Old Street station#City and South London Railway

Old Street station is in the London Borough of Islington, close to the boundary with the London Borough of Hackney to the north-east. It is in the centre of, and underneath the Old Street Roundabout, a major intersection on the London Inner Ring Road which is partly in Islington's Bunhill ward and partly in Hackney's Hoxton ward.{{sfn|Islington|2017|p=10}}{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/London+Borough+of+Islington,+Islington,+London/@51.5253169,-0.0991477,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x48761b5dedeb3be5:0x54f085cb18ec65c9!8m2!3d51.5465063!4d-0.1058058|title=London Borough of Islington|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=10 February 2018}}

There is no street-level station building. Access to the platform is provided by ramps and stairs to a modern entrance adjacent to a sub-surface shopping parade, known as St Agnes Well.{{sfn|Islington|2017|p=10}} Expanding its catchment, on the Northern line between Old Street and Angel is a disused station named {{lus|City Road}}.{{#tag:ref|City Road station closed on 8 August 1922 when the C&SLR was closed for the tunnels to be reconstruction. It was not reopened and the final remaining part of the surface building was demolished in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.citymetric.com/transport/here-are-all-london-s-abandoned-tube-stations-2975|title=Here are all London's abandoned tube stations|work=City Metric|date=24 April 2017|access-date=12 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://londonist.com/london/transport/a-ghost-station-vanishes|title=A Ghost Station Vanishes|work=Londonist|access-date=11 April 2018|date=8 May 2017}}|group="n"}}

The station is on the National Rail network's Northern City Line, {{convert|45|chain|m|-2}} down-line from {{stn|Moorgate}} served by Great Northern trains.{{cite book|first=Padgett|last=David|date=October 2016|orig-year=1988|editor1-last=Brailsford|editor1-first=Martyn|title=Railway Track Diagrams 2: Eastern|edition=4th|location=Frome|publisher=Trackmaps|at=Map 14A|isbn=978-0-9549866-8-1}} Although a through-station on this route, for ticketing purposes Old Street is considered a central London terminus.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46587.aspx|title=Travelling to, from and via London|publisher=National Rail Enquiries|access-date=9 February 2018}} On the Underground, it is on the Bank (eastern) branch of the Northern line, between Moorgate and {{lus|Angel}}, in Travelcard Zone 1.{{cite web|url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf|title=Standard Tube Map|publisher=Transport for London|access-date=9 February 2018}}

File:Old Street station 1920.jpg]]

The station was opened on 17 November 1901 as an extension of the City and South London Railway (C&SLR), the first deep-level tube railway in London that connected the City of London with Southwark. It was part of an extension from Moorgate to Angel, along with the station at City Road.{{sfn|Day|1979|p=47}}{{cite web|url=https://londonist.com/2015/10/this-journey-s-been-going-on-for-years-the-northern-line-turns-125|title=How The Northern Line Was Built|work=Londonist|date=October 2015|access-date=9 February 2018}}{{#tag:ref|Having learnt that the original {{convert|10|ft|2|in|m|adj=on}} diameter of its tunnels was too small, the C&SLR extension was constructed to a {{convert|11|ft|6|in|m|adj=on}} diameter.{{sfn|Horne|2009|p=16}}{{sfn|Badsey-Ellis|2016|p=169}}|group="n"}} The area around the station was originally a mix of light industry, commerce and warehouses.{{cite news|url=https://www.uktech.news/news/the-changing-face-of-old-street-20130911|title=Paul Dowling charts the history of Shoreditch's scene|work=UK Tech News|date=11 September 2013|access-date=12 April 2018}}

The Northern City Line platforms were opened on 14 February 1904 by the Great Northern & City Railway, which built its tunnels to a {{convert|16|ft|adj=on}} diameter capable of accommodating main-line trains as it was intended to carry such services from its northern terminus at the Great Northern Railway's Finsbury Park station to Moorgate.{{sfn|Day|1979|p=58}}{{#tag:ref|The two companies fell out before the construction of the new line was completed and the connection at Finsbury Park was not constructed.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=60}}|group="n"}} Before Moorgate was expanded in 1938 to include in-station escalators between platforms, Old Street was used as the main interchange between the C&SLR and the Northern City lines.{{cite news|title=Moorgate Station Rebuilt|newspaper=The Times|location=London|date=2 March 1938|page=11|access-date=17 September 2018|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=kccl&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS186724962&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|url-access=subscription }} The Finsbury Park connection eventually opened in November 1976, with the line becoming a British Rail route, with through services to Hertford and {{rws|Welwyn Garden City}}.{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vjJWAAAAMAAJ&q=old+street+hertford+welwyn+1975|title=The Railway Magazine|volume=149|page=65|year=2003}}

The C&SLR was built with smaller tunnels than the later tube lines and needed to be enlarged to enable them to accommodate standard stock trains. The section between Euston and Moorgate closed on 8 August 1922 and reopened on 20 April 1924.{{sfn|Rose|1999}} The surface building was rebuilt in 1925 when escalators replaced the lift shaft to access the platform tunnels.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=61}} The station frontage was redesigned by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London's architect Stanley Heaps with consultant architect Charles Holden. Holden had been recommended by managing director Frank Pick to make uniform facades for several station entrances. He designed the stations for the C&SLR's extension to Morden which was being built.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=96}}

Old Street was used as a bomb shelter during World War II; the nearby City Road station (which had closed in 1922) was temporarily re-opened to use as a shelter.{{cite book|last=Connor|first=J.E.|title=London's Disused Underground Stations|year=1999|chapter=City Road|page=20|publisher=Capital Transport|isbn=1-85414-250-X}}

File:Old Street Subway - geograph.org.uk - 1162799.jpg

In 1968, the station was again modified; the surface building was replaced with a sub-surface structure in the centre of the roundabout and another escalator shaft was added.{{sfn|Islington|2017|p=10}} During the 1990s corrosion caused by excessive soil acidity required a section of the cast iron running tunnel lining in the Northern line, south of Old Street, to be relined with stainless steel tunnel segments.{{cite journal|last1=Rainey|first1=T.P.|last2=Rosenbaum|first2=M.S.|year=1989|title=The adverse influence of geology and groundwater on the behaviour of London Underground railway tunnels near Old Street station|journal=Proceedings of the Geologists' Association|volume=100|pages=123–134|number=100|issn=0016-7878|doi=10.1016/S0016-7878(89)80071-9|bibcode=1989PrGA..100..123R }}{{cite journal|title=Northern Line tunnel reconstruction at Old Street|first1=N|last1=Burgess|first2=J|last2=Fagents|first3=J|last3=Paterson|journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Transport|publisher=Proceedings of the ICE - Transport|volume=153|number=1|date=1 February 2002|pages=1–11|doi=10.1680/tran.2002.153.1.1|issn=0965-092X}}

In the early 1970s, Old Street was planned to be a stop on a new tube line from Wimbledon in the southwest to Leytonstone in the northeast, via Waterloo and Holborn. The route incorporated parts of existing lines at each end but was not built because of a lack of funding.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=173}}

In 2014 the station was redeveloped in a collaboration between Transport for London and letting agency Appear Here.{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/the-magic-roundabout-why-old-street-tube-station-has-become-a-hotspot-9620819.html|title=The magic Roundabout: Why Old Street Tube station has become a hotspot|newspaper=Evening Standard|location=London|date=22 July 2014|access-date=12 April 2018}} Pop-up retail spaces were constructed around the station entrance in a drive to increase revenue.{{cite press release |date=22 April 2014 |title=Pop-up shops arrive at Old Street Tube station |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2014/april/pop-up-shops-arrive-at-old-street-tube-station-to-reflect-the-vibrancy-of-tech-city |location=London |publisher=Transport for London (TfL) |access-date=18 December 2017}}

Old Street station has had increased footfall in the 21st century. In 2014, around 23 million people passed through the station annually. The station is considered strategically important, as the area around Old Street is being developed as a centre for Information Technology. In 2017, the London Borough of Islington announced plans to redevelop the area around the station with a new entrance and better facilities for cyclists.{{sfn|Islington|2017|p=12}}

On 16 August 1921, a man fell onto the track and was killed. He was identified by a card containing personal details in his pocket.{{cite news|title=News in Brief|newspaper=The Times|location=London|date=17 August 1921|page=5|access-date=17 September 2018|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=kccl&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS87626001&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|url-access=subscription }}

On 25 March 1970, an escalator at the station broke down during the morning rush hour. Six people were taken to hospital for minor injuries after they fell.{{cite news|title=£70m scheme to improve the Underground|newspaper=The Times|location=London|date=26 March 1970|page=3|access-date=17 September 2018|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=kccl&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS50557562&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|url-access=subscription }}

In March 2015, a man was struck and killed by a train. An inquiry returned a verdict of accidental death.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34641183|title=Old Street Tube rescuer Nick Mann's death ruled accidental|publisher=BBC News|date=26 October 2015|access-date=9 February 2018}} Two significant incidents occurred in 2017. In May, the station was closed after a body was found in the station complex.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39993433|title=Body found at Old Street Tube station|publisher=BBC News|date=21 May 2017|access-date=12 April 2018}} On 30 September, the station was evacuated after passengers heard a loud "bang". Around 20 ambulances and numerous police officers attended the scene, believing it to be a potential terrorist incident. A search around the station found nothing suspicious.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/30/old-street-station-armed-police-evacuate-tube-dozens-emergency1/|title=Old Street Station: Armed police reopen Tube after reports of a 'bang' led to it being evacuated|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=30 September 2017|access-date=9 February 2018}}

The station has four platforms. Platforms 1–2 serve the Northern line on the London Underground network,{{cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/tube/stop/940GZZLUODS/old-street-underground-station|title=Old Street|publisher=Transport for London|access-date=9 February 2018}} while platforms 3–4 serve the Northern City Line on the National Rail network. Both are deep-level tube lines. The station is part of the London station group and acts as a final destination for people travelling with National Rail tickets marked "London Terminals".{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46587.aspx#terminals|title='London Terminal' stations|publisher=Network Rail|access-date=12 September 2017}}

Late evening and weekend services were introduced at the National Rail station, as part of the Great Northern Thameslink franchise in 2015.{{cite press release |url=http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/about-us/news/seven-day-a-week-service-to-the-city-better-for-late-returning-commuters-and-weekend-shoppers/ |title=Seven-day-a-week service to the City better for late-returning commuters and weekend shoppers |publisher=Govia Thameslink Railway |date=5 November 2015 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-date=17 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117030124/http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/about-us/news/seven-day-a-week-service-to-the-city-better-for-late-returning-commuters-and-weekend-shoppers/ |url-status=dead }}

Services at the station are as follows.

All National Rail services at Old Street are operated by Great Northern using {{brc|717}} EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:{{NRtimes|May 2022|24}}

• 4 tph to {{stn|Moorgate}}
• 2 tph to {{stnlnk|Stevenage}} via {{stnlnk|Hertford North}}
• 2 tph to {{stnlnk|Welwyn Garden City}}

During the peak hours, the station is served by an additional half-hourly service between Moorgate and Hertford North and the service between Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City is increased to 4 tph.

The typical off-peak London Underground service on the Northern line in trains per hour is:{{cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/tube/timetable/northern/|title=Northern Line Timetable|work=Transport for London|access-date=18 October 2022}}

• 20 tph to Morden
• 10 tph to Edgware
• 8 tph to High Barnet
• 2 tph to Mill Hill East

During the peak hours, the service is increased up to 22 tph in each direction.

{{Adjacent stations|noclear=y

|system1=London Underground

|line1=Northern|type1=Bank|left1=Angel|right1=Moorgate|to-right1=Morden

|system2=National Rail

|note-row2=

{{s-rail-national|previous=Essex Road|next=Moorgate|toc=Great Northern|route={{smalldiv|Northern City Line}}}}

|header3=Former service

|system4=London Underground

|line5=Northern|left5=City Road|right5=Moorgate|to-left5=Euston|to-right5=Clapham Common|note-mid5=(1901–22)

|line6=Metropolitan|left6=Essex Road|right6=Moorgate|to-left6=Finsbury Park|to-right6=Moorgate|note-mid6=Northern City BranchAutonomous orange-colored line “Great Northern” from 1904.
(1913–39)

|line7=Northern|left7=Essex Road|right7=Moorgate|to-left7=Finsbury Park|to-right7=Moorgate|note-mid7=Northern City Branch
(1939–64)

|line8=Northern|left8=Essex Road|right8=Moorgate|to-left8=Drayton Park|to-right8=Moorgate|note-mid8=Northern City Branch
(1964–75)

|header9=Abandoned plans

|system10=London Underground

|line10=Northern|left10=Essex Road|right10=Moorgate|to-left10=Bushey Heath or High Barnet or Alexandra Palace|to-right10=Moorgate

}}

London Buses routes 21, 43, 55, 76, 135, 141, 205, 214, 243 and night routes N55, N205 and N263 serve the station.{{Cite web|url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/old-street-and-moorfields-eye-hospital-a4-040223.pdf|title=Buses from Old Street and Moorfields Eye Hospital|date=4 February 2023|website=TfL|access-date=5 February 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/old-street-and-moorfields-eye-hosp-night-a4-040223.pdf|title=Night buses from Old Street and Moorfields Eye Hospital|date=4 February 2023|website=TfL|access-date=5 February 2023}}

The graffiti artist Banksy painted a Pulp Fiction mural near Old Street station in 2002. It was based on Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield from the film of the same name, except the characters held bananas in place of guns. It was accidentally painted over in 2007.{{cite news|title=Iconic Banksy mural is pulped|newspaper=The Times|location=London|date=20 April 2007|page=31|access-date=17 September 2018|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=kccl&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=IF503503631&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|url-access=subscription }} A Transport for London representative said "Our graffiti removal teams are staffed by professional cleaners, not professional art critics".{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6575345.stm|title=Iconic Banksy image painted over|publisher=BBC News|date=20 April 2007|access-date=17 September 2018}}

Notes

{{reflist|group=n}}

Citations

{{reflist}}

Sources

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |last=Badsey-Ellis |first=Antony |title=Building London's Underground: From Cut-and Cover to Crossrail |year=2016 |publisher=Capital Transport |isbn=978-1-8541-4397-6 }}
• {{cite book|last=Day|first=John R|title=The Story of London's Underground|publisher=London Transport|year=1979|edition=6th|isbn=0-85329-094-6}}
• {{cite book|last1=Day|first1=John|last2=Reed|first2=John|title=The Story of London's Underground|publisher=Capital Transport|year=2010|orig-year=1963|edition=11th|isbn=978-1-85414-341-9}}
• {{cite book |last=Horne |first=Mike |title=The Northern line: An Illustrated History |publisher=Capital Transport |year=2009 |orig-year=1990 |edition=3rd |isbn=978-1-85414-326-6 }}
• {{cite book | last=Rose | first=Douglas | title=The London Underground, A Diagrammatic History |orig-year=1980 |edition=9th |year=1999 | publisher=Douglas Rose/Capital Transport | isbn=1-85414-219-4 }}
• {{cite report|url=https://www.islington.gov.uk/~/media/sharepoint-lists/public-records/communications/information/adviceandguidance/20172018/2018011820171208oldstreetopencallbrief1.pdf|title=Old Street Iconic Gateway : Open Call for Design Ideas|publisher=London Borough of Islington|year=2017|ref={{harvid|Islington|2017}}|access-date=9 February 2018|archive-date=20 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920180040/https://www.islington.gov.uk/~/media/sharepoint-lists/public-records/communications/information/adviceandguidance/20172018/2018011820171208oldstreetopencallbrief1.pdf|url-status=dead}}

{{refend}}

{{Commons category|Old Street railway station}}

• {{brldb prim|OLD|Train times}} for Old Street station from National Rail
• [https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/photographs London Transport Museum Photographic Archive]
• {{LTM archive|1998-57962|Original Old Street station building, 1915}}
• {{LTM archive|1998-87074|Redesigned station building, 1929}}
• {{mmukscaled|TQ328825|10|Map sources}}

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{{TSGN and SE Stations|Northern City=y|SE None=y|SN None=y}}

{{Transport in London}}

{{UK railway stations}}

Category:Northern line stations

Category:Tube stations in the London Borough of Islington

Category:Railway stations in the London Borough of Islington

Category:Former City and South London Railway stations

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1901

Category:Former Great Northern and City Railway stations

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1904

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1975

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1976

Category:Unopened Northern Heights extension stations

Category:Railway stations located underground in the United Kingdom

Category:London station group

Category:Railway stations served by Govia Thameslink Railway