Charing Cross station, also known as
London Charing Cross, is a central
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
railway terminus. It is unusual among London's railway termini in that its services connect it to two of the others, Waterloo (via
Waterloo EastWaterloo East station, also known as London Waterloo East, is a railway station in London. A walkway across Waterloo Road connects it to the larger, terminal, station London Waterloo.- History :...
) and
London BridgeLondon Bridge station is a National Rail and London Underground station in the London Borough of Southwark, which occupies a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross...
. It is one of 17 stations managed by
Network RailNetwork Rail owns and operates Britain’s rail infrastructure. It is a British "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, a company limited by shares....
, and trains serving it are operated by
SoutheasternSoutheastern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It began operations in south-east England on 1 April 2006 as franchisee for the Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the prior publicly-owned operator South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
and
SouthernSouthern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
. It is the fifth busiest rail terminal in London.
The station takes its name from its location next to the central London road junction of
Charing CrossCharing Cross denotes the junction of the Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in Westminster within Central London, England. It is named after the site of a long demolished Eleanor cross located at the former hamlet of Charing, at this point...
.
Charing Cross station, also known as
London Charing Cross, is a central
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
railway terminus. It is unusual among London's railway termini in that its services connect it to two of the others, Waterloo (via
Waterloo EastWaterloo East station, also known as London Waterloo East, is a railway station in London. A walkway across Waterloo Road connects it to the larger, terminal, station London Waterloo.- History :...
) and
London BridgeLondon Bridge station is a National Rail and London Underground station in the London Borough of Southwark, which occupies a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross...
. It is one of 17 stations managed by
Network RailNetwork Rail owns and operates Britain’s rail infrastructure. It is a British "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, a company limited by shares....
, and trains serving it are operated by
SoutheasternSoutheastern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It began operations in south-east England on 1 April 2006 as franchisee for the Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the prior publicly-owned operator South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
and
SouthernSouthern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
. It is the fifth busiest rail terminal in London.
The station takes its name from its location next to the central London road junction of
Charing CrossCharing Cross denotes the junction of the Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in Westminster within Central London, England. It is named after the site of a long demolished Eleanor cross located at the former hamlet of Charing, at this point...
. The front of the station faces
The StrandThe Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length has been longer than this...
, while at the other end is the northern end of
Hungerford BridgeThe Hungerford Bridge crosses the River Thames in London, and lies between Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Bridge. It is a steel truss railway bridge — sometimes known as the Charing Cross Bridge — flanked by two cable-stayed pedestrian bridges that share the railway bridge's foundation piers, and...
, which is crossed by all trains serving the station.
All the platforms are accessed through ticket barriers.
History
The original station building was built on the site of the
Hungerford MarketHungerford Market was a market in London, near Charing Cross on the Strand, housed in two different buildings on the same site from around 1680 to 1862. The first market was held from about 1680 in a London house of the Hungerford family. This building became dilapidated, and was replaced by a...
by the
South Eastern RailwaySouth Eastern Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which linked London with Kent.The company was formed from the London and Greenwich Railway and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway...
and opened on 11 January 1864. The station was designed by Sir
John HawkshawSir John Hawkshaw , English engineer, was born in Leeds, Yorkshire and was educated at Leeds Grammar School.Before he was 21 he had been engaged for six or seven years in railway engineering and the construction of roads in his native county, and in the year of his majority he obtained an...
, with a single span
wrought ironthumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content, in comparison to steel, and has fibrous inclusions, known as slag. This is what gives it a "grain" resembling wood, which is visible when it is etched...
roof arching over the six platforms on its relatively cramped site. The curve of the original roof design can still be seen on the interior brickwork. A year later the Charing Cross Hotel, designed by
Edward Middleton BarryEdward Middleton Barry was an English architect of the 19th century.-Biography:Edward Barry was the third son of Sir Charles Barry, born in his father's house, 27 Foley Place, London. In infancy he was delicate, and was placed under the care of a confidential servant at Blackheath...
, opened on 15 May 1865 and gave the station an ornate frontage in the French Renaissance style. At the same time, a replica of the
Eleanor CrossThe Eleanor crosses were 12 originally wooden, but later lavishly decorated stone, monuments, of which three survive intact, in a line down part of the east of England. King Edward I had the crosses erected between 1291 and 1294 in memory of his wife Eleanor of Castile, marking the nightly...
was erected in the station forecourt, based on the original 13th century Whitehall Cross that had been demolished in 1647. Distances in London are officially measured from the original site of the cross in Whitehall, now the statue of Charles I, and not from this replica cross.
The elegant original roof structure collapsed on 5 December 1905. By great fortune, only six lives were lost (two workmen on the roof, a bookstall vendor and three passers-by in the street, where most of the girders fell) as the collapse happened outside the rush hour and was sufficiently gradual for the station platforms to be evacuated. An enormous travelling timber gantry had to be constructed to take the remainder of the station roof down safely. The roof was replaced by a utilitarian post and girder structure supporting a ridge and furrow roof. The station was re-opened on 19 March 1906.
Following bomb damage in
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the elaborate
Mansard roofA Mansard or mansard roof in architecture refers to a style of hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its four sides with the lower slope being much steeper, almost a vertical wall, while the upper slope, usually not visible from the ground, is pitched at the minimum needed to shed water...
of the upper floors of the hotel was rebuilt in a plain neo-Georgian white brick.
In 1990 most of the area over the platforms was covered by Embankment Place, a post-modern office and shopping complex designed by Terry Farrell and Partners. Most of this complex is currently occupied by
PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is one of the world's largest professional services firms. It was formed in 1998 from a merger between Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand, both formed in London....
.
Services
Trains run a very high frequency service between Charing Cross and London Bridge, there are 18 train departures during the off-peak times. The typical off-peak service from the station is:
Southeastern
- 2tph to Gillingham
Gillingham railway station can refer to two railway stations in England:*Gillingham railway station*Gillingham railway station...
via Greenwich
- 2tph to Dartford
Dartford railway station serves the town of Dartford in Kent, England. All train services from the station are operated by Southeastern, which also manages the station.The station is the nodal point for three lines from London:...
via BexleyheathBexleyheath railway station is in the London Borough of Bexley in south east London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Southeastern.- Services :The typical off-peak service is:...
- 2tph to Gravesend
Gravesend railway station serves the town of Gravesend in north Kent; train services are operated by Southeastern. The station is 24 miles from London Charing Cross...
via Lewisham and SidcupSidcup railway station is a railway station located in Sidcup in the London Borough of Bexley in south-east London. It is in Travelcard Zone 5.-Services:...
- 2tph to Orpington
Orpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Station Road, the station is a third of a mile west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
, of which 1tph is extended to SevenoaksSevenoaks railway station serves the town of Sevenoaks in Kent. Train services are provided by Southeastern.Trains from the station run northbound to London Bridge, Cannon Street , Waterloo East and London Charing Cross via Orpington, to London Blackfriars via Swanley and Catford, and southbound to...
- 2tph to Hastings
Hastings railway station is in Hastings in East Sussex, England. It is situated on the Hastings Line to Tunbridge Wells, the East Coastway Line to Brighton and the Marshlink Line to Ashford International....
(1tph semi-fast service, 1tph stopping service)
- 2tph to Ashford International
Ashford International railway station serves Ashford in Kent, England. Services are provided by Southeastern, Southern and Eurostar.International services use platforms 3 & 4, whilst domestic trains use the original platforms 1 & 2, and a new island built when the Channel Tunnel opened...
via OrpingtonOrpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Station Road, the station is a third of a mile west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
(1tph semi-fast service, 1tph stopping service)
- 2tph to Margate
Margate railway station serves the town of Margate in Thanet in Kent, England. Train services are provided by Southeastern.Trains from the station run to London Victoria and London Charing Cross via Chatham and Bromley South, or via Ramsgate, Canterbury West or Dover Priory and Ashford...
/RamsgateRamsgate railway station serves the town of Ramsgate in Thanet in Kent, England. The station lies on the Chatham Main Line 127 km east of London Victoria, Kent Coast Line and the Ashford to Ramsgate line...
via TonbridgeTonbridge railway station is a station serving the town of Tonbridge in Kent, England. It is a junction between two important commuter routes; the South Eastern Main Line serving Ashford, Ramsgate and Dover and the Hastings Main Line serving Tunbridge Wells and Hastings, as well as a branch to...
, dividing at Ashford InternationalAshford International railway station serves Ashford in Kent, England. Services are provided by Southeastern, Southern and Eurostar.International services use platforms 3 & 4, whilst domestic trains use the original platforms 1 & 2, and a new island built when the Channel Tunnel opened...
with one portion travelling via Canterbury WestCanterbury West railway station is one of two stations in Canterbury in Kent. It is north-northwest of the city centre. It is served by Southeastern....
and one portion travelling via Dover PrioryDover Priory railway station is the main station in Dover in Kent, with the other station being Kearsney situated on the outskirts of Dover. . All train services are provided by Southeastern...
- 2tph to Hayes
Hayes railway station is a railway station located in Hayes in the London Borough of Bromley, south east London, England.The station is served by Southeastern services from Charing Cross and Cannon Street. It forms the suburban terminus for trains on the Hayes line.- History :The Mid-Kent line had...
Southern
- 1tph to Reigate
Reigate railway station is in Surrey, England. On the North Downs Line, the station is managed by Southern, which provides an hourly service to London Charing Cross via Redhill...
via RedhillRedhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 34 km south of London Victoria...
- 1tph to Tonbridge
Tonbridge railway station is a station serving the town of Tonbridge in Kent, England. It is a junction between two important commuter routes; the South Eastern Main Line serving Ashford, Ramsgate and Dover and the Hastings Main Line serving Tunbridge Wells and Hastings, as well as a branch to...
via RedhillRedhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 34 km south of London Victoria...
- 2tph to Caterham
Caterham railway station serves the town of Caterham in the Tandridge district of Surrey, England.The station is the southern terminus of the Caterham Line, which branches from the London to Brighton main line at Purley...
in the evening
From December 2009 Southern will no longer call at Charing Cross
Connections
Charing Cross is served by two
London UndergroundThe London Underground, Underground or Tube is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire in the UK. The first section opened in 1863, and was the first underground railway system in the world, and, starting in...
stations, one at each end:
Charing CrossCharing Cross tube station is a London Underground station at Charing Cross in the City of Westminster with entrances located in Trafalgar Square and Strand. The station is served by the Northern and Bakerloo lines and provides an interchange with the National Rail network at Charing Cross station...
, and
EmbankmentEmbankment tube station is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster, known for most of its history as Charing Cross.The station is served by the Circle, District, Northern and Bakerloo Lines...
. Originally Embankment was called Charing Cross, while the present Charing Cross was
Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London, it is a tourist attraction; and one of the most famous squares in the United Kingdom and the world. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base...
(
Bakerloo lineThe 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 the Elephant and Castle in south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in north-west of London. The lines serves 25 stations of which 15 are underground...
) and Strand (Northern line) stations, combining under the new name when connected by the new
Jubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections - initially to Charing Cross in Central London, and later extended in 1999 to Stratford in East London. The later stations are notable for their larger size and safety features...
station in 1979. The change of name acknowledged that Strand and Trafalgar Square were closer to the station than Embankment. Note that additionally, for a short time, the stations were signed as "Charing Cross Embankment" and "Charing Cross Strand". The Jubilee line platforms are no longer served, following the 1999
extension of the lineThe Jubilee line extension is the extension of the London Underground Jubilee line from Green Park to Stratford through south and east London. An eastward extension of the Jubilee line was first proposed in the 1970s and a modified route was constructed during the 1990s...
in which it was diverted to
WestminsterWestminster is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. The station is served by the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. On the Circle and District lines the station is between St. James's Park and Embankment stations. On the Jubilee line it is between Green Park and Waterloo stations...
and onwards south of the river Thames.
External links
- Station information on Charing Cross railway station from Network Rail
Network Rail owns and operates Britain’s rail infrastructure. It is a British "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, a company limited by shares....