The London Tube
The Piccadilly Line is being constructed under the tram tracks, London, 1906. I can't see health & safety allowing this to happen in these days!
Paddington, Originally named Bishop's Road, was the western terminus for London's first underground line the Metropolitan Railway. It was opened on the 9th January 1863, with the first station on the line to be built was the Edgware Road. The name Hammersmith and City Line were first used in 1868 when Hammersmith station was first open, it is the start of the line with Farringdon station being the finish of the line. Over the years the line has been extended and now ends at Barking in east London.
Station Curiousities
Aldgate Station was built on one of the largest plague pits where more than 1,000 people were buried over a two week period in 1665.
Sloane square station has the river Westbourne flowing over the station in a large visible pipe. During World War II in 1940, two German bombs fell on the station killing many people. The station remained closed until 1951 for the festival of Britain,
re-opening at that time as it was the closest station to Battersea Funfair. Farringdon station has the river fleet running alongside.
Aldwych station was first called Strand station. During the Second World War, it was closed and used to house the British museum treasures including the Elgin Marbles. It reopened in the 1940's then closed for the last time in 1994, it has been used in many films including An American Werewolf in London
Embankment station was built on the Warren Blacking factory site, where Charles Dickens worked as a boy.
Temple Station was opened in 1860 with a grand promenade on the roof, it was closed because it attracted too many prostitutes.
Bank Station believed to be haunted, as it was built in the crypt of St Mary Woolnoth church
Another station said to be haunted is
Bethnal Green Station, where on March 3rd, 1943, a panic rush during an air raid, unfortunately, 1,500 people stampeding down the stairs, someone fell causing 173 to die in ninety seconds.
Earl's Court housed the first escalator and opened in 1911, a man named Bumper Harris, who had a peg leg was employed to go up and down on the escalator to reassure passengers of its safety. Also, part of the station was used for the manufacturing of torpedoes in the Second World War.
Kings Cross had a disaster on the 18th of November 1987 when a fire took the lives of 31 people.There are just two stations that take their name from pubs rather than place names, they are
Swiss Cottage and
Manor House. Barons Court the nearest station to the Queen’s Club tennis courts has church pews as seats for waiting passengers.
Stockwell station opposite the Oval Cricket ground was used as a hostel by American G I's in world war II.
Hampstead Station chosen as London Transport emergency H.Q in the event of a nuclear attack as it is the deepest station at 192 feet below ground level.
Chancery Lane Station was opened in June 1934. When boring the tunnel the contractors struck the old river Bourne which once flowed across Holborn to the river Fleet. On that account, the escalators have been enclosed in an iron tank and the walls of the station lined with extra steel supports.
London Time
The contents of this website are the property of knowledgeoflondon.com and therefore must not be reproduced without permission. Every effort is made to ensure the details contained on this website are correct, however, we cannot accept responsibility for errors and omissions.
Contact Us | Advertise
