Bakerloo line extension to Camberwell
Encyclopedia
The Bakerloo line extension to Camberwell is a proposed extension of the London Underground
to Camberwell
in South London
by extending the Bakerloo line
to Camberwell from . It was due to be built in the late 1940s, but the project was cancelled. In recent years, Transport for London
officials have acknowledged that the project is being revisited, but it has yet to appear in any official documents.
, while public transport in South London
is generally provided by National Rail
suburban networks and London Buses
. Both Camberwell and neighbouring Walworth
once had their own railway stations, and on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
into Blackfriars (now the present-day Thameslink
route), but these stations closed in 1916. As a result, this area of South London has no immediate rail or tube links, the nearest stations being , , or .
When the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway
opened its line between Baker Street and Elephant and Castle, several alternative schemes were already in place for extending the line at both its northern and southern ends. One rejected proposal, the New Cross & Waterloo Railway bill of 1898, had envisaged the construction of a line as far south as . The possibility of building a line through Camberwell first emerged in 1913, when the Lord Mayor of London
announced a proposal for the Bakerloo Tube to be extended to The Crystal Palace
via Camberwell Green
, Dulwich
and Sydenham Hill
, but nothing was done to implement the plan. In 1921, the London Electric Railway
costed an extension to Camberwell, Dulwich and Sydenham and, in 1922, plans for an extension to Orpington
via and Catford
were considered. In 1928, a route to Rushey Green
via Dulwich was suggested. Again, no action was taken, although the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee
approved an extension to Camberwell in 1926.
, financial constraints and the outbreak of the Second World War prevented any work from being started.
The 1931 enabling powers were renewed by the government in 1947 under the Special Enactments (Extension of Time) Act, 1940, and the projected extension as far as Camberwell even appeared on a 1949 edition of the Underground map but no further work was done. Train indication signs showing Camberwell as a destination were created in anticipation of the southern extension and erected in some Tube stations; these signs were still seen in existence at Warwick Avenue station until the 1990s.Also, the order for 1949 rolling stock - built to augment the 1938 stock fleet - included sufficient cars to provide extra trains for the Camberwell extension.
Eventually the proposal was allowed to gradually fade away. Extensions and new stations were not in favour post-war, as road use increased massively. However the problem of inadequate turnround capacity at Elephant & Castle remained. The plan was briefly revived in the 1950s with the intermediate station now at Walworth
and the terminus being located under Camberwell Green. Furthermore Elephant & Castle would not be altered and the additional turnround capacity would be provided by making Camberwell a three platform terminus.
The original desire to extend to Camberwell was driven by the wish to serve the area but in the later scheme operational issues were a major consideration. By the time that the Bakerloo line branches to and had opened, the line was running at full capacity, limited by the need to terminate trains at Elephant & Castle. By extending to Camberwell, where crucially there would be three platforms, the whole line would have benefitted from an improved frequency.
Post-war austerity, the levelling off of demand and, above all, the disproportionally high cost of the project with a 3-platform deep-level terminus and the need to purchase 14 further trains and build a new depot for them meant that the project became unaffordable.
, the then Mayor of London
, announced that within twenty years Camberwell would have a tube station. Transport for London
have indicated that extensions, possibly to Camberwell, could play a part in the future transport strategy for South London over the coming years.
During 2005/06, TfL commissioned a transport strategic report for London, Transport 2025: transport challenges for a growing city. Transport commentators have reported that this publication had recommended a Bakerloo extension as the most beneficial option for extending the Tube in South London, and that it considered three route options for the Bakerloo line; from Elephant & Castle, the proposed routes were either south to Camberwell and Streatham, or east to Beckenham and Hayes:
|}
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...
to Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
by extending the Bakerloo line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
to Camberwell from . It was due to be built in the late 1940s, but the project was cancelled. In recent years, 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...
officials have acknowledged that the project is being revisited, but it has yet to appear in any official documents.
Background
Most of the London Underground is north of the River ThamesRiver 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 public transport in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
is generally provided by National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
suburban networks and London Buses
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
. Both Camberwell and neighbouring Walworth
Walworth, London
Walworth is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Southwark. Walworth probably derives its name from the Old English "Wealhworth" which meant Welsh farm. It is located south east of Charing Cross and near to Camberwell and Elephant and Castle.The major streets in Walworth are the Old...
once had their own railway stations, and on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
into Blackfriars (now the present-day Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
route), but these stations closed in 1916. As a result, this area of South London has no immediate rail or tube links, the nearest stations being , , or .
When the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway
Baker Street and Waterloo Railway
The Baker Street and Waterloo Railway , also known as the Bakerloo tube, was a railway company established in 1893 that constructed a deep-level underground "tube" railway in London...
opened its line between Baker Street and Elephant and Castle, several alternative schemes were already in place for extending the line at both its northern and southern ends. One rejected proposal, the New Cross & Waterloo Railway bill of 1898, had envisaged the construction of a line as far south as . The possibility of building a line through Camberwell first emerged in 1913, when the Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
announced a proposal for the Bakerloo Tube to be extended to The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
via Camberwell Green
Camberwell Green
Camberwell Green is a small area of common land in Camberwell, South London. It lies at the intersection of Camberwell Road and Camberwell New Road/Camberwell Church Street. At the North-East of the green is Camberwell Magistrate's Court, and at the North West is a home for the elderly...
, Dulwich
Dulwich
Dulwich is an area of South London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth...
and Sydenham Hill
Sydenham Hill
For other uses of 'Sydenham', see Sydenham .Sydenham Hill is a hill or ridge and a locality in South-East London and the name of a road which runs along the northern eastern part of the ridge and forms the boundary between the London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Lewisham. The...
, but nothing was done to implement the plan. In 1921, the London Electric Railway
Underground Electric Railways Company of London
The Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited , known operationally as The Underground for much of its existence, was established in 1902. It was the holding company for the three deep-level "tube"A "tube" railway is an underground railway constructed in a circular tunnel by the use...
costed an extension to Camberwell, Dulwich and Sydenham and, in 1922, plans for an extension to Orpington
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
via and Catford
Catford
Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
were considered. In 1928, a route to Rushey Green
Rushey Green
Rushey Green is an electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham. The ward covers most of central, northern and western Catford.-External links:*...
via Dulwich was suggested. Again, no action was taken, although the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee
London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee
The London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee was established in 1924 to advise the Minister of Transport on issues concerning traffic and transport in the London Traffic Area. It was abolished in 1965....
approved an extension to Camberwell in 1926.
1947 extension
In 1931, an extension to Camberwell was approved as part of the London Electric Metropolitan District and Central London Railway Companies (Works) Act, 1931. The route was to follow Walworth Road and Camberwell Road south from Elephant & Castle, with stations at Albany Road and under at Camberwell. station was also to be reconstructed with a third platform to provide the additional turnaround capacity, a new ticket hall and escalators. The need to prioritise the extension from to to provide relief for the Metropolitan lineMetropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
, financial constraints and the outbreak of the Second World War prevented any work from being started.
The 1931 enabling powers were renewed by the government in 1947 under the Special Enactments (Extension of Time) Act, 1940, and the projected extension as far as Camberwell even appeared on a 1949 edition of the Underground map but no further work was done. Train indication signs showing Camberwell as a destination were created in anticipation of the southern extension and erected in some Tube stations; these signs were still seen in existence at Warwick Avenue station until the 1990s.Also, the order for 1949 rolling stock - built to augment the 1938 stock fleet - included sufficient cars to provide extra trains for the Camberwell extension.
Eventually the proposal was allowed to gradually fade away. Extensions and new stations were not in favour post-war, as road use increased massively. However the problem of inadequate turnround capacity at Elephant & Castle remained. The plan was briefly revived in the 1950s with the intermediate station now at Walworth
Walworth, London
Walworth is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Southwark. Walworth probably derives its name from the Old English "Wealhworth" which meant Welsh farm. It is located south east of Charing Cross and near to Camberwell and Elephant and Castle.The major streets in Walworth are the Old...
and the terminus being located under Camberwell Green. Furthermore Elephant & Castle would not be altered and the additional turnround capacity would be provided by making Camberwell a three platform terminus.
The original desire to extend to Camberwell was driven by the wish to serve the area but in the later scheme operational issues were a major consideration. By the time that the Bakerloo line branches to and had opened, the line was running at full capacity, limited by the need to terminate trains at Elephant & Castle. By extending to Camberwell, where crucially there would be three platforms, the whole line would have benefitted from an improved frequency.
Post-war austerity, the levelling off of demand and, above all, the disproportionally high cost of the project with a 3-platform deep-level terminus and the need to purchase 14 further trains and build a new depot for them meant that the project became unaffordable.
Recent activity
After more than half a century of lying largely dormant, with only the occasional proposal to extend to Peckham in the 1970s, the plans have recently been re-awakened. In 2006 Ken LivingstoneKen Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
, the then Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
, announced that within twenty years Camberwell would have a tube station. 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...
have indicated that extensions, possibly to Camberwell, could play a part in the future transport strategy for South London over the coming years.
During 2005/06, TfL commissioned a transport strategic report for London, Transport 2025: transport challenges for a growing city. Transport commentators have reported that this publication had recommended a Bakerloo extension as the most beneficial option for extending the Tube in South London, and that it considered three route options for the Bakerloo line; from Elephant & Castle, the proposed routes were either south to Camberwell and Streatham, or east to Beckenham and Hayes:
Option 1
via Burgess ParkBurgess ParkBurgess Park is a public park situated in the London Borough of Southwark, in an area between Camberwell, Walworth and Peckham. At 46ha , it is one of the largest parks in South London....
, east to and ,with the option of taking over the Hayes LineHayes LineThe Hayes Line is the railway service in south east London, United Kingdom operated by Southeastern between Charing Cross or Cannon Street and Hayes in the London Borough of Bromley...
to terminate at
Option 2
south to Camberwell Green, and then on to and , with a branch at which would take over the National Rail line to
Option 3
a similar route to option 1, but after Burgess ParkBurgess ParkBurgess Park is a public park situated in the London Borough of Southwark, in an area between Camberwell, Walworth and Peckham. At 46ha , it is one of the largest parks in South London....
running via the Old Kent RoadOld Kent RoadThe Old Kent Road is a road in South East London, England and forms part of Watling Street, the Roman road which ran from Dover to Holyhead. The street is famous as the equal cheapest property on the London Monopoly board and as the only one in South London....
and before joining the Hayes line at and terminating at Hayes.
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|
| *or - sources unclear}} |
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An alternative proposal to build a Cross River Tram
Cross River Tram
Cross River Tram was a Transport for London proposal for a tram system in London, England, UK. It was planned to run on a north-south route from Camden Town in the north, through and , to Peckham and Brixton in the south....
emerged in the 21st Century, which would have seen the construction of a new tram line and stations on Walworth Road, but this project was abandoned in 2008 due to cost.
See also
- Baker Street and Waterloo RailwayBaker Street and Waterloo RailwayThe Baker Street and Waterloo Railway , also known as the Bakerloo tube, was a railway company established in 1893 that constructed a deep-level underground "tube" railway in London...
- history of the line extension plans - Edgware Road Tube schemes - abandoned projects in North London, including a Bakerloo extension to Cricklewood