Farringdon station
Encyclopedia
Farringdon station is a London Underground
and National Rail
station in Clerkenwell
, just north of the City of London
in the London Borough of Islington
. It is currently one of the less important central London
stations with mainline services but this will significantly change as it will become an important interchange station on the two largest transport infrastructure programmes currently underway in London - the Thameslink Programme
and Crossrail
, both of which are scheduled for completion in 2018.
, the world's first underground metro
line. The station, initially named Farringdon Street, was originally located a short distance from today's building. The line ran from Farringdon to , a distance of 4 miles (6 km). The station was relocated on 23 December 1865 when the Metropolitan Railway opened an extension to Moorgate. It was renamed Farringdon and High Holborn on 26 January 1922, and its present name on 21 April 1936.
The lines from Farringdon to station run alongside the now culverted Fleet River, which was above ground here until 1812. The station building is an unusually well-preserved piece of early 20th-century London Underground architecture; it still has its original signage (with the name "Farringdon and High Holborn" on the facade) and other indications of the Metropolitan Railway's original operation like the main line companies, with a sign for a "Parcel Office" surviving on the exterior wall.
After the bay platforms at London closed in March 2009, Southeastern
services which previously terminated at Blackfriars were extended to , St Albans, Luton or Bedford, calling at this station. Through First Capital Connect services to Moorgate ceased at the same time. Train services south of Blackfriars services are operated by Southeastern, north of Blackfriars by First Capital Connect.
is an entirely new east-west railway, scheduled to open in 2018. The Thameslink programme
is a major upgrade to the existing north-south Thameslink route, enabling the use of longer trains and more frequent services, scheduled to be completed in 2012.
After the completion of Crossrail, Farringdon will be one of the country's busiest stations by number of trains passing through. It will be the only station where passengers can change between Crossrail and Thameslink trains. A new building, housing a dedicated ticket hall, is being constructed to serve these extra passengers. The new building is located to the immediate south of the current station, which itself is being upgraded as part of the programme.
An additional entrance is also being built at the north end of the current station, serving Turnmill Street.
The existing listed ticket hall and concourse will be remodelled, but it will be used exclusively by London Underground passengers. Interchange within the station will be improved by means of removing the existing interchange bridge and installing new stairs and lifts with access to all four platforms, thereby allowing passengers with impaired mobility to use the station.
It was necessary to build the platform extensions to the south, since there is a sharp gradient to the immediate north of the station. This has resulted in the two-station branch to Moorgate
being permanently closed. The platform extensions will cross the former Moorgate line and reach within a few metres of the entrance of the Snow Hill Tunnel. The alternative of realigning both the Thameslink and Circle/Hammersmith & City/Metropolitan LUL lines was impractical as the latter crosses over the former on a bridge almost immediately to the north of the station.
station is being built between Farringdon and underground (tube) stations and it will have interchanges with both of them. Access at the Farringdon end will be via the new Thameslink ticket hall. Work is anticipated to be complete in 2018. Crossrail will link Farringdon to two more London airports (City
and Heathrow
), the Olympic Park
in Stratford
, Canary Wharf
, Bond Street
/Oxford Street
and Maidenhead
. The station will also be a hub for Cross London travel, being the only station to be both on the north to south Thameslink service and the east - west Crossrail service.
trains, while standing at the platform, switch between the 25 kV
AC
overhead supply used to the north of London, and the 750 V DC
third rail
supply used to the south. The trains that formerly ran to Moorgate used 25 kV AC throughout their journeys.
Until the start of the Thameslink Programme
southbound trains which experienced a fault preventing them from switching to DC would be taken out of service at Farringdon and stabled at Moorgate
to prevent them from blocking the core section of the Thameslink route. As this option is no longer possible the catenary has been extended to City Thameslink to enable these trains to continue to the southbound platform at City Thameslink using AC and then return northwards using the new crossover in Snow Hill Tunnel.
The Underground trains serving Farringdon use the four-rail DC system which is currently 630 V.
, Hammersmith & City
and Circle line services, the stations on either side being and .
Farringdon is also served by First Capital Connect
trains from Brighton
to Bedford, calling at Gatwick Airport, or from Luton
to Sutton
or Wimbledon
. The stations on either side are City Thameslink and St Pancras International.
Until 20 March 2009, some First Capital Connect weekday peak-hour trains ran into Moorgate
and terminated there rather than continuing south to Blackfriars and beyond. These services were withdrawn to allow the junction at the south end of the station to be removed so that the platforms could be extended to take 12-coach trains. There is insufficient room for the platforms to only be extended on the north side because the tracks leave the station on an increasing downward gradient.
Passengers can still travel from Farringdon to Barbican and Moorgate using the parallel London Underground service.
Farringdon is in Transport for London
's Travelcard Zone 1
.
and night route N63.
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...
and 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...
station in Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
, just north of 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...
in the London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
. It is currently one of the less important central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
stations with mainline services but this will significantly change as it will become an important interchange station on the two largest transport infrastructure programmes currently underway in London - 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...
and Crossrail
Crossrail
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...
, both of which are scheduled for completion in 2018.
History
The station was opened on 10 January 1863 as the terminus of the original Metropolitan RailwayMetropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
, the world's first underground metro
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line. The station, initially named Farringdon Street, was originally located a short distance from today's building. The line ran from Farringdon to , a distance of 4 miles (6 km). The station was relocated on 23 December 1865 when the Metropolitan Railway opened an extension to Moorgate. It was renamed Farringdon and High Holborn on 26 January 1922, and its present name on 21 April 1936.
After the bay platforms at London closed in March 2009, Southeastern
Southeastern (train operating company)
London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
services which previously terminated at Blackfriars were extended to , St Albans, Luton or Bedford, calling at this station. Through First Capital Connect services to Moorgate ceased at the same time. Train services south of Blackfriars services are operated by Southeastern, north of Blackfriars by First Capital Connect.
Current developments
There are currently two major rail development projects in progress that involve Farringdon. 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 an entirely new east-west railway, scheduled to open in 2018. 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...
is a major upgrade to the existing north-south Thameslink route, enabling the use of longer trains and more frequent services, scheduled to be completed in 2012.
After the completion of Crossrail, Farringdon will be one of the country's busiest stations by number of trains passing through. It will be the only station where passengers can change between Crossrail and Thameslink trains. A new building, housing a dedicated ticket hall, is being constructed to serve these extra passengers. The new building is located to the immediate south of the current station, which itself is being upgraded as part of the programme.
An additional entrance is also being built at the north end of the current station, serving Turnmill Street.
Thameslink upgrade
Farringdon Station is being rebuilt to accommodate longer Thameslink trains and to make other improvements to the station. The existing station building will be refurbished with a new roof canopy covering the north end of all four platforms and a permanent new entrance and concourse facing Turnmill Street. An additional ticket hall will be built on the south side of Cowcross Street providing access to the Thameslink platforms, which will be extended southwards underneath this building, allowing the station to handle 240m (12-car) trains. Platforms will be widened to accommodate increased passenger numbers. This process requires the bridge that forms Cowcross Street to be demolished and rebuilt once the abutments have been moved. Cowcross Street will be pedestrianised. Lifts will be provided throughout.The existing listed ticket hall and concourse will be remodelled, but it will be used exclusively by London Underground passengers. Interchange within the station will be improved by means of removing the existing interchange bridge and installing new stairs and lifts with access to all four platforms, thereby allowing passengers with impaired mobility to use the station.
It was necessary to build the platform extensions to the south, since there is a sharp gradient to the immediate north of the station. This has resulted in the two-station branch to Moorgate
Moorgate station
Moorgate station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London; it provides National Rail services by First Capital Connect for Hertford, Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth and also serves the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines and...
being permanently closed. The platform extensions will cross the former Moorgate line and reach within a few metres of the entrance of the Snow Hill Tunnel. The alternative of realigning both the Thameslink and Circle/Hammersmith & City/Metropolitan LUL lines was impractical as the latter crosses over the former on a bridge almost immediately to the north of the station.
Crossrail development
A "Farringdon" 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...
station is being built between Farringdon and underground (tube) stations and it will have interchanges with both of them. Access at the Farringdon end will be via the new Thameslink ticket hall. Work is anticipated to be complete in 2018. Crossrail will link Farringdon to two more London airports (City
London City Airport
London City Airport is a single-runway airport. It principally serves the financial district of London and is located on a former Docklands site, east of the City of London, opposite the London Regatta Centre, in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It was developed by the engineering...
and Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
), the Olympic Park
Olympic Park, London
The Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
in Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
, Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
, Bond Street
Bond Street
Bond Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London that runs north-south through Mayfair between Oxford Street and Piccadilly. It has been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century and is currently the home of many high price fashion shops...
/Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
and Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
. The station will also be a hub for Cross London travel, being the only station to be both on the north to south Thameslink service and the east - west Crossrail service.
Dual Traction Current supply
Farringdon station is also notable because the First Capital ConnectFirst Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
trains, while standing at the platform, switch between the 25 kV
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
overhead supply used to the north of London, and the 750 V DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
supply used to the south. The trains that formerly ran to Moorgate used 25 kV AC throughout their journeys.
Until the start 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...
southbound trains which experienced a fault preventing them from switching to DC would be taken out of service at Farringdon and stabled at Moorgate
Moorgate
Moorgate was a postern in the London Wall originally built by the Romans. It was turned into a gate in the 15th century. Though the gate was demolished in 1762, the name survives as a major street in the City of London...
to prevent them from blocking the core section of the Thameslink route. As this option is no longer possible the catenary has been extended to City Thameslink to enable these trains to continue to the southbound platform at City Thameslink using AC and then return northwards using the new crossover in Snow Hill Tunnel.
The Underground trains serving Farringdon use the four-rail DC system which is currently 630 V.
Nearest places
- ClerkenwellClerkenwellClerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
- SmithfieldSmithfield, LondonSmithfield 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...
- Barbican EstateBarbican EstateThe 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...
- Finsbury EstateFinsbury EstateFinsbury Estate is a large-scale housing estate in the Finsbury area of London, England, comprising four purpose-built blocks of flats located on a level site, providing 451 residences. Patrick Coman House and Michael Cliffe House are high-rise blocks of 9 and 25 storeys respectively, while Joseph...
- HolbornHolbornHolborn is an area of Central London. Holborn is also the name of the area's principal east-west street, running as High Holborn from St Giles's High Street to Gray's Inn Road and then on to Holborn Viaduct...
- Old StreetOld StreetOld Street is a street in east London that runs west to east from Goswell Road in Clerkenwell, in the London Borough of Islington, to the crossroads where it intersects with Shoreditch High Street , Kingsland Road and Hackney Road in Shoreditch in the London Borough of Hackney.The nearest...
- ShoreditchShoreditchShoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
Services
The London Underground part of the station is served by MetropolitanMetropolitan 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...
, 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 Circle line services, the stations on either side being and .
Farringdon is also served by First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
trains from Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
to Bedford, calling at Gatwick Airport, or from Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
to Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
or Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
. The stations on either side are City Thameslink and St Pancras International.
Until 20 March 2009, some First Capital Connect weekday peak-hour trains ran into Moorgate
Moorgate station
Moorgate station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London; it provides National Rail services by First Capital Connect for Hertford, Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth and also serves the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines and...
and terminated there rather than continuing south to Blackfriars and beyond. These services were withdrawn to allow the junction at the south end of the station to be removed so that the platforms could be extended to take 12-coach trains. There is insufficient room for the platforms to only be extended on the north side because the tracks leave the station on an increasing downward gradient.
Passengers can still travel from Farringdon to Barbican and Moorgate using the parallel London Underground service.
Farringdon is in 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...
's 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...
.
Transport links
London bus routes 63London Buses route 63
London Buses route 63 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
and night route N63.