York Road tube station
Encyclopedia
York Road tube station is a disused station
on the London Underground
. It opened on 15 December 1906 and was one of the original stations on the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
(GNP&BR), now the Piccadilly line
.
It is located between King's Cross St Pancras
and Caledonian Road
, and had its entrance at the corner of York Road (now York Way
) and Bingfield Street; the surface buildings are still clearly visible, on the left as you head south down York Way
towards King's Cross. The former platform area below is also visible from passing trains in both directions, although part of the eastbound platform is bricked off. As with most other disused underground stations, the platform itself has been removed.
Unlike most other GNP&BR stations, the lifts descended directly to platform level. The platform layout is almost identical to Caledonian Road (the next station to the north), but in a very gentle convex curve.
Being in a poor industrial area, the station saw little use, and Sunday services were withdrawn from 5 May 1918. The station remained open for weekday traffic until 19 September 1932 when it closed permanently.
The platform tiling was carried out by G. Woolliscroft & Sons of Hanley in Staffordshire
, and was made up of white with maroon and brick red patterning. Most of the tiling has since been painted over in grey, but a small section remains untouched and can be seen at the Finsbury Park end of the former eastbound platform.
A small signalling cabin stands near this section of tiling, and was used to operate a crossover immediately to the northeast of the station. This signal box remained operational until 25 April 1964, although by this time the crossover was little used, having been largely superseded by a new crossover built at King's Cross eight years previously. However the disused cabin still stands and can be seen by observant passengers on passing trains.
, began construction in 2008 across the road from the station. Islington Council
and Transport for London
commissioned a study in 2005 to consider the possible reopening of the station. At the same time, however, it was recognised that other transport priorities reduced the likelihood of such a project moving forward in the near future. Local political groups have been keen to see the station reopened in order to reduce passenger congestion at King's Cross St Pancras and to encourage development in the surrounding community. The Islington Liberal Democrats
advocated the reopening of the station in their 2006 local election
manifesto, and at least one candidate for the Islington Conservative Party
has similarly campaigned for the station to be reopened. http://www.kxrlg.org.uk/news/LBIjan05KXCFORMALOBS.pdfhttp://www.bridgetfox.org/transporthttp://www.islingtonconservatives.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=2
In 2005 a business case was prepared to re-open the station, to serve the Kings Cross Central development and help relieve congestion at King's Cross St Pancras.
However, this scheme has not so far been taken forward.
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Closed London Underground stations
The London Underground is a metro system in the United Kingdom that serves Greater London and adjacent counties of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The system has many former stations, while others were planned but not opened...
on 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...
. It opened on 15 December 1906 and was one of the original stations on the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
The Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway , also known as the Piccadilly tube, was a railway company established in 1902 that constructed a deep-level underground "tube" railway in London. The GNP&BR was formed through a merger of two older companies, the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus...
(GNP&BR), now the Piccadilly line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
.
It is located between King's Cross St Pancras
King's Cross St. Pancras tube station
King's Cross St. Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network, serving both King's Cross and main line stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. It is the fourth busiest station on the system and serves more lines than any other...
and Caledonian Road
Caledonian Road tube station
Caledonian Road is a station on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground, between King's Cross St. Pancras and Holloway Road, and in Travelcard Zone 2. It was opened on 15 December 1906 by the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway....
, and had its entrance at the corner of York Road (now York Way
York Way
York Way is a major road in the London Borough of Islington, running north for one mile from the junction of Pentonville Road and Euston Road, adjacent to King's Cross railway station towards Kentish Town and Holloway. At its northern end the road becomes Brecknock Road...
) and Bingfield Street; the surface buildings are still clearly visible, on the left as you head south down York Way
York Way
York Way is a major road in the London Borough of Islington, running north for one mile from the junction of Pentonville Road and Euston Road, adjacent to King's Cross railway station towards Kentish Town and Holloway. At its northern end the road becomes Brecknock Road...
towards King's Cross. The former platform area below is also visible from passing trains in both directions, although part of the eastbound platform is bricked off. As with most other disused underground stations, the platform itself has been removed.
Unlike most other GNP&BR stations, the lifts descended directly to platform level. The platform layout is almost identical to Caledonian Road (the next station to the north), but in a very gentle convex curve.
Being in a poor industrial area, the station saw little use, and Sunday services were withdrawn from 5 May 1918. The station remained open for weekday traffic until 19 September 1932 when it closed permanently.
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, and was made up of white with maroon and brick red patterning. Most of the tiling has since been painted over in grey, but a small section remains untouched and can be seen at the Finsbury Park end of the former eastbound platform.
A small signalling cabin stands near this section of tiling, and was used to operate a crossover immediately to the northeast of the station. This signal box remained operational until 25 April 1964, although by this time the crossover was little used, having been largely superseded by a new crossover built at King's Cross eight years previously. However the disused cabin still stands and can be seen by observant passengers on passing trains.
Re-opening proposal
One of London's largest redevelopment projects, King's Cross CentralKing's Cross Central
King's Cross Central is a multi-billion pound mixed-use property development in central London. The site is owned and controlled by London and Continental Railways and Exel, which selected Argent St George to be the developer for King's Cross Central, after an extensive selection process...
, began construction in 2008 across the road from the station. Islington Council
Islington London Borough Council
Islington London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Islington in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Islington is divided into 16 wards, each electing three councillors...
and Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
commissioned a study in 2005 to consider the possible reopening of the station. At the same time, however, it was recognised that other transport priorities reduced the likelihood of such a project moving forward in the near future. Local political groups have been keen to see the station reopened in order to reduce passenger congestion at King's Cross St Pancras and to encourage development in the surrounding community. The Islington Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
advocated the reopening of the station in their 2006 local election
United Kingdom local elections, 2006
Local government elections took place in England on Thursday 4 May 2006. Polling stations were open between 7:00 and 22:00.All London borough council seats were up for election, as well as a third of the seats on each of the metropolitan borough councils, and a third of some unitary authorities...
manifesto, and at least one candidate for the Islington Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
has similarly campaigned for the station to be reopened. http://www.kxrlg.org.uk/news/LBIjan05KXCFORMALOBS.pdfhttp://www.bridgetfox.org/transporthttp://www.islingtonconservatives.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=2
In 2005 a business case was prepared to re-open the station, to serve the Kings Cross Central development and help relieve congestion at King's Cross St Pancras.
However, this scheme has not so far been taken forward.
External links
- London's Abandoned Tube Stations - York Road Includes below ground photos
- London Transport Museum Photographic Archive
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- Location of York Road tube station (streetmap.co.uk)