Disused stations

[Jack Barry]

I know that during WW2 the disused stations were used for various reasons and in later years I think ventilation purposes. What are they used for now as I understand it there is a control room at one on the Northern line although it is reported as being out of use, any other reasons. Some are intervention points/escape shafts.

 

[edwin_m]

There are several websites on this. Here are a couple (not appropriate to quote on this occasion):
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/index10.shtml
http://underground-history.co.uk/

 

[rebmcr]

I know a few of them are used for document archival.

 

[Jack Barry]

Those websites you mention although good have not been updated for a while and do give some detail but not much.

Which ones have the document archives please as I am not aware.

 

[gazthomas]

You may want to check out books (remember those!):

London's Disused Underground Stations by J. E. Connor

London's Secret Tubes by Andrew Emerson and Tony Beard

 

[Jack Barry]

You may want to check out books (remember those!):

London's Disused Underground Stations by J. E. Connor

London's Secret Tubes by Andrew Emerson and Tony Beard

I do remember those books but again they are good but the detail is still light. I suspect that they do not have all the details.

 

[bluegoblin7]

I know that during WW2 the disused stations were used for various reasons and in later years I think ventilation purposes. What are they used for now as I understand it there is a control room at one on the Northern line although it is reported as being out of use, any other reasons. Some are intervention points/escape shafts.

The websites and books that you dismiss are the best sources you're going to get.

Most of the disused stations are exactly that - disused. Very few have any re-use nowadays, and very few historically had any re-use either - WW2 being the key exception.

Most of the 'deep level' shelters are used for storage. York Road is a giant vent shaft. That's about it.

 

[Busaholic]

I know that during WW2 the disused stations were used for various reasons and in later years I think ventilation purposes. What are they used for now as I understand it there is a control room at one on the Northern line although it is reported as being out of use, any other reasons. Some are intervention points/escape shafts.

If it's the Northern Line, then as far as I know their former stations are South Kentish Town, City Road and King William Street. I believe SKR is the most complete. I've never heard of 'control rooms' being situated in any of these or, indeed, other former stations, if by this you mean control of Underground lines, but perhaps you don't. I wonder whether you're getting it confused with the former tram subways in Southampton Row/Aldwych.

 

[bluegoblin7]

If it's the Northern Line, then as far as I know their former stations are South Kentish Town, City Road and King William Street. I believe SKR is the most complete. I've never heard of 'control rooms' being situated in any of these or, indeed, other former stations, if by this you mean control of Underground lines, but perhaps you don't. I wonder whether you're getting it confused with the former tram subways in Southampton Row/Aldwych.

The unfinished Bull & Bush / North End station was briefly used as a Floodgate Control Centre. More at http://underground-history.co.uk/bullbush.php, although the OP has dismissed that site already.

 

[Busaholic]

The unfinished Bull & Bush / North End station was briefly used as a Floodgate Control Centre. More at http://underground-history.co.uk/bullbush.php, although the OP has dismissed that site already.

Well, I'm grateful for the link even if the OP isn't! I was aware of some other station in the Hampstead area, and vaguely thought it was connected to Jack Straw's Castle, but nothing else. That was most informative.

 

[bramling]

If it's the Northern Line, then as far as I know their former stations are South Kentish Town, City Road and King William Street. I believe SKR is the most complete. I've never heard of 'control rooms' being situated in any of these or, indeed, other former stations, if by this you mean control of Underground lines, but perhaps you don't. I wonder whether you're getting it confused with the former tram subways in Southampton Row/Aldwych.

For the Northern you can add Bull & Bush (really it was intended to be North End, but that name fell out of use) and of course Stockwell.

South Kentish Town and City Road are now both fan shafts, with emergency stair access being possible. Bull & Bush has no vent shaft of any type but does have stair access, at the bottom of which is the aforementioned floodgate control room, itself disused. Stockwell is just a wide section of tunnel albeit retaining some original tiling in places, there are also some disused passageways in the current station. King William Street is perhaps the most interesting. Up until recently it was completely separate from an operational railway, its former running tunnels being walled up on both sides of the Thames, with a locked watertight door at the north ends and a solid wall at the south ends. One of the tunnels is used to carry high-tension cables (to Redcross Way substation IIRC), which was the only operational use for the station. In the last year or two the station has become a work site for the new Northern Line platform at Bank, which has resulted in a very small part of the tunnel being infilled and a shaft sunk through it. There was certainly supposed to be some degree of conservation applied to the railway remains at King William Street, so hopefully these works won’t do too much damage. When I went down there a few years ago it still retained some pretty immaculate tiling, although most of the WW2 posters had gone by then. Not sure if these works will lead to the station gaining any permanent operational purpose - perhaps it might end up serving as some kind of emergency exit, although with only a narrow spiral staircase it wouldn’t be much use except as staff access.

 

[Jack Barry]

The websites and books that you dismiss are the best sources you're going to get.

Most of the disused stations are exactly that - disused. Very few have any re-use nowadays, and very few historically had any re-use either - WW2 being the key exception.

Most of the 'deep level' shelters are used for storage. York Road is a giant vent shaft. That's about it.

If they are the best then it is a lost cause. The underground history site if you look was last updated quite some time ago and I'm sure there must have been some sort of alteration, remember there was a TV series that was better. The disused site well it is just that so I would not expect it to go into greater detail although there are plenty of old photos which are very good.
I was asking as I have seen mention of possible uses and I don't mean turning the station(s) into clubs and all sorts. A number of the deep shelters are now farms and other things. I would have expected that most shafts are used for ventilation purposes but as you might have seen someone said about storage of documents and I know 3 of the deep shelters are used for this but not any of the disused stations.

The unfinished Bull & Bush / North End station was briefly used as a Floodgate Control Centre. More at http://underground-history.co.uk/bullbush.php, although the OP has dismissed that site already.

You will have seen my reply to your previous post but I don't think you are correct in saying that Bull & Bush was briefly used as a control room as I belive it was from 1958-1982 which is not brief.

Well, I'm grateful for the link even if the OP isn't! I was aware of some other station in the Hampstead area, and vaguely thought it was connected to Jack Straw's Castle, but nothing else. That was most informative.

I am surprised that you were not aware of those sites as they have been around for a good many years.

For the Northern you can add Bull & Bush (really it was intended to be North End, but that name fell out of use) and of course Stockwell.

South Kentish Town and City Road are now both fan shafts, with emergency stair access being possible. Bull & Bush has no vent shaft of any type but does have stair access, at the bottom of which is the aforementioned floodgate control room, itself disused. Stockwell is just a wide section of tunnel albeit retaining some original tiling in places, there are also some disused passageways in the current station. King William Street is perhaps the most interesting. Up until recently it was completely separate from an operational railway, its former running tunnels being walled up on both sides of the Thames, with a locked watertight door at the north ends and a solid wall at the south ends. One of the tunnels is used to carry high-tension cables (to Redcross Way substation IIRC), which was the only operational use for the station. In the last year or two the station has become a work site for the new Northern Line platform at Bank, which has resulted in a very small part of the tunnel being infilled and a shaft sunk through it. There was certainly supposed to be some degree of conservation applied to the railway remains at King William Street, so hopefully these works won’t do too much damage. When I went down there a few years ago it still retained some pretty immaculate tiling, although most of the WW2 posters had gone by then. Not sure if these works will lead to the station gaining any permanent operational purpose - perhaps it might end up serving as some kind of emergency exit, although with only a narrow spiral staircase it wouldn’t be much use except as staff access.

Thanks for your post, I knew King William Street was being used for the Bank works but you have provided more information than I could find on any link or books.

 

[rebmcr]

I think some of the uses (document storage included) are sensitive, so not all of the information you seek will be in the public domain.

 

[edwin_m]

I think some of the uses (document storage included) are sensitive, so not all of the information you seek will be in the public domain.

Probably also "sensitive" when one of the deep level shelters was being used for growing, er, illegal plants.

 

[pdeaves]

The underground history site if you look was last updated quite some time ago

That does not make the information out of date. If nothing has happened, there is no need for an update. The previous information still holds true.

 

[Jack Barry]

I think some of the uses (document storage included) are sensitive, so not all of the information you seek will be in the public domain.

I agree with you but unless there is something tangible to rule out exactly what then those that like to speculate are free to do so.

That does not make the information out of date. If nothing has happened, there is no need for an update. The previous information still holds true.

Phil, I disagree as if you check the date of latest update on something depending on how long ago it was then almost 100% sure that something has happened no matter how small. Your website has corrections all the time I suspect but it is a good site and reliable.

Here is another site that some might find useful if they don't already know about it.

http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/

 

[Dstock7080]

Here is another site that some might find useful if they don't already know about it.

http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/

Perhaps mention should be made about the eastbound platform at the former Mark Lane station, which now has a signalling equipment room for the new Sub-Surface Resignalling project, at its western end, visible when the external lighting is on.

 

[Busaholic]

I am surprised that you were not aware of those sites as they have been around for a good many years.

I'm obviously an ignoramus, while you patently are not!

 

[bramling]

Thanks for your post, I knew King William Street was being used for the Bank works but you have provided more information than I could find on any link or books.

A few more off top of head;

British Museum - no real change to status since 1980s. Namely platforms empty shells albeit retaining some tiling, and as usual used as a p-way store. Might be the odd remnants of its shelter days remaining. Stairwells and tiny stub of lift passageways remains at the end of each platform, but no remains of lift landings or shafts, all infilled when the surface building went.

Wood Lane - as far as I know the westbound platform remains as a bit of a time capsule. Anyone been there more recently?

Charing Cross Jubilee - no change. Some experimental tunnel linings around the crossover tunnel which were a trial for the Bond Street tunnel relining project.

Brompton Road - no change. Not sure of the current status of the surface building, which was used by the MOD at least until recently. I believe much of the surface building is recognisable from its railway days, both in terms of layout and features. Whilst the original entrance was demolished when the main road was widened, in actual fact this only really involved the very front of the building. At platform level much remains. One of the shafts remains as a fan shaft which rises up through the surface building, unusually the fan is at low level which is comparatively rare (although not unique).

Aldwych, Down Street and York Road - no change from what you’ll read in the internet as far as I know.

Same applies to the District and Met stations, with the aforementioned exception that Mark Lane has the signal equipment room on the platform now, and the surface building at Marlborough Road has been converted to a traction substation from its previous role as a restaurant.

Hyde Park Corner has changed in the last few years too - from a restaurant to a luxury hotel. In fact IIRC most of the building behind the frontage has actually been completely rebuilt. There’s still a fan shaft running through it, which emerges round the back somewhere. Likewise the basement still contains access to the stations former spiral staircase, itself giving access to the traction substation which has been there since day one.

Another station to have changed up top is City Road, the remaining fragment of the surface building has now gone, with the access now being through some kind of housing scheme.

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

maybe the OP is seeking information on that old rumour that there are secret nuclear bunkers dotted all around the underground system? I seem to remember a conspiracy theory going round many years back that the reason why underground schemes always went horrendously over budget was because there were "secret" works involved....

 

[Jack Barry]

Perhaps mention should be made about the eastbound platform at the former Mark Lane station, which now has a signalling equipment room for the new Sub-Surface Resignalling project, at its western end, visible when the external lighting is on.

Well thanks for that another update.

I'm obviously an ignoramus, while you patently are not!

Reading my post I don' think it said that but I believe you have misunderstood I can only say sorry as it was not meant to.

A few more off top of head;

British Museum - no real change to status since 1980s. Namely platforms empty shells albeit retaining some tiling, and as usual used as a p-way store. Might be the odd remnants of its shelter days remaining. Stairwells and tiny stub of lift passageways remains at the end of each platform, but no remains of lift landings or shafts, all infilled when the surface building went.

Wood Lane - as far as I know the westbound platform remains as a bit of a time capsule. Anyone been there more recently?

Charing Cross Jubilee - no change. Some experimental tunnel linings around the crossover tunnel which were a trial for the Bond Street tunnel relining project.

Brompton Road - no change. Not sure of the current status of the surface building, which was used by the MOD at least until recently. I believe much of the surface building is recognisable from its railway days, both in terms of layout and features. Whilst the original entrance was demolished when the main road was widened, in actual fact this only really involved the very front of the building. At platform level much remains. One of the shafts remains as a fan shaft which rises up through the surface building, unusually the fan is at low level which is comparatively rare (although not unique).

Aldwych, Down Street and York Road - no change from what you’ll read in the internet as far as I know.

Same applies to the District and Met stations, with the aforementioned exception that Mark Lane has the signal equipment room on the platform now, and the surface building at Marlborough Road has been converted to a traction substation from its previous role as a restaurant.

Hyde Park Corner has changed in the last few years too - from a restaurant to a luxury hotel. In fact IIRC most of the building behind the frontage has actually been completely rebuilt. There’s still a fan shaft running through it, which emerges round the back somewhere. Likewise the basement still contains access to the stations former spiral staircase, itself giving access to the traction substation which has been there since day one.

Another station to have changed up top is City Road, the remaining fragment of the surface building has now gone, with the access now being through some kind of housing scheme.

Thanks for all that very interesting, bits can be picked up but only bits.

maybe the OP is seeking information on that old rumour that there are secret nuclear bunkers dotted all around the underground system? I seem to remember a conspiracy theory going round many years back that the reason why underground schemes always went horrendously over budget was because there were "secret" works involved....

I am not seeking information on any rumour or conspiracy that may be going around over the years, if you read my OP it asked what had changed and like you see from some posters there have been changes. Before asking any questions I always do a search just to see what is known but you are right there are some that strat rumours about things and they stay around for a very long time.

 

[Taunton]

There was an extraordinary book which came out in the late 1970s, "Beneath the City Streets", by Peter Laurie, which managed to wrap up every conspiracy theory going about closed stations and even odd gated passages in Underground stations past and present. If he saw an abandoned structure anywhere near a closed station, that was a Cold War secret hideout he had found. It's a real hoot, he must have spent years researching it. I'm really sorry I lost mine.

 

[Jack Barry]

There was an extraordinary book which came out in the late 1970s, "Beneath the City Streets", by Peter Laurie, which managed to wrap up every conspiracy theory going about closed stations and even odd gated passages in Underground stations past and present. If he saw an abandoned structure anywhere near a closed station, that was a Cold War secret hideout he had found. It's a real hoot, he must have spent years researching it. I'm really sorry I lost mine.

I have looked for that book but it always seems to be snapped up very quickly, just how much is true about what he found or was it all a load of make believe.

 

[Taunton]

Ah, well, if all secondhand copies of it are bought up straight away I'm sure the author would say it was MI5 actively doing so to keep them out of the hands of the public!

It is an interesting book, quite unlike any other railway book I have encountered. I seem to recall it was self-published by the author, which in those days meant it had been hand-typed on a traditional typewriter. I found it in the old David & Charles railway bookshop in Chiltern Street near Marylebone, and being self-published must have meant the author visiting there with a box of them and persuading the manager to stock it. I recall flicking through the pages and being fascinated by the content and the nonsenses. Just had to buy it. I immediately went round to some back streets near Holborn where there were descriptions of odd lifts in ventilation shafts, etc. Well they were all there. just as described. But his imagination took over from there. Or possibly not ...

 

[kwrail]

Geoff Marshall's underground videos are usually worth watching. Especially the secrets of the underground series. He has done a couple on abandoned stations. Links below

 

[Busaholic]

Ah, well, if all secondhand copies of it are bought up straight away I'm sure the author would say it was MI5 actively doing so to keep them out of the hands of the public!

It is an interesting book, quite unlike any other railway book I have encountered. I seem to recall it was self-published by the author, which in those days meant it had been hand-typed on a traditional typewriter. I found it in the old David & Charles railway bookshop in Chiltern Street near Marylebone, and being self-published must have meant the author visiting there with a box of them and persuading the manager to stock it. I recall flicking through the pages and being fascinated by the content and the nonsenses. Just had to buy it. I immediately went round to some back streets near Holborn where there were descriptions of odd lifts in ventilation shafts, etc. Well they were all there. just as described. But his imagination took over from there. Or possibly not ...

I've never come across that book. Mentions of Holborn, though, bring to mind the underground fire/s that struck in the area a few years ago and seemed to smoulder for days. This was shortly before the Easter weekend after which it was discovered that the vaults of a jeweller's in Hatton Garden had been penetrated with losses of millions of pounds worth of gems and other items. I always wondered whether the two events were connected somehow...

 

[Jack Barry]

I've never come across that book. Mentions of Holborn, though, bring to mind the underground fire/s that struck in the area a few years ago and seemed to smoulder for days. This was shortly before the Easter weekend after which it was discovered that the vaults of a jeweller's in Hatton Garden had been penetrated with losses of millions of pounds worth of gems and other items. I always wondered whether the two events were connected somehow...

Holborn I believe was the shelter under the Central line as the Hatton garden while being close was not connected as I understand.

 

[Jack Barry]

A few more off top of head;

British Museum - no real change to status since 1980s. Namely platforms empty shells albeit retaining some tiling, and as usual used as a p-way store. Might be the odd remnants of its shelter days remaining. Stairwells and tiny stub of lift passageways remains at the end of each platform, but no remains of lift landings or shafts, all infilled when the surface building went.

Wood Lane - as far as I know the westbound platform remains as a bit of a time capsule. Anyone been there more recently?

Charing Cross Jubilee - no change. Some experimental tunnel linings around the crossover tunnel which were a trial for the Bond Street tunnel relining project.

Brompton Road - no change. Not sure of the current status of the surface building, which was used by the MOD at least until recently. I believe much of the surface building is recognisable from its railway days, both in terms of layout and features. Whilst the original entrance was demolished when the main road was widened, in actual fact this only really involved the very front of the building. At platform level much remains. One of the shafts remains as a fan shaft which rises up through the surface building, unusually the fan is at low level which is comparatively rare (although not unique).

Aldwych, Down Street and York Road - no change from what you’ll read in the internet as far as I know.

Same applies to the District and Met stations, with the aforementioned exception that Mark Lane has the signal equipment room on the platform now, and the surface building at Marlborough Road has been converted to a traction substation from its previous role as a restaurant.

Hyde Park Corner has changed in the last few years too - from a restaurant to a luxury hotel. In fact IIRC most of the building behind the frontage has actually been completely rebuilt. There’s still a fan shaft running through it, which emerges round the back somewhere. Likewise the basement still contains access to the stations former spiral staircase, itself giving access to the traction substation which has been there since day one.

Another station to have changed up top is City Road, the remaining fragment of the surface building has now gone, with the access now being through some kind of housing scheme.

This post made me think about some guy who had plans to use disused stations for all different reasons but then it stalled and TfL started doing the same and now he is taking TfL to court.

 

[Dstock7080]

This post made me think about some guy who had plans to use disused stations for all different reasons but then it stalled and TfL started doing the same and now he is taking TfL to court.

Ajit Chambers:
https://www.eureporter.co/business/...o-rule-on-london-disused-tube-station-scheme/

 

[Journeyman]

Those websites you mention although good have not been updated for a while and do give some detail but not much.

Which ones have the document archives please as I am not aware.

I think the only ones used for document archival are the tunnels built as air raid shelters towards the end of the war, at or near various stations on the Northern Line. They were never used for actual rail purposes, but were designed to be able to do so.