London Rail

Tag: station

  • Knightsbridge tube’s final weekend

    This is the final weekend (commencing 26th April 2025) of Knightsbridge tube station as a facility that offers access to its platforms solely by way of a bank of escalators and stairs. From next week Knightsbridge station will offer new accessible elevators (lifts) and corridors via a new entrance in Hoopers Court – and that…

  • Ghost exorcisms on the Elizabeth line!

    The modern day exorcist has arrived! It could be anyone, even you or me, but in this case its TfL. The long standing controversy of those ghostly marks that are a feature of the Elizabeth line has finally seen a solution implemented. Its a simple case of cover the damn things! Evidently its easier to…

  • GWR at the ‘original’ Brunel terminus!

    Well after 186 years it finally happened! GWR trains go to Euston! That had been the original intention back in the 1830s when Brunel and the London and Birmingham Railway had agreed to share the new terminus at Euston. What happened next was a series of disagreements which led to Brunel setting his mind upon…

  • Southgate station – an appraisal

    The fact Cockfosters station – an appraisal was popular prompted me to dig out this further look at one of the Piccadilly line’s iconic tube stations. Although we regularly visited Southgate in the 1960s, at no time was the Piccadilly line ever used this far. However the station certainly is remembered because this was where…

  • Cockfosters station – an appraisal

    Despite being the butt of many a joke, ‘Cock Fosters’ as it once was, is a real place and noted for being the northern terminus of the Piccadilly Line. The location itself prior to the opening of the tube was not even a major settlement of any sort, just a small school and a vicarage.…

  • The twopenny tube guard who got killed by his own train

    In the very early days of London’s premier underground line – the Central London Railway (CLR) or the twopenny tube as it was popularly known, procured its first ever fatality. It wasn’t a passenger but a member of staff and the matter was down to the staff in question having taken offence to someone smoking…

  • Barnstaple to Ilfracombe #1

    The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe railway opened in July 1874 thus 2024 is the 150th anniversary of the line’s opening. Despite opposition the line closed in October 1970 after British Railways had totally rationalised the line in an attempt to keep the costs of running it to a minimum. Ultimately the Government of the day was…

  • The best Tube photo ever (redux)

    Could this photograph from 1937 be the best ever composition taken on London’s tube? It’s certainly very unusual for its time because it suggests a substantial abstraction and mystique. We do not know who the subject is other than its a guy in a bowler hat and his entire figure is almost in shadow. Perhaps…

  • Rails to Ilfracombe #2

    This week is the 50th anniversary of the closure of the Barnstaple to Ilfracombe Railway. This opened on 20 July 1874 and shut for good from 5th October 1970 – the last train was actually two days earlier on the 3rd October – an eight car DMU forming the 19.55pm from Ilfracombe to Exeter carrying…

  • Rails to Ilfracombe #1

    Trains do indeed still cross the River Taw in many places, eleven times this happens in fact. However a twelfth crossing was the biggest of all – and the one trains just do not use anymore. Yes you guessed – its the Ilfracombe line’s stupendous cast iron viaduct at Barnstaple. That was a rarity in…

Search

Latest Posts

Categories

Tags

accessibility america anniversary breach canada canal canals closed railway commuter rail deep level tube elizabeth line europe great eastern main lline great western branch great western main line great western railway high speed rail industrial archaeology infrastructure japan london history london underground metro operational issues oralism paddington publicity quirky rail history railway railway history railway problems railway station roads station street tokaido line tramway transport tube tube station tunnels underground railway walking water transport