Snow Hill Tunnel: The Victorian Thameslink

The main line hidden below the streets of London.
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[@michaelwilliams7269]

Timely reminder of the need to look beyond short term interests and get infrastructure built.

[@heidirabenau511]

*Looks at the highly likely possibility of the Manchester section of HS2 being cancelled*

[@paulketchupwitheverything767]

Or not to have got rid of the Great Central Railway with its links between Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Hull.

[@brianparker663]

Indeed! I am so fed up with those miserable wiseacres who make comments about HS2 being a "vanity project" - all in the aim of cutting the London/Birmingham journey by 20 minutes. They clearly have not looked into the scheme at all to understood the knock-on improvement in capacity all over the midlands, the north and even into the heart of Wales. So many bottlenecks can be ironed out - let's hope something can be salvaged.

[@hairyairey]

​@@brianparker663sadly it seems our present government is set on its own destruction. We could spend billions paying people not to work but a world class infrastructure project isn't possible? When Boris Johnson and Andy Milburn are in agreement something is seriously wrong. Delaying HS2 causes costs to rise, it took a ridiculous amount of time to get started. Then there's the billions spent on land acquisition already.

[@oldnelson4298]

@@brianparker663 The most needed part has already been scrapped, and they started the whole thing backwards, but it seems completely mad to scrap the rest of it now!

[@brianparker663]

I only really became aware of the Snow Hill tunnel in the 1990s when reading a bit about the newfangled Thameslink scheme. I was absolutely gobsmacked that such a useful north/south link through London could be abandoned! So short sighted. Thank goodness sense prevailed and we have this amazingly useful link back.

[@Calum_S]

We should be glad it wasn't sold off or filled in.

[@ivorwhitecar]

As a Driver based at Ashford (Kent) I used to drive trains into Holborn Viaduct in the 80's. Just about squeeze 8 cars ino the platforms, if it was mainline stock CEPS or VEPS they would only fit in the farthest right platform (1?). Another thing I remember is we learnt the road to St Pauls and Smithfield Sidings, but never worked any trains down there as London Fire Brigade would not allow slam door stock through there due to the limited clearances.

[@IshtarNike]

Lovely primary experience. Can anyone translate for the us laypersons? 😅

[@1258-Eckhart]

Your point about BR and the "new-fangled diesels" is very well taken and eminently depictable: the year is 1960 and BR has new 2-stroke diesel locos called "Metrovicks" (Class 28). The "Metro" in the name stood for the Manchester manufacturer, but maybe someone in BR got sidetracked into an association with the Metropolitan Line. So the smokiest diesels known to mankind ended up being sent round the old St. Pancras Curve onto the Widened Lines and down into the Snow Hill Tunnel, their Co-Bo axle layout ensuring that progress was accompanied by much screeching. Any staff nearby were either deafened or suffocated or both. The experiment didn't last long.

[@SnowdriftBoy]

One of your best videos Jago! It puts the history of London and the UK, modern technological civilisation and today’s everyday life together in a grand sweep! Love your work!👏

[@mattwestuk1]

I grew up in Bedford and my Dad was a Director for BR (aaah the good old days). I remember vividly the line being restored because he was one of the folks involved with the project. I must admit to being underwhelmed about it at the time (an old tunnel...big deal), but soon came to appreciate it later in life! He unfortunately died in an accident in '97 and so never got to see it's full potential as the Thameslink we know today...I suspect he's be very happy and proud though.

[@markellis6413]

The City Widened Lines are by far my favourite piece of railway in London. Trains from Victoria to Moorgate or up through either the Midland or North Eastern lines.. If only the proposed link to the West Coast Main Line had been built too..

[@stephenspackman5573]

You know, someone should make a boardgame about this (if they haven't already): a train game, but one in which there has already been an Age of Maniacs who built lines everywhere followed by an Age of Cretins who shut them down again. Like Brass but trainier and passengier.

[@tbjtbj7930]

You have drawn the Yerkes card. Any money you have that isn't yours is now yours, but you cant go back to Chicago. Advance to Mornington Crescent.

[@stephenwalls9277]

There is a game called Railway Rivals. ISTR that it was created by a teacher to teach kids geography.

[@hyperdistortion2]

Fascinating as always, Jago! As a frequent Thameslink user this was enlightening. Looking forward to the Holborn Viaduct video when it comes!

[@WolfmanWoody]

Is that where the bridge went over Ludgate Hill? I remember that when I worked at St Pauls Graveyard in 1986.

[@eattherich9215]

Middleton Press specialises in railway history and its London suburban series has a title called 'Holborn Viaduct to Lewisham. The book is of particular interest to me since I used to work on Holborn Viaduct, and very occasionally used the station, and live in Lewisham.

[@eattherich9215]

@@WolfmanWoody: yes. I used to like looking up the Hill for a view of St Paul's.

[@jamesgilbart2672]

Interesting history! Who'd have thought it back in 1969 that the tunnel would one day become the key part of a route enabling fast services between various distant places including Brighton and Cambridge?

[@andrewhotston983]

If you go from Cambridge to Brighton via the Snow Hill tunnel you might want to review your use of the word "fast"!! It feels very, very slow, with such frequent station stops.

[@jamesgilbart2672]

@@andrewhotston983 The core section is a bit slow due to frequent stations and the tortuous route but once clear of that, either north or south of the capital, Thameslink is reasonably fast.

[@morzee94]

Bit of a weird comment but when I’m feeling down I often come to this channel and it cheers me up. I just wanted to say thanks Jago :)

[@JagoHazzard]

You’re most welcome! I’m glad to help!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

5:44 YES TO FUTURE VIDEO ON WHOLE OTHER STORY

[@paulketchupwitheverything767]

I'm intrigued by the other bits of old tunnels, sidings, track-bed and doorways that that you can see between Farringdon and Blackfriars from Thameslink trains. Being able to get across London North/South on the Thameslink made a big difference to many journeys that previously involved a tube ride between train terminals. It is so handy as a connection with Eurostar at St. Pancras, too.

[@JagoHazzard]

Those stubs might make another video. They had their own dedicated train.

[@jonistan9268]

It really does make a difference, I tried both on my visit to London. We arrived at King's Cross and had to get to Croydon. Should've been easy, just a simple journey with Thameslink. So we followed the signs to St. Pancras Thameslink only to find the passage shut because of engineering works. So we had to take the Northern Line to London Bridge instead. The return journey was a lot simpler and quicker: No engineering works, just a Thameslink train from Croydon to St. Pancras. We sat on the rather uncomfortable seats of the Class 700 (do they really expect people to travel to Brighton like this?) for like half an hour or less, I don't know, got out and went to the Eurostar terminal. Nothing easier than that.

[@paulbarber1960]

What other sidings, tunnels, doorways 😮

[@atraindriver]

@@jonistan9268 The seats on the 800-series IEPs aren't much better. It's what happens when the Department for [Road?] Transport specifies a train and tells the train companies that's what they're having rather than allowing train companies to specify them. Not that I have all that much faith in the train companies specifying decent seating, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have insisted on fitting commuter seating in an intercity train...

[@johnjephcote7636]

I remember going through Snow Hill tunnel on a railtour in the early 1960s. It was only used for market traffic at the time.

[@user-xh3lz9xt4l]

I remember seeing double headed Class 31s emerging from the tunnel portal at Farringdon in the early 70s when I was on my way to Kings X to try to get back to Barking using the Goblin Lind

[@roderickmain9697]

For my taste, "City Thameslink" sounds like a leftover advertising board for the revamp project...and a tad contrived. Not sure why they just didnt go with Snow Hill ...or maybe that clashed with a Station in Birmingham. I remember it being there (sort of ... in the 60s) and then it all getting closed and feeling like it was a missed opportunity. But perhaps the plan was already afoot. Thanks Jago, this explains a lot for me. (and Ive used it a few times now).

[@danielemerson312]

City Thameslink is also one of those stations that, however clean it is, always looks dingy. I do like that the exits are named after the previous stations on that site.

[@atraindriver]

Not sure why they didn't just leave it as St Paul's Thameslink as it was named when (re)opened. ​ @danielemerson312 A bit like Birmingham New Street but without the diesels? ;)

[@danielemerson312]

Probably to differentiate it from St Paul's Underground. City Thameslink is just about the dullest name imaginable, though. Old Bailey might have been a decent option, or keeping the Ludgate Hill name.@@atraindriver

[@PlanetoftheDeaf]

When the Snow Hill tunnels were originally closed, the widened lines from Moorgate to Kings Cross, and the commuter lines from Kings Cross and St Pancras were still unelectrified, and run by pokey diesel trains. It was their electrification and the advent of dual voltage trains able to take power from the 3rd rail and overhead power lines which helped pave the way for the reopening of the tunnel.

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

How about the tale of the Thameslink stations for Kings Cross? There's the tale of the delayed opening, which is fading from memory. There is also the untold story of how dangerous the old station on Pentonville Road was. Hundreds of people, a lot with heavy luggage, going in both directions in a small corridor and up and down 1 set of totally inadequate steps.

[@atraindriver]

Kings Cross Midland City? Not sure if you still can, but pre-Covid you could still go through the old KXMC/TL entrance to get to the Underground. I recall that it was... dingy.

[@highpath4776]

As I look at myself, on the sofa, I find I have Widened Sitty Lines

[@MrDavil43]

In the 1960's I worked in the City and whenever I wasn't in a hurry to get home I would forsake the charms of the Met and Piccadilly lines and get a train from Moorgate to New Barnet. The diesel loco would struggle up the incline to Kings Cross and the coaches were filthy Mk.1 suburban stock. But it was a journey this train buff always enjoyed! Splendid video by the way.

[@tidmouthmilk12]

I saw the title and was very confused for a moment. Speaking as someone from the West Midlands, when I read "Snow Hill Tunnel" I immediately think of the tunnel between Birmingham's Snow Hill and Moor Street stations. Made me think you'd gone a little further afield than usual 😅

[@johnjephcote7636]

Indeed! I still recall the first time I visited Snow Hill GW, with a busy pannier tank storming through at the head of a goods train coming out of the tunnel.

[@tidmouthmilk12]

@@johnjephcote7636 Lucky beggar! I'm only old enough to have known the line in modern times, sadly. Though, coincidentally, I have seen a pair of panniers going through Moor Street heading a special excursion before!

[@ExeCodger]

During my later childhood and early teens I frequently went train spotting at Snow Hill Station in Birmingham and watched with fascination as Kings, Castles and other GWR locos of the day came out of the tunnel belching steam and smoke. Always a sight to watch the wheeltappers in action and see engines grinding track as they would commence into the dark tunnel that exited at Moor Street Station. Some passenger trains had destination boards on the carriages, which made me dream about what it was like to travel to these places. Occasionally I saw the blue Pullman train service that operated from Wolverhampton to Paddington. Saturdays, particularly during summer months, was always exciting to witness groups of people waiting for their trains on the platforms with travel cases and wedding parties seeing off the bride and groom. Happy days 😀

[@LeoStarrenburg]

@@johnjephcote7636 During my first visit to the UK (on a 15 day rover ticket that we could get for nearly nothing) Birmingham was one of the destinations. Stayed at the then YMCA which turned out to be near Snow Hill station. It was still there but closed as far as I can remember, it was over 50 years ago.

[@tidmouthmilk12]

@@ExeCodger Snow Hill was such a beautiful station back in the day. New Street too. Wish I'd been alive early enough to have seen them in their heyday.

[@seanbonella]

Sundays with Jago are always good

[@stephenpegum9776]

As someone who lives in N London the creation of the TL line is just brilliant - I can get a train straight through to places like Gatwick Airport from Mill Hill Broadway - super convenient ! 😎

[@brianparker663]

Gets me down to see my beloved Seagulls play at the Amex. A real boon! 😃

[@melanierhianna]

As someone in London the government subsidies your transport by three times what it subsidises mine. The cross rail line was partially funded by cancelling Leeds’ trams. So while you have yet another line, there’s a million people in a city without any kind of rapid transit system at all. Oh and HS2 was cancelled. And so was the L & Y cross Pennines line upgrade. And now it seems HS2 to Manchester too.

[@julianaylor4351]

So good is the quality of your videos that I have changed my subscription from some to all. ♥️ Farringdon Street now Farringdon and Aldersgate Street now Barbican. Victorian London was indeed grid locked, but the average speed of rush hour traffic has only gone up by a few miles an hour in the centuries since. At least we don't have horse mature or leaded petrol to deal with anymore. My favourite reused tunnel is the Brunel tunnel, under the Thames, that was a foot and carriage tunnel that now houses rail lines. You forgot to mention the better brakes and safety systems on modern locomotives, that made reuse of the tunnel easier.

[@dougmorris2134]

Thank you Jago for this Tale of a Recycled Victorian Tunnel. The LC&DR would be very impressed.

[@warrencrosby2620]

I like how you said trains going there won't happen today, then i Google it and seen that the train went there by mistake this past summer 😂😂 i like how you slide that ooff moment in so smoothly 😂

[@batman51]

And despite the LCDR's forethought, apart from a few odd ones in the rush hour, still no trains from the SE go beyond Blackfriars! Incidentally, the LCDR was technically bankrupt from July 1866 to February 1871.

[@cd0u50c9]

I don't think it is possible to make enough videos about this stretch of track, it's fascinating and is so vital for circulation through London.

[@sbv-zs7wz]

long time ago i worked near snow hill and my boss told me that there was a secret tunnel between snow hill police station and the rail tunnel and also the post office railway had a link to it, presumably both for 'government business', dont know if true.

[@robertbench4664]

When they re-opened Birmingham Snow Hill Tunnel in the 1980's they had a charity walk through it just beforehand in aid of Birmingham Childrens Hospital on a Sunday.You could either pay for the walk or get sponsors,but I only heard about it at the last moment,so I paid a donation to the hospital.The first few hundred got a commemorative certificate,but as I didn't get there in time by train from Coventry(the service isn't good even now on Sunday mornings) I missed out on this,and there was a giant queue at Moor Street Station end to begin the walk.I was told the Bank of England had a shaft in the roof of the tunnel to lower bullion into and out of special bullion carriages that only used the tunnel at night to make it more secure.I used to regularly visit Moor Street Station before it got restored thinking it was about to be pulled down and shut if the Stratford on Avon lines were closed,as they had already shut the rest of the route to Cheltenham.

[@BarneyLeith]

Fascinating! I used to use this line a lot when I worked in London.

[@Oscarooney9947]

Since i started watching you I've wanted to know about the snow Hill tunnel

[@terrybailey2769]

I remember when I used to travel to Farringdon for work in the 1970s, now my train from Stevenage would take me straight to City Thameslink. I remember seeing the Widened lines running parallel to the underground lines and wondering what they were.

[@christopherwright8388]

I have almost exactly the same experience. In those days I commuted from Bedford for a software house on Farringdon Road named Hoskyns. I saw those tunnel portals every day and used to wonder if they could be used for cross-city services.

[@rollinwithunclepete824]

For some reason, Snow Hill always fascinated this American. Good to see they were able to reuse old railroad ROW!

[@tw25rw]

I remember catching a train from Holborn Viaduct just before it closed when there was only 1 platform and demolition happening all around. Then shortly after catching trains to and from Farringdon. I wish I remembered Ludgate Hill.

[@brianfretwell3886]

Not all the track to the Snow hill tunnel was taken up, I could see it from trains approaching Holborn Viaduct stn in the 1970's and 80's. I did hear it was because there was a traction current sub station underground and it was cheaper to leave a 3dr rail set up there than run new cables. Good timing with the Bluebell railway footage, as I was there yesterday for the beer festival.

[@webrarian]

I can remember standing on the platform at Holborn Viaduct having travelled from Haydons Road in late 1979. The Snow Hill tunnel was obvious and it seemed such a waste for it not to be used. A few years later it was back in use and Holborn Viaduct had gone.

[@marybradley7791]

Really enjoyed this video, would love to see you do an in depth video on the Cannaught tunnel on the Elizabeth Line.

[@shaunhouse8469]

We will know Jago has mastered technology when we get the 3-d story of City Thameslink to include Snow Hill, Holborn Viaduct and Ludgate Hill and the change over from AC & DC and third rail & overhead power - as you can probably tell I can never remember which way is which in terms of location of pick-up and whether it's AC or DC

[@georgepitchley3946]

Excellent video, can you do one about the vast goods yard that was/is below Smithfield?

[@leteethgirl8778]

you uploaded this right after i had stopped in city thameslink very cool. i'm on the train rn still

[@johncamp2567]

THANKS, Jago, for highlighting the BBC story on the train accidentally routed into a closed Charing Cross station. Interesting! 👍

[@bobcosmic]

My apologies for being late, I got derailed 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@thomasm1964]

Don't get the hump but I have to say that you and the truth are only very loosely coupled.

[@stephenspackman5573]

Oh, you have no idea. My Dad once spent Christmas in a field. It was so cold (being Canada) that they wouldn't even let the passengers out.

[@bobcosmic]

@@stephenspackman5573 I believe you. Trust me I know. I used to live in Canada. I used to see ice cubes walking around with thermal clothes and they’d be complaining about how cold it was.

[@stephenspackman5573]

@@bobcosmic Indeed. Somewhere around -40 or -45 my body starts going, ok, I've got no plan now, so if it's ok with you I'm just going to die? And I have to tell it, no, look, the bus _will_ come in the next couple of minutes, and then it doesn't, and that's why I'm dead now. I like it better here in California, even if it seems to be on fire again.

[@bobcosmic]

@@stephenspackman5573 Many people know of the sub zero temperatures of Canada but few have actually experienced it first hand. Those of us that have, either grin and bear it or we high tail it out of there like you and I. I can totally understand the trade California for Canada. 👊🏾

[@AndyG73]

Now the line has a new link to the Great Northern from just north of St. Pancras to just before the first tunnel north of King's Cross. Very handy indeed.

[@johnkeepin7527]

Worth noting that this route is fitted with Automatic Train Operation (ATO) on top of the ETCS signalling system, so as to maximise the line capacity through Snow Hill. Note the position sign "TVS 5566" on your footage at 9:50. No actual outside signal there - all done on board. Lots of those through there.

[@francisboyle1739]

Another fascinating video. Now excuse me, I have to get back to making my model of a Victorian manure train.

[@stephengreenwald5271]

Fascinating video. I went to school near Ludgate Circus in the early sixties and well remember the bridge across the bottom of Ludgate Hill. It always seemed to have a locomotive on it, not moving just gently steaming. Also, shortly before opening the Thameslink connection, the bridge emerging from the north end of Blackfriars station was rebuilt so that it sloped down to north, presumably to lessen the gradient as the line dived underground. The slope of the bridge is clear to see.

[@RogersRamblings]

Excellent, I think it's fair to say that the depths of Snow Hill tunnel have been suitably plumbed.

[@highpath4776]

For the LSWR, The GNR and the LCDR - "There's no business like snow (hill) business"

[@keith800]

Lovely video , quite a fascinating area for railway history around Snow hill with the sidings under Smithfield market (now the underground car park ) and the goods yard that once stood in Farringdon road and of course Farringdon station makes it quite a place of interest.

[@hx0d]

Great video as usual! A essential part of London's rail system and one that would be unimaginable to live without today for many commuters

[@darrenshell3466]

Great video. I go through here several times a week and find the history of the all lines around this area fascinating - all the vanished stations, Blackfriars, the vaults & sidings under the market, the widened lines, the ‘hotel curve’ further up towards KX, etc. Thanks for continuing to feed my geeky interest 😀

[@PokhrajRoy.]

4:39 I have seen works of art depicting streets back in the day and it’s shocking how foot traffic has been since handled.

[@AndrewG1989]

Amazing to hear what Thameslink is like today in the 21 Century compare to how it was before then and how London wanted a railway line that would go north and south. And of course the Elizabeth Line that goes east and west which opened in May this year. And with both Thameslink and Elizabeth Line meet at Farringdon. Which makes it lot easier to go from A to B and to save time by taking shortcuts and to reduce congestion at stations that can get very busy especially at rush hour. Thameslink is still the best train operator and the Class 700s are amazing trains which were built to handle lots of commuters travelling in and out of London.

[@CraigMcArthur]

Thanks! The (limited number of) maps really help comprehending where the lines ran/run. Appreciated, although more would be great. 😅

[@raythomas4812]

As Always Jago - fascinating and confusing at the same time

[@ianpatterson6552]

Wherever Jago goes in central London there is a ubiquitous hoarding announcing a new development.

[@JagoHazzard]

I raise the land values.

[@ianpatterson6552]

@@JagoHazzard million quid pads all round then!

[@MrAsBBB]

Just came back from a holiday in Sitges Barcelona and used the Thameslink. My husband and I were discussing snow hill and up pops your video. What a lovely end to a wonderful holiday. Thank you

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

Thank you for the video, and thank you LC&DR for gambling with your shareholders money all those years ago. I have travelled between Bradford and Three Bridges since 1979. Without Thameslink I doubt I could now make the journey. It was bad enough going TBD - Victoria - Victoria Line - Kings Cross - BDI in my 20's. I simply could not cope with doing it regularly in my 60's.

[@jacksugden8190]

I remember the bridge at Ludgate Circus, I used to ride trains over it, also remember the bridge being pushed underground there with trains going through the tunnel, some of the other works mentioned are also remembered to this day.

[@MrGreatplum]

The history of this line is a fascinating one - thank you for telling it so well!

[@BarrysViews]

Another very informative video from Janjo really enjoyed this video

[@uniontpke772]

I was hoping for a video on this!

[@unrulyphxntom4397]

Can't wait to enjoy this video! Keep it up Jago!

[@wickiezulu]

The other day was pondering if there were any underground line schemes that planned to run parallel to the Snow Hill Tunnel from Farringdon to Blackfriars, similar to how the Metropolitan runs alongside the mainline rail at the Clerkenwell tunnel / part of the City Widened Lines between Farringdon and Kings Cross St Pancras? Also felt they could have re-sited City Thameslink slightly to provide impetus for a direct interchange with the Central Line south of Snow Hill station / A40 (roughly by Holborn Viaduct), instead of making do with getting out at St Paul's to go to City Thameslink.

[@maggiesamuels2937]

Very interesting video Jago. I use to travel from Herne hill to Thameslink station a couple years ago when I worked in Holborn and always wondered way this bit of railway track was underground now I know thank you for posting.

[@teecefamilykent]

Brilliant video sir, can't wait to see your Holborn viaduct video :-)

[@a11oge]

Well done JH, and a very good use of maps etc.

[@chrisrobertson7664]

That train pulling in to the wrong station makes me think you could do train accident histories/retrospectives

[@egpx]

Thank you Mister H. I’ve used Thameslink trains but a handful of times but have often wondered as to how the track got there. Frankly, I wondered what all the Crossrail fuss was all about when there was already a service that crosses through the centre of London. I never knew the line had been there for years just waiting for passenger services to recommence. Shame there wasn’t a similar tunnel built from east to west a a century ago that Crossrail could have used. It might have saved a bob or two.

[@Squaretable22]

The Tunnels from East to West were the Metropolitan and District railways :'). The District used to run from Slough to Southend. Unfortunately for express railways, theyre saddled with accomodating the circle line and all the lines from the west which funnel into them.

[@GiselleBel]

Fascinating! I had no idea there was a steep incline, and still an incline nowadays.

[@ryanbadger4437]

Interesting. Would love to see a video about Holborn Viaduct station!

[@robertbench4664]

I always enjoy your videos.Any chance of a video about the conflicting same names of railway statiions in different parts of Britain,such as this Snow Hill and the one in Birmingham or the different Hampton Stations?Keep up the good work.

[@andrewhotston983]

I miss Holborn Viaduct station - I once cabbed a Class 33 on a parcels train there. The place was almost deserted. Maybe that's why it closed?

[@Batters56]

A gamble that meant my Victoria bound train could divert to Blackfriars this morning when the signals failed!

[@Lurker1979]

I admit I like the look of that train's front end at the beginning of the video.

[@Ro99]

4:43 I don’t know why but hearing you say ‘the Chatham Boys’ made me laugh

[@SmudgeThomas]

The mess of lines under/over Fleet Street and up to Holborn is honestly one of the most interesting bits of "we're here because Victorians" history

[@amethyst7084]

Thanks very much Jago. I had not realizes that Thameslink had reached its 35-year anniversary. I think it a really interesting line given its sole crossing of central London between Blackfriars and Kings Cross, and how it has numerous termini on the south coast, south east London, and north of Greater London into Hertfordshire.

[@iaingardener9268]

A first rate video as always. I remember travelling through the tunnel not long after it opened though I was more interested in the stabled EPBs stabled in Holborn Viaduct as it was a network day and a Saturday

[@Richardincancale]

1:22 And the French language too!

[@DavidWilson-hh2gn]

An interesting vid of an often lesser known and mysterious part of the London rail network.

[@neilh990]

I use City Thameslink as its easy to get to theatres and I had no idea about this!

[@highpath4776]

I am glad to see in this modern 21st Century there are no railway promoters getting cold feet about their northern extensions that cost more money than they expect to receive and the days of high interest amounts have passed us.

[@Broadercasting]

I note with the widened lines connection broken East of Farringdon (for longer Thameslink operation after platform lengthening), points on the Met. lines were installed there to eventually allow stabling of Underground trains on them some time back, but no progress to further work so far...

[@Broadercasting]

To Jago's credit, he covers this in the next video.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Yes to new video! I was refreshing my feed a few hours ago looking for Jago’s new video.

[@Peter_Box]

Whenever I hear London, Chatham, & Dover, I think of Dewey, Cheatem, & Howe from The Three Stooges.

[@brianfretwell3886]

From a book I read in the 1970's I saw that when it started coaching rivals called it the "Land em, Smash 'em and Over railway" to indicate that horse drawn coaches were safer!!! Knocking publicity is not new!!!

[@jackmarshallD9525]

Couple of 20s or a single 15 must of sounded absolutely mega inside that tunnel!

[@user-sq4xm7bw2q]

great video!

[@harstan7333]

Although you mention in passing the demise of the service over the CWL to/from the Midland, you do not deal with the establishment of the connection (1868) or mention the through services other than those between the GNR and LCDR, e.g. to/from SER via Metropolitan Junction. And of course their demise and the new connection to the GNR mainline. Enough there for at least one more article!

[@Romartus]

I remember working in a building that overlooked the Snow Hill tunnel entrance going North. By then it was heavily overgrown and looked a bit spooky. Also the old bridge that crossed Ludgate Hill was there too. The whole area looked semi-derelict in the heart of London.

[@christopherwright8388]

Thats an interesting map you show @1:30. It must be from between 1852 & 1868, as Kings Cross is depicted but no trace of St. Pancras (except for the dashed line showing where the Midland Main Line is expected to go).

[@Elizabeth-vh6il]

I spent half of this video being confused as to why you were talking about London instead of Birmingham and wondering what this epic railway line was that was going to run from Dover to Birmingham via London.

[@kevanhubbard9673]

There's the other Snow Hill Tunnel running under a city centre too under Birmingham.

[@nigelclark1823]

Brilliant video, very much enjoyed this one

[@robinhillyard6187]

Thanks for this. I’ve always wondered about this line.

[@iman2341]

Birmingham has its own Snow Hill tunnel that’s ripe for a Thameslink style network…

[@peterknight6535]

I was told by a yard supervisor at Cricklewood that Mar 1 carriages would go through Snow Hill tunnel. If you go through it is possible to see the sidings into Smithfield meat market.

[@JanoJ]

Some errors: Regarding the comment about the new alignment starting in 1986, that is not true. When thameslink initially started in 1998, it used the old alignment through ludgate hill/snow hill (Holborn viaduct was still open at the time). in 1990, the old route was closed, and the new slignment/tunnels were constructed, as well as the demolition fo Holborn Viaduct/Ludgate hill, and the railway bridge, as well as the creation fo City Thameslink

[@gsygsy]

Brilliant. Thank you!

[@DarthTrotter]

Thanks for this.