Brompton Road tube station
Encyclopedia
Brompton Road tube station is a disused station
on the Piccadilly Line
of the London Underground
. It is located between Knightsbridge
and South Kensington
.
(GNP&BR). The station was located at the junction of Brompton Road and Cottage Place. Although it was convenient for both the Brompton Oratory and the Victoria and Albert Museum
, it saw little traffic and, by October 1909, some services passed it without stopping.
The station closed on 4 May 1926 due to the General Strike
, and did not reopen until 4 October of that year with services only calling there on weekdays initially. Sunday services were finally restored on 2 January 1927. As before, it was little used, to the extent that two of its lifts were removed and relocated elsewhere and the ticket office was closed.
When the adjacent Knightsbridge station was modernised with escalators replacing lifts, it was provided with a new southern entrance that was built closer to Brompton Road station, reducing its catchment area
. When the new entrance for Knightsbridge station opened on 30 July 1934 Brompton Road station closed.
Just prior to the outbreak of World War II
the street level building together with the lift shafts and lower western passages were sold to the War Office
for use by the 1st Anti-Aircraft Division. During the war, it was the Royal Artillery
's Anti-Aircraft Operations Room for central London. This use was discontinued in the 1950s. It is currently used as the Town Headquarters (THQ) of the University of London Air Squadron
, the University of London Royal Naval Unit
and 46F (Kensington) Squadron Air Training Corps.
. The surface building occupied a L-shaped site built on two adjacent sides of a public house which occupied the corner of Brompton Road and Cottage Place. The façades were of Green's standard red-glazed terracotta
design with semi-circular arches at first floor level. The entrance and exits to the lifts were on Brompton Road with the Cottage Place elevation providing staff access. The Brompton Road elevation was demolished in 1972, but the Cottage Place elevation remains, now partly incorporated into a larger building.
Although the platforms have long since been removed, their original location can be seen from passing trains by the brick walls that stand in their place. The original tiling remains on the tunnel walls, although soot and dirt now obscures them.
has proposed turning the above-ground buildings into a restaurant and make the underground space available to the London Fire Brigade Museum
.
Former Services
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 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...
of 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 is located between Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge tube station
Knightsbridge tube station is a London Underground station in Knightsbridge , The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is on the Piccadilly Line between South Kensington and Hyde Park Corner, and is in Travelcard Zone 1.-History:...
and South Kensington
South Kensington tube station
South Kensington is a London Underground station in Kensington, west London. It is served by the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines. On the District and Circle lines, the station is between Gloucester Road and Sloane Square, and on the Piccadilly Line, it is between Gloucester Road and...
.
History
It was opened on 15 December 1906 by the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton RailwayGreat 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). The station was located at the junction of Brompton Road and Cottage Place. Although it was convenient for both the Brompton Oratory and the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
, it saw little traffic and, by October 1909, some services passed it without stopping.
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
, and did not reopen until 4 October of that year with services only calling there on weekdays initially. Sunday services were finally restored on 2 January 1927. As before, it was little used, to the extent that two of its lifts were removed and relocated elsewhere and the ticket office was closed.
When the adjacent Knightsbridge station was modernised with escalators replacing lifts, it was provided with a new southern entrance that was built closer to Brompton Road station, reducing its catchment area
Catchment area (human geography)
In human geography, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school...
. When the new entrance for Knightsbridge station opened on 30 July 1934 Brompton Road station closed.
Just prior to the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the street level building together with the lift shafts and lower western passages were sold to the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
for use by the 1st Anti-Aircraft Division. During the war, it was the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
's Anti-Aircraft Operations Room for central London. This use was discontinued in the 1950s. It is currently used as the Town Headquarters (THQ) of the University of London Air Squadron
University Air Squadron
University Air Squadrons are training units of the Royal Air Force which primarily provide basic flying training, force development and adventurous training to undergraduate students at British universities...
, the University of London Royal Naval Unit
University Royal Naval Unit
A University Royal Naval Unit is a Royal Navy training establishment connected to a university, or a number of universities concentrated in one area...
and 46F (Kensington) Squadron Air Training Corps.
Station building
Like the others on the GNP&BR, the station building was designed by Leslie GreenLeslie Green
Leslie William Green was an English architect known especially for his design of iconic stations constructed on the London Underground railway system in central London during the first decade of the 20th century....
. The surface building occupied a L-shaped site built on two adjacent sides of a public house which occupied the corner of Brompton Road and Cottage Place. The façades were of Green's standard red-glazed terracotta
Architectural terracotta
Terracotta, in its unglazed form, became fashionable as an architectural ceramic construction material in England in the 1860s, and in the United States in the 1870s. It was generally used to supplement brick and tiles of similar colour in late Victorian buildings.It had been used before this in...
design with semi-circular arches at first floor level. The entrance and exits to the lifts were on Brompton Road with the Cottage Place elevation providing staff access. The Brompton Road elevation was demolished in 1972, but the Cottage Place elevation remains, now partly incorporated into a larger building.
Although the platforms have long since been removed, their original location can be seen from passing trains by the brick walls that stand in their place. The original tiling remains on the tunnel walls, although soot and dirt now obscures them.
Future plans
The Old London Underground CompanyOld London Underground Company
The Old London Underground Company is a British startup company proposing to turn 26 disused stations on the London Underground into tourist attractions. The company was founded in 2009 by Ajit Chambers, a former executive of JPMorgan Chase. Chambers is currently writing a report at the request of...
has proposed turning the above-ground buildings into a restaurant and make the underground space available to the London Fire Brigade Museum
London Fire Brigade Museum
The London Fire Brigade Museum covers the history of firefighting since 1666 . The museum houses old fire appliances and other equipment. It is also possible to see fire brigade recruits training....
.
External links
- Brompton Road Station - once upon a time
- Subterranea Britannica - Brompton Road (includes photos of station as it is today) Original station building shortly after opening
- Photos of the MoD side of the station taken in 2011
See also
- Closed London Underground stationsClosed London Underground stationsThe 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...