King William Street tube station
Encyclopedia
King William Street was the original but short-lived northern terminus of the City & South London Railway
(C&SLR), the first deep tube underground railway in London and one of the component parts of the London Underground
's Northern Line
. It was in the City of London
, on King William Street
, just south of the present Monument station
. When the station was in operation the next station south was Borough
and the southern terminus of the line was Stockwell
.
King William Street opened on 18 December 1890 and was constructed from a large masonry station tunnel accessed from the surface by a lift shaft or spiral staircase. Two platforms were provided, one on each side of the single, central track —one for passengers entering and one for passengers leaving the trains, a system later referred to as the Spanish solution
. The station tunnel itself is situated beneath Monument Street and runs east-west across King William Street, ending beneath Arthur Street. The approach running tunnels had sharp curves and steep gradients in order to dive underneath the River Thames
while remaining under public rights-of-way, in particular Swan Lane and Arthur Street. The combination of station layout and poor alignment of the running tunnels severely limited the capacity of the station and in the years after opening a number of initiatives were made to improve operations. In 1895 a central island platform with tracks each side was constructed to enable two trains to occupy the station at once; however, capacity remained restricted.
When the line was extended northwards to Moorgate station
, new running tunnels on a different alignment, but still beneath Borough High Street, were constructed running from below St George the Martyr's Church, north of Borough station to a new station at London Bridge station
and onwards to an alternative City station at Bank. Under the river Thames the present running tunnels of the northern line are situated to the east of London Bridge, whereas the King William St tunnels pass to the west of the bridge, the southbound tunnel below the northbound as the line passes under the Thames. The station closed on 24 February 1900.
The original station building was demolished in the 1930s, although the parts of the station below ground were converted for use as a public air-raid shelter
during World War II
. Access today is via a manhole in the basement of Regis House, a modern day office building, where the original cast iron spiral staircase leads down to platform level. The lift shaft was infilled with concrete during the construction of the original Regis House. The original running tunnels north of Borough tube station
remain, although when the Jubilee Line Extension
was built in the late 1990s the old southbound tunnel was cut through as part of the construction works at London Bridge station in order to provide the lift shaft situated at the south end of the northern line platforms. These running tunnels now serve as a ventilation shaft for the station and the openings for several adit
s to the old running tunnels can be seen in the roofs of the Northern Line platform tunnels and in the central concourse between them. A construction shaft between London Bridge
and King William Street, beneath Old Swan Wharf, now serves as a Pump Shaft for the disused sections of running tunnels. It is no longer possible to walk through between the two stations as the old C&SLR running tunnels have been blocked off with concrete bulkheads either side of the River Thames
.
City & South London Railway
The City and South London Railway was the first deep-level underground "tube" railway in the world, and the first major railway to use electric traction...
(C&SLR), the first deep tube underground railway in London and one of the component parts of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
's Northern Line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
. It was in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, on King William Street
King William Street (London)
King William Street is the name of a street in the City of London, England. It runs from a junction at the Bank of England, meeting Poultry, Lombard Street and Threadneedle Street, south-east, where it meets a junction with Gracechurch and Cannon Street. It continues south after this junction, and...
, just south of the present Monument station
Bank and Monument stations
Bank and Monument are interlinked London Underground and Docklands Light Railway stations that form a public transport complex spanning the length of King William Street in the City of London. Bank station, named after the Bank of England, opened in 1900 and is served by the Central, Northern and...
. When the station was in operation the next station south was Borough
Borough tube station
Borough tube station is a London Underground station in The Borough area of the London Borough of Southwark. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line between Elephant & Castle and London Bridge stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1....
and the southern terminus of the line was Stockwell
Stockwell tube station
Stockwell tube station is a London Underground station in Stockwell, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is located on the Northern Line between Oval and Clapham North, and on the Victoria Line between Brixton and Vauxhall. It is the southernmost station on the London Undergound that serves more...
.
King William Street opened on 18 December 1890 and was constructed from a large masonry station tunnel accessed from the surface by a lift shaft or spiral staircase. Two platforms were provided, one on each side of the single, central track —one for passengers entering and one for passengers leaving the trains, a system later referred to as the Spanish solution
Spanish solution
The Spanish solution is a method of using two railway platforms, one on each side of the track, in order to speed up boarding and alighting from trains. Alighting passengers get off the train on one side and boarding passengers get on from the other...
. The station tunnel itself is situated beneath Monument Street and runs east-west across King William Street, ending beneath Arthur Street. The approach running tunnels had sharp curves and steep gradients in order to dive underneath the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
while remaining under public rights-of-way, in particular Swan Lane and Arthur Street. The combination of station layout and poor alignment of the running tunnels severely limited the capacity of the station and in the years after opening a number of initiatives were made to improve operations. In 1895 a central island platform with tracks each side was constructed to enable two trains to occupy the station at once; however, capacity remained restricted.
Moorgate station
Moorgate station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London; it provides National Rail services by First Capital Connect for Hertford, Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth and also serves the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines and...
, new running tunnels on a different alignment, but still beneath Borough High Street, were constructed running from below St George the Martyr's Church, north of Borough station to a new station at London Bridge station
London Bridge station
London Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
and onwards to an alternative City station at Bank. Under the river Thames the present running tunnels of the northern line are situated to the east of London Bridge, whereas the King William St tunnels pass to the west of the bridge, the southbound tunnel below the northbound as the line passes under the Thames. The station closed on 24 February 1900.
The original station building was demolished in the 1930s, although the parts of the station below ground were converted for use as a public air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelters, also known as bomb shelters, are structures for the protection of the civil population as well as military personnel against enemy attacks from the air...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Access today is via a manhole in the basement of Regis House, a modern day office building, where the original cast iron spiral staircase leads down to platform level. The lift shaft was infilled with concrete during the construction of the original Regis House. The original running tunnels north of Borough tube station
Borough tube station
Borough tube station is a London Underground station in The Borough area of the London Borough of Southwark. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line between Elephant & Castle and London Bridge stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1....
remain, although when the Jubilee Line Extension
Jubilee Line Extension
The Jubilee Line Extension is the extension of the London Underground Jubilee line from to through south and east London. An eastward extension of the Jubilee line was first proposed in the 1970s and a modified route was constructed during the 1990s...
was built in the late 1990s the old southbound tunnel was cut through as part of the construction works at London Bridge station in order to provide the lift shaft situated at the south end of the northern line platforms. These running tunnels now serve as a ventilation shaft for the station and the openings for several adit
Adit
An adit is an entrance to an underground mine which is horizontal or nearly horizontal, by which the mine can be entered, drained of water, and ventilated.-Construction:...
s to the old running tunnels can be seen in the roofs of the Northern Line platform tunnels and in the central concourse between them. A construction shaft between London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
and King William Street, beneath Old Swan Wharf, now serves as a Pump Shaft for the disused sections of running tunnels. It is no longer possible to walk through between the two stations as the old C&SLR running tunnels have been blocked off with concrete bulkheads either side of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
.
External links
- Subterranea Britannica website — King William Street Station
- London's Abandoned Tube Stations - King William Street & its tunnels Abandoned passenger tunnels at King William Street station, 1930
- Sketches of the interior and exterior of the station in the 1890s