London's Many Abandoned Termini

[@martingrimmitt3992]

I’m amazed how many times we heard “…was closed to passenger traffic and continued on as a goods depot into the 1960’s”. A video on rail borne freight in London would be very interesting

[@raakone]

I know. Both the East London Line connections (before they were severed) and even parts of the Northern Line had "mainline" freight into the 60's (belated Beeching axing?) (Although the East London Line had "occasional" passenger service connecting Liverpool Street to Brighton all the way until 1966! Yes, this service was "unplugged")

[@vitamins-and-iron]

yes. rail freight is awesome!

[@theexcaliburone5933]

Yes absolutely, like the logistics of goods movements in such dense areas

[@sianwarwick633]

​@raakone sorry, but 'I know' means nothing. What do you 'know' and how do you 'know it.

[@sianwarwick633]

You may wish to consult the Alan Snow Rail archive here on KZbin for a dip into freight rail. It is good.

[@TheEulerID]

Surely the London Necropolis railway station should have been included. Wikipedia certainly calls it a terminus, and it did carry passengers, both live and dead. It was opened in 1854 at a location which was close to the nearby Waterloo Bridge Station, on a site that is now part of the Leake Street Arches, with facilities dedicated to mourners as well as the transshipment of bodies. It was later demolished to make way for the expansion of Waterloo Station, but only after the opening of a new station on Westminster Bridge Road in 1902. It closed after the line was badly damaged in a bombing raid in WW II, although the building survives as Westminster Bridge House. Not exactly a huge terminal station, but a terminus, in more ways than one.

[@artistjoh]

Agreed, but it likely deserves a video all of its own. Sydney also had a funeral train with dedicated station that is now a delightful, heritage protected stone building. A pity London didn't have a similar architectural reason to preserve their necropolis station, because this is a fascinating aspect of Victorian society.

[@TheEulerID]

@@artistjoh At least the building is still there, albeit looking a bit sad and without rails and platform (at least I don't think it has it any more). I don't know if Jago has already produced a video on the Necropolis railway. I will have to check.

[@msg5507]

​@@artistjohJago has made a video about the Necropolis railway, 2 or 3 years ago now.

[@ZGryphon]

It was, in fact, the most terminal terminus there ever was.

[@andrewrobinson7641]

Surely the Necropolis station was an origin rather than a terminus. The bodies left, rather than arrived, by train.

[@ivorwhitecar]

I drove trains in and out of Holborn Viaduct until it closed. We then had to 'learn the road' on foot down to St Pauls Thameslink and Smithfield Sidings at the weekends, as it was still being built. I never drove a train down there though, as the Fire Service stopped any slam door trains operating there do to the limited clearances.

[@johnpulman7137]

Your videos are always interesting and informative and very well researched. One thing I especially appreciate is the use of archive materials, photos and videos that actually reflect what is being discussed. So many KZbin channels just pad their content out with generic visuals which have little or nothing to do with the subject. 👏👏👏

[@RoadkillGoat1]

The closure of broad street was crazy that station would be so busy now, it was criminal that they didn't extend Liverpool Street into a part of it to provide more capacity

[@IndigoJo]

The platforms at Broad Street faced the wrong way: they led up to the North London line at Dalston Junction rather than east towards Stratford. That line couldn't compete with other services, which is why it closed.

[@trevorelliston1]

Apart from pointing in a different direction, the platforms were at very different levels…

[@henrybn14ar]

​@@IndigoJo Dalston Junction had the east curve which went towards Stratford. It could easily have been reinstated and a new station integrated with the Broadgate development. It would have reduced the congestion at the west side of Liverpool Street.

[@geoff1201]

The tracks at Liverpool Street face northwards, parallel to Bishopsgate. ​@IndigoJo

[@IndigoJo]

@@geoff1201 They don't continue northwards for very long though. It would have been easier to equip Liverpool Street to provide extra capacity for Broad Street than the other way round.

[@roderickmain9697]

There are one or two Terminii on the outskirts of London. Places like Epsom Downs. Fantastic station in its day - mainly when those days involved horse racing and "specials" would arrive from all over. Now, sadly, a tiny stop at the back of housing estate. And Olympia. Maybe difficult to call it a terminus as such and it seems it never became the station that it was intended to be. Looked like there were plenty of platforms (as I remember as a young thing) - just not too many tracks to them. Fascinating stuff though, Jago.

[@highpath4776]

Platforms were for the motorail train loading

[@chasselmes8141]

Used to work the motorail trains to and from there sometimes when I was a secondman at Old Oak late 70s. Disused termini----Paddington but it don't count cos it ain't central London. @@highpath4776

[@crossleydd42]

My parents married, then moved to be near to South Merton Station in 1933, I imagine because she worked in Hatton Gardens and travelled by train every day to Holborn Viaduct Station. (She continued to use her maiden name until 1937, when she was pregnant with me and left!). This train service must have been just about the only one to stop at Wimbledon, yet not go into Waterloo. I recall her telling me that some trains went into a nearby tunnel near to Holborn Viaduct Station; she knew not where.

[@henreereeman8529]

ok bro

[@RhodeysRacing]

@@henreereeman8529 Little bit of respect ain't that hard mate

[@highpath4776]

Tunnels around Herne Hill probably , route indeed now Thameslink (peak additionals went into London Bridge from South Merton / Wimbledon) One route I think was LBSC and the other SECR .

[@graemeclifford6358]

My daily commute (1981- 1984) was from South Merton Station to Blackfriars Station. I cannot recall any tunnel along that line. It passed under many road bridges and some may have felt akin to a tunnel, for example, Wimbledon station is actually a road bridge,

[@Broadercasting]

The trains going into the tunnel was possibly the low level route to Snow Hill and Farringdon, which was alongside Holborn Viaduct at the higher level. The North-South route was probably still working even if only for goods in the '30's.

[@nemosis9449]

I used to work in the "Spa road gang" p way during the mid 80's where we had a workman's hut just before the old platforms used to be and there was an old spiral staircase that went down to the old ticket office where it would come out near a chip shop or pub! Hard work wet and grimy but great lads to work with.

[@nigelcole1936]

Splendid video without abandon - many thanks

[@johnclements6614]

Only abandoned to goods.

[@jameswarner5809]

I was born round the corner from Bricklayers Arms when it was still a goods yard. I remember seeing the rather odd Scammell Scarab three-wheeler goods trucks trundling around the local streets back in the early 60s.

[@kevinrayner5812]

When the railways were built the only road vehicles was a horse and cart. The three wheeled Scammells were built as they had the same turning circle as a horse and cart. Scammells were in Watford. Long gone of course now.

[@taraelizabethdensley9475]

Sounds like the name of a pub

[@jameswarner5809]

@@taraelizabethdensley9475 It was, and like the Elephant & Castle nearby, the surrounding area was named after it, the goods yard included.

[@RJSRdg]

A couple you've missed would be the Necropolis terminus adjacent to Waterloo, and also Brunel's temporary GWR terminus slightly to the west of Paddington (from which GWR mileages are still counted today). Arguably Aldwych, the Jubilee Line platforms at Charing Cross, and the Widened Lines platforms at Moorgate could also be thought of as abandoned termini. And of course there are more abandoned termini further out, including Palace Gates, Crystal Palace High Level, and Addiscombe. (Arguably Ongar, Brill and Verney Junction could be counted as well, but that's probably a bit too far out.....!)

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

Strand station as well?

[@RJSRdg]

@@EllieMaes-Grandad There have been two stations called "Strand". One was renamed "Aldwych", the other was combined with "Trafalgar Square" to become "Charing Cross".

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

Thank you - I was thinking Aldwych. @@RJSRdg

[@dukeofaaghisle7324]

I can’t find the exact quote at the moment but I recall that Brunel’s temporary terminus for his GWR was disparagingly referred to as having been “dumped in Bishop’s Road.

[@stephenreardon2698]

The situation at Moorgate is complicated. Obviously the tube offers a variety of through services, and the Northern City Line terminus is still in operation, but the City Widened Lines terminated Mainline services on platforms next to Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines. Hope it gets a mention in the video on existing London termini.

[@kevinrayner5812]

I don't know if there was a connection from the Met to the Widened Lines are Moorgate. If not then Moorgate was certainly a terminus. But strictly speaking Paddington, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street and Waterloo were not termini. Nor London Bridge or Blackfriars. I think the through line at Snow hill is sufficiently separated to make Holborn Viaduct a proper terminus. May be St Pancras as well.

[@brianfretwell3886]

Just to add to the confusion in the Blackfriars-Holborn Viaduct saga "City Thameslink" was originally (for a few weeks) opened as St Pauls Thameslink. I believe, from what I overheard from some firemen looking round on the opening day, (I worked in the area and went to lsee it on my lunch break) it quickly lost the name to prevent confusion if there was a fire. Should the Fire Brigade go to the Thameslink station or the tube station, if call call said there was a fire at St Pauls station.

[@MostlyLoveOfMusic]

City Thameslink is the worst station name... Any different name would be preferable

[@IndigoJo]

They could have just kept the name Holborn Viaduct. It actually retained some of the Kent services that previously used the old terminus.

[@highdownmartin]

They had KX thameslink for a long time, a good distance from KX proper

[@brianfretwell3886]

@@MostlyLoveOfMusicYes, but Herne HIll once(long before Thameslink) had an indicator that showed trains either going to Victoria or City. A box with lights behind it and an arrow showing which side of the island platfrom the train woud be on. Perhaps that inspired the name. Mind you the signal on the reversable direction platform still shows V (for Victoria) or H (for the Thameslink route) above the lights.

[@bordershader]

​@@brianfretwell3886 Presumably the H was for Holborn Viaduct?

[@WWarped1]

Great, as always. Your mention of Broad Street has made me think of other station in pop culture. Paul McCartney's Give My Regards to Broad Street a 1984 musical, and also a computer game by Mastertronic the same year. Then My mind goes blank, I guess the song Waterloo Sunset?

[@MoodIndigoNL]

As always Jago, this is amazing. Your endless knowledge and splendid story telling voice makes all your videos fun and entertaining to watch. I do not react all too often (if ever, even).

[@zeddessell]

1:08 Spa Road was actually the SECOND London Terminus! The first terminus was Blue Anchor Lane, situated just short of the later Spa Road. Blue Anchor Lane was open between 9th June 1835 and 12th November 1835, during which time the London & Greenwich Railway ran "demonstration" services as a way of drumming up publicity for when the line would open in full (this WAS the first railway in London, after all). The other end of the line during this demonstration period terminated at a station called Grand Surrey Canal, there was also one intermediate station called Cobbet's Lane. Of course, you could make the argument that Blue Anchor Lane doesn't count as it was never used for any "proper" rail services, but it does deserve at least an honourable mention.

[@paulketchupwitheverything767]

There was a temporary terminus for Midland Mainline trains sort-of behind St. Pancras between about 2004 and 2006 when you had to walk round to where the the Battlebridge Lane entrance is while the main part of St Pancras was still being worked on. I think it was the same tracks the later, finished station uses but stopping short of the older part' Waterloo was the London terminus for Eurostar services between 1994 and 2007. The Eurostar platforms then stood unused for a long time before being converted for regular use a few years ago.

[@ulicnik24]

Thanks Jago for this really interesting video. It's always interesting to know more about railways that already vanished.

[@Flymochairman1]

There's much food for thought there, sir. There are many such sites around Glasgow too, with St. Enoch Station now a Car Park, High St.(Upper) Station was a goods depot, for the National Carriers Limited(NCL) and Roadline companies that rose out of British Railways Road Transport, for a while but is now gone and Buchanan St. Station is now a Bus Station. I dare say there's others around Glasgow I've missed and, Like Leith Terminus in Edinburgh, many such developments in most of our major cities. Thank you for going into the ones in the Capital for us. Fantastic video and thanks you again, sir! Cheers!

[@dr.ryttmastarecctm6595]

An interesting story is the development of the "Elevated" Loop that defines Chicago's loop downtown district. In the beginning these were street-running interurban lines that terminated on the edge of Chicago's main business district. Over time, and with urban growth, these lines were elevated above street level. The late comers running over alleys. The story of how the loop rail network was built is a fascinating read.

[@NHGMitchell]

It involves someone whom Jago likes to mention whenever he can.

[@carlteacherman194]

A very interesting video, thank you. I used to pass Bricklayers Arms as a kid with my dad on a bus from New Cross. I used to think it was a big pub at first, with that name! There are a lot of other abandoned termini just out of central London but within the London postcode area. That could make a great video please. For example there was the curious temporary terminus of the DLR at Island Gardens, sat atop a viaduct of the old Milwall Extension Raiilway. Also the terminus of North Woolwich, of which the building still exists.

[@TheNemocharlie]

"Abandoned" is a better word than closed because it hints at the possibility of rediscovery and re-opening. (Well, in my head it does. I suspect a more accurate description still would be "obliterated", but that's no fun and somewhat nihilistic). Which reminds me, how about a video featuring useful short cuts less obvious than using Leicester Square for Covent Garden. Some interchanges seem interminable, Green Park springs to mind. There must be routes where it is better to travel further on, then come back on yourself. Thanks, I think I need to sit down on my special chair in my special room....

[@georgebattrick2365]

Yes, but a friend of mine pointed out to me many years ago that the easy and comfortable way to change lines at Green Park is to take the escalator up to the booking hall and then the other escalator down.

[@dodgydruid]

Some of the shots in the Professional's tv series were shot in the old National Carrier's Nine Elms depot, get some good old railway shots in the Professionals, Sweeney not so much other than the class 86 at Euston, an awesome scene of old Kensington Olympia station with working platforms and all tracks and a chase scene at Peckham Rye with one of the last unpainted green 4SUB's still running. Doyle also chased down a wanted terror girl on an old Willesden line with its boarded up signalbox. A rarer shot was on the old Beckton line for the gasworks you see Bodie and Doyle cutoff chasing a colleague turned traitor with an old freight consist... cracking stuff :)

[@PMA65537]

I noticed Bodie going through Ickenham station taking the stairs to the car park.

[@julianellis8200]

Astonishing amount of research went into this video.

[@alanbudgen2672]

Interesting how much London is shaped by the termini. Had there been through connections, we might not have had the underground quite so early. Thameslink has become an extraordinary route (or set of routes) which gives access to so many places - living near to Farringdon, I am always surprised where we can get to on one train. Likewise the Elizabeth Line.

[@mrd64]

I remember catching a train from Broad St to Watford Junction in the mid 80s and spent a lunch break during the early 90s trying to find the station again. Now, I finally know what happened to it!

[@johnfry1011]

Another fascinating video, I’d only add the original Paddington station, to the west of the current one.

[@KeynshamBoy]

Named, I think, "Bishop's Bridge Road"

[@johnfry1011]

@@KeynshamBoy I couldn’t remember off the top of my head, but I think you’re correct.

[@highpath4776]

@@KeynshamBoy was that too a goods one now gone

[@andrewrevans8496]

The problem with both Holborn Viaduct and the pre-rebuild Blackfriars was that they had really short platforms. One of the first actions of the merged SECR was to build the Chislehurst chords which enabled all boat trains to be concentrated at Victoria, but also the Kent Coast rush hour expresses to all operate from the long-platformed Cannon Street.

[@TheIronArmenianakaGIHaigs]

Have you done a video yet about the station between Golders Green and Hampstead? If you haven't looking forward to a video about it at some point :D

[@kgbgb3663]

Bull and Bush?

[@davidsummer8631]

I used to travel to Holborn Viaduct Station regularly but my memory of the station was that in front of the station was a Sock Shop

[@IndigoJo]

I think that was one of the shops that had branches at lots of stations, like Tie Rack.

[@mdhazeldine]

Ah the old Sock Shop chain. Ubiquitous at so many stations. If that doesn't say 1980's London I don't know what does.

[@davidsummer8631]

I think the one in front of Holborn Viaduct Station might have been one of the first in London

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

I now buy my socks at the RNLI shops. They're very good quality and I'm supporting the lifeboats.

[@martinploughboy988]

I too used to travel to Holborn Viaduct, at one time there was a rearrangement of the North Kent lines that made it convenient. I used to watch the trains heading for Blackfriars via Snow Hill when the route was used as a link between the north & south of the river. Curiously, after I moved out of London I also travelled a few times on the Thames Link through Snow Hill. The tracks into London Bridge always fascinated me, the existence of the station at Spa Rd goes some way to explaining it.

[@mikeuk4130]

Thanks, Jago, that was most absorbing. I have always had a morbid fascination for Bishopsgate Goods Yard/Station, which was visible from GER trains from the top of Bethnal Green Bank to the Liverpool Street welcome sign. Please could you reveal its history in a fully-detailed exposé at your early convenience? Thanks.

[@JagoHazzard]

Done!

[@PeterGaunt]

Thanks

[@JagoHazzard]

And thank you!

[@chriswade7470]

You’ve forgotten the original Paddington Station again a temporary station), which was further West than the current roughly where the A4206 bridge is across the station Throat.

[@stephenreardon2698]

I'm glad you mentioned it. It was one of the first that sprang to my mind when he said what the video was to be about.

[@kgbgb3663]

Thanks, that was the one that immediately sprang to my mind. I mentioned it in my own comment before seeing yours. The A4206 is Bishop's Bridge Road, which I think was the name of the station for a while. The eponymous bridge was demolished and replaced a while ago, without realising that the part of it over the canal was Isambard Kingdom Brunel's first iron bridge!

[@SiVlog1989]

A couple of others that spring to my mind are the original, temporary station at Paddington that opened in 1838 that lasted until 1854 when the current station opened. Speaking of 1854, that was the year London Necropolis Station opened. Opened to deal with the perceived problem of lack of burial space in London, the Station took mourners by train to Brookwood station in Surrey for burial. London Necropolis station was destroyed by bombing in WW2 and never reopened

[@sianwarwick633]

That parting shot is ... tremendous. Thank you for elaborating on The Minories, the station that locomotion, but not traction, forgot. But somehow existed for a lucky twentythree years between 1840 to 1853. In fact, i quite like all of these abandoned stations 🚉.

[@julianaylor4351]

The original Jubilee Line platforms at Charing Cross aren't totally abandon as a terminus, as most people think. They remain emergency platforms, if the Canary Wharf extension is shut for some reason and used as spare capacity sidings. You could class the abandoned platform five for Bakerloo line trains at Watford Junction as an abandoned terminus. The platform is still there, overgrown with weeds, with the track and points removed, because it was one platform too many for the shared service. Broad Street Station. 😢

[@timsully8958]

A video that simply had to be done. Excellent work sir, especially on somehow managing to compress all the history around the Blackfriars’s/Ludgate Hill/Holborn Viaduct debacle in a brief yet informative nutshell. Chapeau monsieur 🎩 Excellent stuff as ever 👍🍀🍻

[@eattherich9215]

I worked in the area when Holborn Viaduct was still a station and the tracks into the terminus was carried on a bridge over Ludgate Hill. There used to be a lot of back warrens around Blackfriars Station and a great vegetarian restaurant, the name of which I can no longer remember, was in one of them.

[@martincull9371]

The vegetarian restaurant was on the corner of Apothecary Street and Blackfriars Lane. Approximately where a footbridge takes you to New Bridge Street, this is at about the location of Ludgate Hill station.

[@martincull9371]

It was also the place we would send apprentices to, to buy bacon sandwiches.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

And to go with your outros... Thank YOU, you are the information and research to my fascination with trains and laziness :D

[@RogersRamblings]

Disappointing that the closed terminus closest to the centre of London wasn't mentioned, King William Street. Another notable absence was the GWR's original terminus before Paddington was opened. Other than that, a good review.

[@mmcgoverne]

I worked at Ludgate circus in the late 80s and always thought the Holborn Viaduct, Snow Hill, Ludgate Hill area was a very liminal space, spookily quiet so close to the West end.

[@eattherich9215]

I worked in offices a few meters from Holborn Viaduct station, but it was of little use to me because all my trains left from Cannon Street. Very occasionally I did use the station, but it meant changing at London Bridge for the old Thameslink service or, in the evenings, getting a train that stopped at Peckham and then wait for the train from Victoria that called at Lewisham. These diversions added a significant amount of time to my journey.

[@ParaSytius]

I'd be interested if you'd cover unique one-off lines such as the one that was built on the Metropolitan that was used to build Wembley Stadium and be part of the British Empire Exhibition if 1924, The 100-year anniversary of the event would be ideal but I'm unclear how easy it would be to make or if its even got enough content to even make a short 5-minute video on.

[@telhudson863]

I immediately thought of Bishops Bridge Road but that morphed into Paddington rather than being closed. Of course this video talks about termini of rails going INTO London. How about termini that are in London but are on the far end of the line. Alexander Palace and one of the Edgware Stations spring to mind.

[@HesterClapp]

There's King's Cross Thameslink closed in 2007 but that doesn't really count as a terminus

[@raakone]

Or one could argue the Moorgate platforms for Thameslink trains. It was considered a separate station from the Great Northern City electric platforms, had a different code and everything. Last trains ran in 2009, because Farringdon needed longer platforms.

[@t.p.mckenna]

Geoff Marshall has a video on this, I think. An act of outrageous theft, given that its replacement is almost in Camden Town. I always resent that quarter-mile hike to get from the underground to connect with the Thameslink service.

[@katrinabryce]

@@t.p.mckenna Depending on which line you are changing from, it might be quicker to get out at the Kings Cross exist and cross the road. When I am there I am usually changing between the Eurostar and either the Thameslink or Circle/Hammersmith/Met platforms. Last time I was there, I changed between an LNER service at Kings Cross and the Circle/Hammersmith & City, and I crossed the road above ground to make the connection.

[@kevinrayner5812]

@@raakone Moorgate used to take trains via a chord from the Snow Hill Line. I am uncertain when that stopped being used so Moorgate was a proper terminus taking trains from three different lines.

[@elnido4184]

Kings Cross Thameslink could of been named Pentonville Road

[@batman51]

Surely Nine Elms passenger station was north of the current mainline, just east of the new US embassy. Covent Garden market is on the site of the engine shed and works.

[@mikenorman2525]

It was, but although (New) Covent Garden Market used to be on the site of the engine works south of the main line, it has since moved to the north side of the line as part of the recent redevelopments in the area.

[@batman51]

@@mikenorman2525 Well, you learn something new everyday!

[@CarolineFord1]

I do need to explore the site of Bricklayers Arms goods yard. It has mostly been redeveloped but it occupied a large site off Old Kent Road. Some may have been lost due to the gentrification of Bermondsey but I think there are still bits around.

[@seamymc5945]

From cycling and walking around the area I don't think there's much left of the original goods yard or station, it's all been redeveloped into the Mandela Way industrial estate and a 90's housing development. If you start at South Bermondsey Station and follow the route of cycleway 10 north west you'll cross over the remains of the railway bridge that used to carry the tracks off the mainline to Bricklayers Arms. You walk through a long linear 90s housing development that they built over the tracks and warehouses leading up to it. Where Stevenson Crescent/Abercorn Way meet, you go under the old bridge that carried St James' Road over the railway. There's what look like some original boundary walls along Rolls Road and Lynton Road. On the corner of Willow Walk and Paige's Walk there seems to still be an old building from the goods yard days, at least comparing the outlines from old OS maps against modern maps. But apart from that and the general shape of the area I've not really come across any other signs that the station or goods yard were ever there. I'd be super interested if you know of, or come across, other bits and pieces that I've missed

[@eattherich9215]

I think what was left got was swept away when the Bermondsey diveunder was constructed. I well remember seeing the long disused tracks of the old goods line from a Cannon Street bound train, and found a picture of a remnant of overgrown track disappearing under a railway bridge.

[@PMA65537]

@@seamymc5945 In fact some subscribers might live in this patch.

[@jakeandrews-iz4wf]

Another superb video - thanks so much. Your videos are the strong cup of coffee to my hangover.

[@minimaxi802]

There is a rail tunnel under the Thames near Wapping that not many people are aware of that goes from the Charing Cross/ London Bridge line to Shoreditch but isn't linked to the East Anglia main line that would be very useful especially for freight trains.

[@jackmartinleith]

I think you mean the Brunel tunnel linking Wapping and Rotherhithe, carrying what was the East London line from Shoreditch and Whitechapel to New Cross and New Cross Gate - now the Windrush line of the London Overground.

[@grahambridge7642]

The photo you show whilst talking about Bricklayers Arms station isn't of the station but the branch. The Bridge to the right of the photo is St Jame's Bridge (AKA Mercers Crossing). To the left of that was Willow Walk sidings, then Dunton Road Bridge (AKA Greyhound Bridge after the pub), Then it was Bricklayer's arms station and Depot.

[@tantaf123]

another spectacular video from Jago Hazzard

[@jadeboswell-rz2ly]

Thank you Jago. Your my boundary mark to Tremendously good Termini.

[@bishwatntl]

Nine Elms found use as an engine shed for steam locos serving Waterloo.

[@andrewhotston983]

The last BR steam depot in London.

[@Alan_UK]

The locomotive works were on the south side of the main line whilst the old station was on the north side and became the goods depot. As space was limited the loco building works moved to Eastleigh and the works site then partly became a running shed for servicing and another good depot was build on the eastern part. See old OS maps.

[@Adhrit_Gupta]

Thanks for doing a video on abandoned stations Can you do a one on Aldwych

[@IndigoJo]

He did: kzbin.info/www/bejne/en6Zhoh_a5WZpK8

[@johnwilliams-gz4ss]

What about Paddington's Bishops Bridge Road ?

[@vinceturner3863]

Yes, and I think it was re-used for a Motorail service for a while

[@ianhiggon-caswell4225]

Thank you jago for another fantastic and informative video i have a painting of the last hours at nine elms sheds

[@cjayos7654]

1:14 If the DLR was a Victorian railway...

[@sams3015]

Haha it does look like it

[@RJSRdg]

But it does have an abandoned terminus as Island Gardens station was relocated to allow the line to be extended under the river to Lewisham.

[@RJSRdg]

In fact, parts of it were Victorian railway originally!

[@isashax]

So many stations gone! Another interesting video, thank you!

[@gsygsy]

Ace video. Clear and informative as ever

[@petermostyneccleston2884]

The original Paddington Station became the Paddington Goods depot, but had closed completely by 1990's.

[@analogueman123456787]

Paddington Goods was closed and derelict long before the 1990s.

[@polyvg]

Did I miss London Necropolis railway station? Or did it get excluded due to being to some extent part of Waterloo? And if you want a truly terminal terminus, how about Brookwood South? (Albeit somewhat too far out to really count as London.)

[@eattherich9215]

'... terminal terminus ...'. I see what you did there.

[@kevinrayner5812]

If Necropolis stations are to be included didn't the Great Northern also have one near Kings Cross?

[@polyvg]

@@kevinrayner5812 I didn't know about that one. Only ever heard of the Brookwood cemetery line but it seems entirely feasible - and this is just my personal ignorance.

[@YourLocalAviator]

It's funny- i've never heard of broad street or holburn viaduct before, but yet they were pretty huge stations, closing only around 30-40 years ago

[@PokhrajRoy.]

The King’s Cross site surprised me the most

[@Sorbus79]

Great Northern Cemetery Station? The retaining wall by the cement works near York Way seems to be retained from the mortuary station building. Great video as ever!

[@JasonHazell-v3e]

Very educational about the history of London's railways very enjoyable thank you 😊

[@lindenbeck]

As a Londonfan I love watching it. My favourite Station is London Victoria since the building is still original.

[@teecefamilykent]

Great video sir, am already looking forward to the next one!

[@dianaday4819]

Wasn't moorgate a terminus station to? I remember DMU's trundling in there during the 70's when I used the Northern line. I changed there for a tube to the old Farringdon station.

[@kgbgb3663]

Bishop's Bridge Road? (Though it may have been called "Paddington" while in use as the terminus, in the same way Maiden Lane was called "King's Cross".)

[@PeterGaunt]

Thanks, Jago. Fascinating as always.

[@Anonymoususer_8823]

Sounds like you have been to many terminus stations that serves Central London and of course you have previously done videos on each and every station in London. As always I do admire your content and creativity on KZbin.

[@bingbong7316]

Closed London goods termini were touched on here, where passenger termini were repurposed, but there were many, often owned by other companies to whose lines they were connected. Probably too much of ask for a Jago video, but jolly interesting nonetheless.

[@neuralwarp]

When I worked in The Smoke for 6 months (Look, I was desperate, okay? Don't judge me.) we called LiverPool Street stn "LiPS".

[@highpath4776]

The St Pancras of Midland trackwise is so cut back from facing Euston Road that it has lost the convenient connection to the tube network without a pain of a walk - Indeed is it quicker if going to Euston from say kent to go to St Pancras Thameslink up the escalator and out the west side entrance to walk via BL to Euston rather than attempt to find northern/vic or Met to Eustons Square or otherwise ?

[@stephenhemingway8218]

looks like history will repeat itself with HS2 having a temp terminus for a while

[@andrewpinner3181]

Thanks Jago ! I really had no idea how many there were, Broad Street was the only one I was aware of. The Wizarding community of HP were probably hedging their bets when they decided to conjure Platform 9 & 3/4's in the event of further Muggle interference.

[@jayfielding1333]

The regularity of your videos is keeping me scene.

[@michaelgarrood3030]

Was the goods station next to St Pancras ever used by passengers? The British Library now stands on the site.

[@joshuaW5621]

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Dublin. We’ve plenty of former railway terminals in the city.

[@hairyairey]

What about Snow Hill Jago? Part of that station is I think the head office of Amazon Web Services

[@SuperMorgan1980]

Excellent work - keep it up

[@cuttingbored4195]

This feeds my impression that the City of London is about 70% railway stations by volume.

[@brettpalfrey4665]

Another good un, Jago, sadly no mention of Sir Edward Watkin , or that American fellow..now what was his name?

[@chrisoddy8744]

Watkin's terminus (Marylebone) survived closure, so it makes sense for it to not be in a video on closed termini 😂 As for Yerkes, main line railways weren't really his jam.

[@camenbert5837]

Charles Tyson Yerkes does not build termini to be abandoned...

[@JaveyEL6369]

I was visiting London in 1990 and was walking by Holborn Viaduct, I assume, soon after closure. I decided to go up a set of stairs by the bridge over the road and saw a derelict station. I recall the whole area was quiet back then, even mid week, which isn't like that nowadays, I imagine.

[@Lunar-AnViFox]

Great video as always, also let me be super annoying and say "first" because i have low self esteem

[@nickchambers3935]

Is it higher now?

[@Lunar-AnViFox]

@@nickchambers3935 Yes, after 50 likes i suppose i can make the argument i now have self esteem :P

[@pannonianbrute]

“First”? Hah, yea I remember that from the nineties.

[@d947]

xdd

[@BroonParker]

Eight hours later, I will also say "First" so you feel less alone in your plight. Does it help?

[@elnido4184]

When looking at the site today of Holborn Viaduct on Google Earth, it seems like the NEW Thameslink lines were slewed to the right on what used to be the path into Holborn Viaduct station. Therefore a NEW section of tunnel for City Thameslink was built before being built over.

[@ESquirez]

Would the Eurostar at Waterloo count as a disused terminal?

[@robtyman4281]

No, because it's since been re-jigged to handle suburban commuter trains, and has been incorporated into the rest of Waterloo station .Operated by the current franchise - Southwestern Railway (SWR). So the former Eurostar terminal is now very much in use ....having lain abandoned for over a decade.

[@IndigoJo]

@@robtyman4281 It was an abandoned terminus for several years though, and there is a lot of infrastructure around it that's disused since Eurostar shut down.

[@GeorgeChoy]

very interesting, thanks

[@josephturner7569]

The train(at Didcot?) seems to be incomplete. No tail lamp. Or have I overindulged?

[@amethyst7084]

Great Video Jago - thanks for sharing this. You've got such great knowledge of the closed rail termini of London. It's really great to learn of all this. LIke some of the comments below, I'm amazed at how many of the old termini became goods depots. That put me in mind of an old goods yard that used to exist between Upton Park and East Ham on the District, Hammersmith & City (formerly the Metropolitan line) and C2C (formerly the old London Tilbury & Southend) lines. I think on some of the Facebook groups people who recall it, named it as the 'Electron' goods yard, or something to that effect. I'm prtty sure I rememebr a very large goods yard that used to exist in Leyton, not far from Lyton Underground station, on the Central Line, as well; with possibly another large 'goods' yard of sorts at Startford, pre-Olympic Part and Overground, and DLR re-developments. I wonder how many good yards London accommodated, and how many are left now. Great video - thanks again. 👍🏾👏🏾

[@Barflax]

I've riding London Overground Line to Broad Station when it still exist, next door to Liverpool Street Station in the early 70th. Next time I was in London it was extended to Dockland area, I suppose it now part of DLR.

[@romanodowbusz6139]

The first Paddington station at Bishop’s Bridge Road served from 1838. Then in 1850, given the success of the railway, it was decided to build a new terminus and hotel nearby. The new Paddington station designed by Brunel and built by Fox Henderson & Company opened in 1854.

[@petervaughan6854]

As someone who moved to Sussex after the Thameslink programme was established, it’s wild to me that there was a point not that long ago when the service didn’t even exist! Especially considering how rare it is that I can get a seat on a 12 car train!

[@calmeilles]

There seems to be an arc of abandoned termini from Waterloo curving south and east then round to King's Cross. Is there nothing of the like to the north and west, from Euston to Paddington?

[@martyonline1957]

I had to go to a meeting near to Holborn viaduct, and jumped in a cab , and asked to be taken to Holborn viaduct station, that dated me, the cabbie said it hadn't been called that in years, I said I haven't been up here for years

[@josephturner7569]

No shortage of work for brickies in them days then.

[@loopwithers]

Indeed! Fortunately for the many brickies known as 'Navvies' - short for Navigators - who had become increasingly unemployed as they completed the last of Britain's canals and so had skills in making brick tunnels and locks. What yers HR Department nowadays calls 'transferable skills'...😸

[@JW1_1]

Up to the minute with info as always! I had no idea that train companies charged each other for using certain stations and terminals 🤔 just like National Express gets charged by TfL for using bus stations.

[@elnido4184]

I actually find the former Holborn Viaduct site as the most interesting because now it's very hard to trace any signs of the old station building and to as what has now been built over the site as to where the viaduct once stood. Is the old station building still visable today from in the Holborn area I would like to see an actual video of the old line and station showing what's now been put in its path other then Thameslink. I mean the amount of office buildings or skyscrapers now covering the site Showing before and after photos

[@highpath4776]

Moorgate , Terminal ? (City Widened Lines - Abandoned) , Northern City Line - In Use, Metropolitan - In use but not really used that much. Is for TfL Rail Paddington and Liv Street High Levels "abandoned". King William Street - or are we not counting tube lines ?

[@cliveshergold9467]

Nine Elms, as a London terminus, makes (slightly) more sense when the use of the river as a transport corridor is taken into account. It was connected to the City by steamboats, a means of transport that dropped out of sight for a hundred years or so, but revived at the end of the last century.

[@nicetheproject]

Loved it!

[@muzz040]

The way you started the ad was so smooth 😮