Charing Cross LTM Tours

[DynamicSpirit]

London Transport Museum (LTM) sometimes do tours of the inaccessible parts of Charing Cross station - notably the old Jubilee platforms. They've recently opened up dates in November and December - booking form here.

I was tempted to book but it turns out the cost for an adult is £44, which seems quite steep considering I doubt there can be that much to see. So I was wondering... has anyone been on any of these tours before? If so, can you give any insight into whether they are worth it? How long do they last and what stuff do they show you?

 

[bramling]

London Transport Museum (LTM) sometimes do tours of the inaccessible parts of Charing Cross station - notably the old Jubilee platforms. They've recently opened up dates in November and December - booking form here.

I was tempted to book but it turns out the cost for an adult is £44, which seems quite steep considering I doubt there can be that much to see. So I was wondering... has anyone been on any of these tours before? If so, can you give any insight into whether they are worth it? How long do they last and what stuff do they show you?

It will be worth it in that it’s essentially pretty much the only way the general public can get access to these areas.

I haven’t done the tour myself, but my understanding is it covers both platforms, as well as some other non-public passageways dating from when the Jubilee Line was built.

In LU terms it’s quite benign, but most of the *really* interesting parts of LU are unlikely to ever be accessible to the general public, eg places like King William Street station, Brompton Road station, Stockwell sidings, the Plessey Factory, arguably some of the Victoria Line’s tunnel engineering, etc etc.

If you used Charing Cross when it was open then I wouldn’t bother. But if not then I’d say do it as a shot to nothing.

 

[fgwrich]

It will be worth it in that it’s essentially pretty much the only way the general public can get access to these areas.

I haven’t done the tour myself, but my understanding is it covers both platforms, as well as some other non-public passageways dating from when the Jubilee Line was built.

In LU terms it’s quite benign, but most of the *really* interesting parts of LU are unlikely to ever be accessible to the general public, eg places like King William Street station, Brompton Road station, Stockwell sidings, the Plessey Factory, arguably some of the Victoria Line’s tunnel engineering, etc etc.

If you used Charing Cross when it was open then I wouldn’t bother. But if not then I’d say do it as a shot to nothing.

Indeed, unless you are part of the Emergency Services or involved in a big filming project, it's pretty unlikely you'll get the chance as a member of the public to get down to these platforms - a very captive market!

 

[barringtoncem]

I Have been on the tour they last about 75 minutes depending on what station tour you are doing and it is worth it if you did not
use the station when it was open a Pdf brochure is emailed after the tour as well a discount to the Convent Garden Museum discounts
are available to The LTM friends when booking the tour and for seniors as well i think any thing else just ask

 

[Hadders]

I Have been on the tour they last about 75 minutes depending on what station tour you are doing and it is worth it if you did not
use the station when it was open a Pdf brochure is emailed after the tour as well a discount to the Convent Garden Museum discounts
are available to The LTM friends when booking the tour and for seniors as well i think any thing else just ask

I got a hard copy brochure when I did it a few years ago.

I’ve done quite a few of these tours and I did enjoy the Charing Cross one. They’re not cheap but I was glad I did it.

You’re not going to see those platforms any other way unless you work for LU or happen to be on a train that gets diverted there in error

 

[brewer85]

We have been on a few of these, yes it's not cheap but it's fascinating to see the secret/hidden spaces, and the guides explain things well.
Kingsway tramway subway was an especially interesting one.

You’re not going to see those platforms any other way unless you work for LU or happen to be on a train that gets diverted there in error

Even in that recent case, I think passengers weren't allowed to alight and were taken back to Green Park! No free hidden london tours

 

[nlogax]

I'd happily pay £44 for one of those tours.

 

[Ex LT]

It will be worth it in that it’s essentially pretty much the only way the general public can get access to these areas.

I haven’t done the tour myself, but my understanding is it covers both platforms, as well as some other non-public passageways dating from when the Jubilee Line was built.

In LU terms it’s quite benign, but most of the *really* interesting parts of LU are unlikely to ever be accessible to the general public, eg places like King William Street station, Brompton Road station, Stockwell sidings, the Plessey Factory, arguably some of the Victoria Line’s tunnel engineering, etc etc.

If you used Charing Cross when it was open then I wouldn’t bother. But if not then I’d say do it as a shot to nothing.

Those sites you mention I think you are right they wont be done. Your mention of Plessey Factory is there another one as I thought they used the running tunnels and apart from surface buildings that was it although you could say I suppose that they are being done every day as long as you are on a train speeding through the tunnels!

 

[bramling]

Those sites you mention I think you are right they wont be done. Your mention of Plessey Factory is there another one as I thought they used the running tunnels and apart from surface buildings that was it although you could say I suppose that they are being done every day as long as you are on a train speeding through the tunnels!

On the latter point, kind of. A ride through there on a train doesn’t allow exploration of the various boltholes which once played a part in the factory, not allow examination of some of the markings left on the tunnel rings in places. A flavour of this can certainly be had from a train, more so if lucky enough to be able to be able to see it from the driver’s cab, but it isn’t quite the full experience.

ISTR TFL did at one point do walks through the East London Line’s Thames Tunnel, but this doesn’t seem to have happened for a while now.

It may be the case that Brompton Road might become accessible in the future. Much of the reason it has always been “off limits” has more to do with the presence of the MOD at street level. There has always been through access, just not actually able to be used. Following the divestment of the surface building by the MOD, my understanding is LU are now responsible to the top of the spiral staircase, at which point the former through access is now sealed with metal sheeting. Most of the lower levels are in no worse state than Down Street, so in theory could be visited subject to the access arrangements being sorted out. With the aforementioned metal sheeting it remains only possible to visit by track level at the moment. IMO it’s more interesting than Down Street. One snag might be that Down Street’s spiral staircase has always been maintained as it provides personnel access to the lower levels, whereas I’m not sure what state Brompton Road’s is in structurally, other than that it looks just about okay and has taken my 71kgs!

 

[Ex LT]

On the latter point, kind of. A ride through there on a train doesn’t allow exploration of the various boltholes which once played a part in the factory, not allow examination of some of the markings left on the tunnel rings in places. A flavour of this can certainly be had from a train, more so if lucky enough to be able to be able to see it from the driver’s cab, but it isn’t quite the full experience.

ISTR TFL did at one point do walks through the East London Line’s Thames Tunnel, but this doesn’t seem to have happened for a while now.

Yes you are right not quite the same. I went on the East London Line walk very good, I also did a walk many moons ago when the LURS had a tunnel visit to various sites Belsize Park and Brixton being just two of them.

 

[pitdiver]

Being a former operational Station Supervisor and then transferring to the LTM I was in a very fortunate position of conducting tours to many of the sites that Secrets Of The Underground visit. This included Brompton Rd, Down Street, Googe street deep level shelter and even Angel Escalator machine room. I even conducted a tour of Euston disused for a German TV Crew.

 

[ATrainSpotter]

London Transport Museum (LTM) sometimes do tours of the inaccessible parts of Charing Cross station - notably the old Jubilee platforms. They've recently opened up dates in November and December - booking form here.

I was tempted to book but it turns out the cost for an adult is £44, which seems quite steep considering I doubt there can be that much to see. So I was wondering... has anyone been on any of these tours before? If so, can you give any insight into whether they are worth it? How long do they last and what stuff do they show you?

I've always wondered why the LTM likes to hike prices. Their shop is absurdly crazy priced, with only a few reasonably priced items available. I mean unless its the obvious reason that Tfl is broke I can't really think of another reason why?

 

[rebmcr]

I've always wondered why the LTM likes to hike prices. Their shop is absurdly crazy priced, with only a few reasonably priced items available. I mean unless its the obvious reason that Tfl is broke I can't really think of another reason why?

They're in the middle of the most intensely tourism-focused area of London, the shop prices are not for enthusiasts but for rich foreigners.

Tours of course swing a lot harder toward the enthusiast end of the market, but as someone who has worked on the organisation of large commercial special-interest events, the prices strike me as very reasonable when considering the costs involved.

 

[ATrainSpotter]

They're in the middle of the most intensely tourism-focused area of London, the shop prices are not for enthusiasts but for rich foreigners.

Not for their sign collection, £1k for a sign!