Barbican station
Encyclopedia
Barbican is a London Underground
station serving the Barbican Estate
and Centre
in the City of London
. It is on the Circle, Hammersmith & City
and Metropolitan
lines between and , in Travelcard Zone 1
. Thameslink
trains to and from Moorgate via Barbican ceased in March 2009.
" on 1 November 1910, then to "Aldersgate and Barbican" in 1923, and to the present name from 1 December 1968.
The station replaced an earlier building at 134 Aldersgate Street, which for many years had a sign claiming "This was Shakespeare
's House". Although the building was very close to the nearby Fortune Playhouse
, there is no documentary evidence that Shakespeare lived here; a subsidy roll from 1598 shows a "William Shakespeare" as owner of the property, but there is nothing to indicate that it is the playwright. On the road opposite the station, within the Golden Lane Estate
, is a pub called "The Shakespeare".
On 4 April 1915, the body of seven-year-old Margaret Nally was found in the ladies' cloakroom at what was then Aldersgate Street Station; she had been sexually assaulted and suffocated with a cloth pushed down her throat.
Train services were disrupted during the Second World War when the station suffered severe bomb damage, particularly in December 1941. This led to the removal of the upper floors, and in 1955 the remainder of the street-level building was demolished.
Passenger trains from the Great Northern Line, via the York Road and Hotel curves at Kings Cross to the Widened Lines
ran until the Great Northern Electrification of 1976 when platforms 3 & 4 were closed. Platforms 3 & 4 were reopened as part of the Midland City Line in 1982 with services from Luton and Bedford.
In late March 2009, Thameslink
trains ceased to call at Barbican. This was part of the Thameslink Programme
to allow to have its mainline platforms extended across Thameslink's Moorgate branch. As a result, Barbican is no longer a multimodal station.
A display on the history of the station, including text and photographs, is just inside the barriers, on the southern side of the main entrance corridor.
, Charterhouse Square
and Carthusian Street. To the south are the backs of buildings that face onto Long Lane. To the west is Hayne Street.
The station is mostly open to the elements, though there are some short canopies. The remains of the supporting structure for a glass canopy over all four platforms (removed in the 1950s) may still clearly be seen.
At the west end of the central island is a disused signal box
. Also from this end of the platforms may be seen the beginnings of the complex of tunnels leading under Smithfield
meat market. Livestock for the market was at one time delivered by rail and there was a substantial goods yard under the market.
Platform 1 is the most northerly, serving eastbound LUL services. Platforms 2 and 3 form an island platform
. Platform 2 serves westbound LUL services. Platforms 3 and 4 are out of use, since the Moorgate branch is permanently closed.
is built, the eastern ticket hall will be just to the west of Barbican station, and an interchange will be built here. This will involve significant changes at the western end of the station, including the demolition of the former signal box and the provision of a new footbridge spanning the tracks.
, 56, 100 and 153.
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...
station serving the Barbican Estate
Barbican Estate
The Barbican Estate is a residential estate built during the 1960s and the 1970s in the City of London, in an area once devastated by World War II bombings and today densely populated by financial institutions...
and Centre
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
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...
. It is on the Circle, Hammersmith & City
Hammersmith & City Line
The Hammersmith & City line is a subsurface London Underground line. It connects Hammersmith in the west with Barking in the east, running through the northern part of central London. It is coloured salmon pink on the Tube map...
and Metropolitan
Metropolitan 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...
lines between and , in Travelcard Zone 1
Travelcard Zone 1
Fare zone 1 is the central zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services. For most tickets, travel through the zone is charged...
. 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...
trains to and from Moorgate via Barbican ceased in March 2009.
History
The station was first called "Aldersgate Street", this being the name of the street on which it stands. This changed to "AldersgateAldersgate
Aldersgate was a gate in the London Wall in the City of London, which has given its name to a ward and Aldersgate Street, a road leading north from the site of the gate, towards Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington.-History:...
" on 1 November 1910, then to "Aldersgate and Barbican" in 1923, and to the present name from 1 December 1968.
The station replaced an earlier building at 134 Aldersgate Street, which for many years had a sign claiming "This was Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's House". Although the building was very close to the nearby Fortune Playhouse
Fortune Playhouse
The Fortune Playhouse was an historic theatre in London. It was located between Whitecross Street and the modern Golden Lane, just outside the City of London...
, there is no documentary evidence that Shakespeare lived here; a subsidy roll from 1598 shows a "William Shakespeare" as owner of the property, but there is nothing to indicate that it is the playwright. On the road opposite the station, within the Golden Lane Estate
Golden Lane Estate
The Golden Lane Estate is a 1950s council housing complex in the City of London. It was built on the northern edge of the City, in an area devastated by bombing during World War II.-Origins:...
, is a pub called "The Shakespeare".
On 4 April 1915, the body of seven-year-old Margaret Nally was found in the ladies' cloakroom at what was then Aldersgate Street Station; she had been sexually assaulted and suffocated with a cloth pushed down her throat.
Train services were disrupted during the Second World War when the station suffered severe bomb damage, particularly in December 1941. This led to the removal of the upper floors, and in 1955 the remainder of the street-level building was demolished.
Passenger trains from the Great Northern Line, via the York Road and Hotel curves at Kings Cross to the Widened Lines
Widened Lines
The Widened Lines is the name of a group of railway routes that currently form part of the Thameslink network leading from King's Cross/St...
ran until the Great Northern Electrification of 1976 when platforms 3 & 4 were closed. Platforms 3 & 4 were reopened as part of the Midland City Line in 1982 with services from Luton and Bedford.
In late March 2009, 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...
trains ceased to call at Barbican. This was part of the Thameslink Programme
Thameslink Programme
The Thameslink Programme, originally Thameslink 2000, is a £6 billion project in south-east England to upgrade and expand the Thameslink rail network to provide new and longer trains between a wider range of stations to the north and to the south of London without requiring passengers to change...
to allow to have its mainline platforms extended across Thameslink's Moorgate branch. As a result, Barbican is no longer a multimodal station.
A display on the history of the station, including text and photographs, is just inside the barriers, on the southern side of the main entrance corridor.
Layout
The station lies in an east-west-aligned trench with cut-and-cover tunnels at either end. The modern entrance gives access from Aldersgate Street, through a 1990s building, to a much older footbridge leading to the eastern end of the platforms. To the north are backs of buildings that face onto Charterhouse StreetCharterhouse Street
Charterhouse Street is a street in Smithfield, on the northern boundary of the City of London, forming the boundary with both the London Borough of Camden and the London Borough of Islington...
, Charterhouse Square
Charterhouse Square
Charterhouse Square is a historic square in Smithfield, between Charterhouse Street and Clerkenwell Road. It lies in the extreme south of the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London....
and Carthusian Street. To the south are the backs of buildings that face onto Long Lane. To the west is Hayne Street.
The station is mostly open to the elements, though there are some short canopies. The remains of the supporting structure for a glass canopy over all four platforms (removed in the 1950s) may still clearly be seen.
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
. Also from this end of the platforms may be seen the beginnings of the complex of tunnels leading under Smithfield
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
meat market. Livestock for the market was at one time delivered by rail and there was a substantial goods yard under the market.
Platform 1 is the most northerly, serving eastbound LUL services. Platforms 2 and 3 form an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
. Platform 2 serves westbound LUL services. Platforms 3 and 4 are out of use, since the Moorgate branch is permanently closed.
Future
When CrossrailCrossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
is built, the eastern ticket hall will be just to the west of Barbican station, and an interchange will be built here. This will involve significant changes at the western end of the station, including the demolition of the former signal box and the provision of a new footbridge spanning the tracks.
Service patterns
Transport links
London bus routes 4London Buses route 4
London Buses route 4 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 56, 100 and 153.
See also
- Widened LinesWidened LinesThe Widened Lines is the name of a group of railway routes that currently form part of the Thameslink network leading from King's Cross/St...