arched windows at first floor level.They had flat roofs which would allow office building above.

The idea of tiling continued in the booking halls and platform levels with green and white tiles while, on the platforms, the station names and direction signs were also made using tiles. It created a unified theme and was easy to maintain.

The three lines were due to open in 1906 and 1907 and in June of 1907 Green was told his contract would end at the end of the year. Green died in August 1908 and many of his original buildings have survived even though the interiors have been modernised. Many are Grade II listed buildings. 

The following is a list of the relevant stations on each of the three lines...

Bakerloo Line: Edgware Road, Great Central, Baker Street, Regent's Park, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Embankment, Waterloo, Kennington Road and Elephant & Castle.

Piccadilly Line: Gillespie Road, Holloway Road, Caledonian Road, York Road, King's Cross, Russell Square, Holborn, Strand, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Picadilly Circus, Dover Street, Down Street, Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, Brompton Road, South Kensington and Gloucester Road.

Northern Line: Highgate, Tufnell Park, Kentish Town, South Kentish Town, Golders Green, Hampstead, Belsize Park, Chalk Farm, Camden Town, Mornington Crescent, Euston, Euston Road, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Street, Leicester Square and Charing Cross.

Note: Many of these have been demolished or are due for demolition, closed, never had a station building or have been renamed.

What follows is a brief history of four of the Leslie Green designed station buildings that I have visited and photographed. I am planning more London trips and will be seeking out more of the stations and photographing them and hope to add to this article in the future.

Covent Garden

Situated on the Piccadilly Line between Leicester Square and Holborn it serves the Covent Garden area and is located on the corner of Long Acre and Janes Street. In 1929, with the extension of the Piccadilly Line, the station was earmarked for closure based on the fact that the closing of less-busy stations in the central London area would improve the reliability of the service and journey times. Fortunately the closure never took place and the station building remains and is now a Grade II listed building.

York Road

Located on the corner of York Road (now York Way) and Bingfield Street the station was on the Piccadilly Line between King's Cross and Caledonian Road. The station opened in 1906 but due to low volume of passengers it closed in 1932.

York Road Underground

It was unusual due to the fact that, unlike most underground stations on the line where the lifts stopped at a level above the platforms and so passengers had to descend a final flight of stairs to catch their train, the lifts at York Road went right down to the platform level. This meant that the platforms had to be further apart than normal and so the interconnecting passageways were much longer than normal. The station building still exists although for how much longer, who knows.

Euston

There were three underground stations built to serve Euston mainline station and two of these were built by two different companies, City & South London Railway (C&SLR) and the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway (CCE&HR). The London & North Western Railway (L&NWR) owned the land and had given their permission to both companies as long as there were separate stations and entrances to both from within the main station. They opened in 1907 and closed in 1914 leaving just the entrance in the mainline station in use.

Euston (on Melton Street)

The CCE&HR underground station was located on Melton Street just west of the mainline station. After its closure it housed the ventilation equipment for the Victoria Line. Another Leslie Green designed station that should have Grade II listed building status but is unfortunately being demolished (or has already been) to make way for the construction of the HS2 rail line. I was fortunate to visit the site recently and capture this image. The other station was located east of the mainline station at the junction of Eversholt Street and Drummond Street but has long since been demolished.

Aldwych/Strand

Aldwych station was opened in 1907 with the name Strand after the street on which it was located. It was the terminus of the short branch line from Holborn on the Piccadilly Line. Several reasons have been given for the existence of the short bit of line. One is a Parlimentary condition that the line be built. Another is the idea to extend the line south of the river, an idea that is more likely as plans were apparently made.

Strand (Aldwych) Station

It changed its name to Aldwych in 1915 as the nearby Charing Cross Underground Station was also called Strand at the time. It changed it's name back to Charing Cross in 1979. Confusing or what! Never a busy station it was considered for closure many times and in 1962 only weekday peak hour trains ran and by 1994 the station was closed The station building is on the corner of Strand and Surrey Street and if you go around the corner into Surrey Street you will find another entrance to the station.

Strand (Aldwych) Station entrance on Surrey Street

During the Second World War the station was used as an air raid shelter and the unused tunnels as storage for rare and priceless treasures from the British Museum. Today it is maintained by the London Underground as a museum piece and often used as a location for TV and films.

For further reading on the London Underground, it's history and visiting some of the sites I recommend the following books.

London's Disused Underground Stations (J. E. Connor)

Do Not Alight Here (Ben Pedroche)

PARKLAND WALK

This article will cover two of my interests... abandoned old railway lines and urban exploration. The 5 kilometre Parkland Walk follows the course of the railway line that used to run between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace. Last year I explored the southern section between Finsbury Park and the Highgate Tunnels and in this article I'll look at the history of the route and include many of the photographs I took.

Parkland Walk

The line between Finsbury Park and Highgate dates back to the 1860s when it was constructed by the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway. Before the line actually opened it was absorbed into the Great Northern Railway (GNR) on 22 August 1867.

In 1872 and 1873 branch lines opened between Finchley to High Barnet and Highgate to Alexandra Palace. Two years later the Palace was destroyed in a fire and that section of the line closed for two years during the reconstruction. The line would face two further closures during the 1880s. By 1923 the Great Northern Railway (GNR) had become part of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER).

In 1935 the London Underground revealed their plans (The Northern Heights Plan) to incorporate the lines into the Northern Line. Work was halted with the start of World War 2 in 1939 and by the end of the war all the plans were scrapped. Before and in the few years following the end of the war underground maps did show the routes as 'under construction.'

Passenger trains continued to run on the lines however, by July 1954, British Rail, who had taken over from the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER), ceased services.

The branch line to Alexandra Palace closed in 1957 although the section between Finsbury Park, Highgate and East Finchley remained open for freight services through to 1964. Until 1970 the line was used to transfer empty stock from the underground and two years later, in 1972, the track was lifted signalling the demise of the line.

Following the removal of the tracks most of the station platforms and buildings were demolished. Officially opened in 1984 the sections between Finsbury Park to Highgate and Highgate to Alexander Palace were designated as The Parkland Walk and followed the bridges and cuttings. One section, the tunnels and station at Highgate, were excluded from the walk. Plans to convert it to a road were, fortunately, scrapped following opposition from locals and environmentalists collectively known as 'The Friends of The Parkland Walk.' In 1990 it was declared a local nature reserve, the longest in London. 

Having looked at a brief history of the area we will now follow my walk along the route from Finsbury Park to Highgate with more detail about the various highlights that can be found along the way for those who, like me, are interested in old railway lines.

Arriving at Finsbury Park Station I made my way the short distance to Oxford Road where there is an overbridge that crosses the main line and leads to Finsbury Park. You can approach the start of the walk from either side of the line but I approached from the end of Oxford Road, turning left just before the overbridge and along the embankment that rises by a row of Victorian houses where my journey begins. 

From there I headed along the old track over Upper Tollington Park towards the next bridge which crosses Stapleton Hill Road, and the Gospel Oak to Barking line below, and was the site of Stroud Green Station. The station is no longer there but you can imagine how it was back in the late-1800s and early 1900s with platforms either side, cantilevered from the bridge, with the wooden station building on ground level underneath. What does remain on the main road below is the station master's house and the site of the old goods yard. The station closed in 1954 and stood derelict before being destroyed by fire in 1967.

The site of Stroud Green Station

Walking on I crossed Mount Pleasant Villas, where the embankment becomes a cutting, and continued beneath two more bridges which carried both Mount View Road and Crouch Hill. As you exit from the bridge there is a modern looking building on the left which, before a modern redevelopment, was originally built to house switchgear for the planned Northern Line tube extension.

One of the brick structures along the route

Entering the area known as Crouch Hill Park you pass some graffiti covered brickwork supporting the sides of the cutting and a footbridge. This is one of several that can be found on the walk.

A few more steps and you arrive at Crouch End Station. Opened in August 1867 there were two platforms and steps leading up to the station buildings built on the road bridge that crossed the line. Buildings on the platform and those on street level were demolished in 1966 and 1977.

What remains makes interesting viewing. The two platforms have survived and the steps leading up to the road pass a brick structure which I believe may have been toilets. It appears a new structure has been built on the bridge with what looks like inverted arches. I did not venture up the stairs (something for my next visit) but apparently you get a good view from there of the platforms below. 

For lovers of disused railways this is probably the most interesting part of the walk. However, there is much to be seen along the walk if you are prepared to look closely in the hedgerows.

Crouch End Station

Continuing onwards, the walk runs parallel to Hornsey Road, crosses over Stanhope Road to an embankment where another bridge crosses Northwood Road.

It is between these two bridges that another reminder of the past can be found. Remains of a brick structure can be spotted that may have been a signal man's hut. There are some steps on the left but what makes this really interesting is the fact that the roots of a tree have engulfed the brickwork.

The last section rises and then a cutting signals the end of this section of the walk. There is an exit on the left which takes you up to the road and the route you would take along Holmesdale Road, Archway Road, past Highgate Station to Muswell Hill Road and eventually rejoining the old line which takes you to Alexandra Palace.

However, it is worth walking the few extra metres first where you will find the two portals of the Highgate Tunnels. Closed to the public the two entrances are barred. One reason is the fact that the tunnels are home to the Bat Project and access is prohibited to protect them and their habitat from disturbance.

Apparently the tunnels have been used for television dramas and I imagine they made ideal locations. Oh how I would like to explore those tunnels further, but alas that won't happen.

Highgate Tunnels

This walk is well worth visiting, not only to those who are interested in old railways but anyone who enjoys a nice walk through the woodlands and viewing all the wild flowers, plants and trees along the way.

I plan to walk the remaining section between Highgate and Alexandra Palace, and revisit some of the areas I missed, as soon as possible and will be adding a second part to this story.