London Underground urban exploration

[Chris125]

The Aldgate East one is fascinating - those rooms must be inside the tunnel that once carried the Aldgate South Curve(?), later bypassed. A tunnel that seems barely mentioned, let alone photographed.

 

[edwin_m]

What happened at Aldgate East, according to various websites, was that the curve towards Liverpool Street was originally shorter with a tighter curve. It was rebuilt in the 1930s moving the junction up to the platform ends, which made it long enough for a train to stand without blocking the junctions. At same time the track through the station was lowered, being supported on trestles while the tunnel was lowered and then hung from hooks which can still be seen in the station ceiling while the trestles were removed (contrary to what one website suggests, I don't think trains ran while the track was hanging from the hooks!). You can see the remains of the old tunnel from the left hand side of a train going towards Liverpool Street, but because of all these changes it's pretty difficult to work out what used to be there.

 

[bramling]

What happened at Aldgate East, according to various websites, was that the curve towards Liverpool Street was originally shorter with a tighter curve. It was rebuilt in the 1930s moving the junction up to the platform ends, which made it long enough for a train to stand without blocking the junctions. At same time the track through the station was lowered, being supported on trestles while the tunnel was lowered and then hung from hooks which can still be seen in the station ceiling while the trestles were removed (contrary to what one website suggests, I don't think trains ran while the track was hanging from the hooks!). You can see the remains of the old tunnel from the left hand side of a train going towards Liverpool Street, but because of all these changes it's pretty difficult to work out what used to be there.

It was actually the District tunnel (Tower Hill <> Aldgate East) which was moved. Aldgate East station was also moved eastwards at the same time.

The old tunnel is still there, the west end of it can be seen from the south end of the platforms at Aldgate. It's now divided up into equipment rooms, and as such still has a purpose today. Among other things, the new signal equipment room for the forthcoming resignalling is in there.

 

[bramling]

I'm surprised LUL don't see this as an extra revenue stream.

As others have said, I don't condone what they do but I'm half glad they do it. I see the reports as preserving things (such as the Tot's TV house), that would have otherwise been destroyed.
But I guess it's like the people who stick extra stickers around on the LUL network. Funny, but a constant battle.

There certainly have been track walks done in the Thames Tunnel, and I think this still happens from time to time if the line is ever under possession for any reason.

From a technical point of view it would be quite easy to do on LU. Just put in suitable protection arrangements and you're good to go. The difficulty is mitigating against the many hazards which would be encountered along the way -- the physical hazards of the track environment, plus those associated with any other work going on in the section. Then you come to the issue that many of the 'interesting' locations are off the tunnels themselves, down dark and dusty tunnels, with plenty of features like ladders and cable runs needing to be negotiated. Finally there aren't that many staff who would know the tunnel layouts to the relevant level of detail -- there have been horror stories over the years of staff messing up track walks for one reason or another, one legend I've heard (can't confirm for definite it's actually true) is that a Vic Line manager had to walk from Stockwell to Vauxhall for some reason, duly did the walk and reported back that they had now safely left the track and were at Oval.

Something like Stockwell to London Bridge is as interesting as one is ever likely to get, although for spectacular tunnel civil engineering the Victoria Line takes some beating.

 

[gsnedders]

London Transport used to organise special train trips that visited sections of line not normally used by passenger services, and I've been round the Kennington Loop, along the link from the Northern at Euston to the Piccadilly at Kings Cross, through the old platform at Wood Lane to the depot at White City before it was completely relocated, and through Cockfosters depot. But they stopped doing such trips during the time of PPP scheme, and haven't reinstated them.

Given probably every train going round the Kennington Loop is immediately going back in service, would you get in trouble if you stayed on? Would there be any way to "officially" get away with going round it nowadays?

 

[bramling]

Given probably every train going round the Kennington Loop is immediately going back in service, would you get in trouble if you stayed on? Would there be any way to "officially" get away with going round it nowadays?

It’s no problem at all, and plenty of people get carried round there as there’s no requirement for the train to be tipped out.

Some drivers do make a check of the cars nearest the cab, and/or will make a forceful message if they see someone board. This is mainly to avoid handles being pulled.

Get on at a station north of Kennington and travel near the rear of the train and you shouldn’t have any bother.

 

[edwin_m]

Do they always go back into service immediately or is there some risk of a train being held on the loop for a long period, perhaps during disruption?

 

[Dstock7080]

Do they always go back into service immediately or is there some risk of a train being held on the loop for a long period, perhaps during disruption?

Yes, there is that risk of a train being held in the loop and then being told to run empty northbound.

 

[Lockwood]

If you stayed on and ended up being taken fast from Kennington Loop to Golders Green depot, would you get in trouble?

 

[Adlington]

You could always claim you fell asleep....

 

[bramling]

If you stayed on and ended up being taken fast from Kennington Loop to Golders Green depot, would you get in trouble?

The chances of that happening are near to zero. If the train remains empty then it should be properly detrained, and especially so if it ends up going to a depot.

Nowadays it’s common to go straight round the loop with just a brief stop at the pseudo platform. At peak times or at the ends of the traffic day is the only time you’re likely to spend longer in there.