Trains at: London Bridge, 04/02/23

A superb morning spent at London Bridge Station where we see countless services from Southeastern, Thameslink and Southern.
The station has a huge amount of history so I'll try to condense it as much as possible.
The original station was opened in 1836 by the London and Greenwich Railway, this makes it the oldest railway terminus in London. The original station was 60 feet wide and 400 feet long with a grand total of 4 tracks leading into the station. For the first four years of the stations operation it was entirely open to the elements, it wasn't until 1840 when a roof was put over the platforms to protect the station staff and passengers.
In 1839 the London and Croydon Railway enlarged the station as other companies wanted to use the station as the entrance to London. These companies were The London and Brighton Railway and the South Eastern Railway wishing to run their trains from Brighton and Dover into London.
In 1841 The Brighton Railway started using the station after the opening of their line and in 1842 the South Eastern Railway started their operations.
For the next 70 or so years there were various changes made to the changes, different companies were coming and going, The London and Greenwich Railway were on the brink of bankruptcy so they had to lease their lines to the South Eastern Railway who would eventually take complete control over their network. There were plans for a joint station but these were always getting changed. There was supposed to be a bell tower constructed but it never saw the light of day. In 1846 all the small companies running into the station merged together to form the London Brighton and South Coast Railway, the joint station remained unfinished until it was demolished in 1849.
The South Eastern Railway took over the London and Greenwich station and saw it as an opportunity to expand on the current plans for a newer and larger station, so instead of spending money on a new site somewhere they would invest in the site and start creating a larger station.
In the years 1847 to 1850 the station was rebuilt and enlarged, the station approaches were improved upon and the amount of tracks were increased from 4 to 6.
In the remaining years hotels were built and goods sheds were constructed which was common practice for a lot stations around London at the time.
By the time 1923 made an appearance all of the railway operating in the south of the country came under the operation of the Southern Railway, between 1926 and 1928 some of the network started to get electrified with the first services operating between London Bridge and Crystal Palace.
British Railways started taking over operations of every line in the country in 1948, steam and electric trains were sharing the network right up until 1964 when the very last steam service departed London Bridge and headed for Tonbridge. After that all services were either electric or diesel.
Throughout the next few years the levels of traffic were increasing at a huge rate and the station was beginning to struggle with the demands, so in 1972 and 1978 British Railways began to redevelop the station and the approach along with a £21 Million investment into the signalling system which greatly improved the running of trains into and out of the station.
The next and possibly biggest project to be undertaken between 2009 and 2017 for the Thameslink project, station approaches were changed, signalling altered accordingly and the main station concourse getting a complete overhaul with new ticketing offices and shops.
The overall cost was £1Billion and was officially opened in 2019.
I loved coming to this station and it was become of the best stations in London I've ever filmed at.
My next station will be Rainham adjacent to High Speed 1.
You can now find me on Facebook through the group Tornado922, there you will find regular updates, videos and photos from all of my goings on throughout 2023.
You can also find me on Instagram through the name tornado922 where it isn't just rail related content that I produce.

[@ДмитрийЗапЕвропа]

Thank you so much for your videos from various railway stations. It is very interesting to observe the intensive movement of trains of various types - freight, local passenger trains, intercity trains, high-speed trains.... Large nodal and terminal stations are especially interesting in this sense. Thanks again!

[@zacharyhart2122]

I would definitely recommend standing at the end of platform 8-9 because the southeastern/Thameslink side of things is often much busier. It is also worth noting that the furthest away southeastern trains are to and from Cannon Street p1-3, Thameslink on p4-5 and then se to and from Charing x are p6-9 with southern the rest of the platforms

[@Tornado922]

I'll be going onto the other platforms on my next visit here

[@DJCox95]

Terrific video - agree on the station design, the concourse is very spacious and suiting for a 21st-century major interchange. Great variety in rolling stock from all angles!

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much! This was my first time here and I loved every minute of it!

[@thekentishtrainspotter3052]

8:14 I was on 377-604 and saw jarred😂 I was off to Peckham rye to trainspot their

[@Tornado922]

I hope you had a great day!

[@ClaretBlueTrainspotter]

Fantastic video

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!

[@camotech1314]

Lewisham usually has some nice sparks

[@Byron6741]

Second

[@Tornado922]

Well done

[@chriswhitaker4577]

Hi Tornado922. Great film at London Bridge. I think the title should have been "Trains at: Clapham Junction (London Bridge version)". 😆 Extra information for you regarding the noises from 700015 at 18:19, they indeed sound just the same as the 450s when they start to move. The noises from the 350s, however, are slightly higher in pitch. Looking forward to the next film at Rainham. Kind regards, Chris.

[@Tornado922]

This is by far and away the best London station I've been to!

[@RightAwayProductions005]

Hey man. Just want to say I absolutely adore your content, these are kinda my go-to videos when i’ve had a hard day and can only dream of going out to the tracks. Listen, I’m gonna put something to you here, as a request/reccommendation. Southampton Central, Platform 1, end facing Eastleigh and eventually London, it’s quite underrated for action in my opinion. Anyway, take care mate, cheers

[@Tornado922]

That's very kind of you to say and I'm deeply flattered that you come to my channel when you need a boost! I'll see if I can get Southampton done later this year for you

[@rafethetrainspotter]

Amazing video Jared I enjoyed watching your videos

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!

[@JudsonMatt88]

Fantastic video and station mate. I fully agree with you London Bridge is a great station to film at with so many trains of varing rolling stock and companies coming and going. Well done. 😊

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much, this is a great station to come to

[@100trains]

Top quality video as always. If possible could you do a rush hour at Tonbridge

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much, unfortunately the only way that I would be able to get a rush hour film done from Tonbridge would be to book a day off work

[@100trains]

@@Tornado922 ok mate no worries, keep up the quality videos

[@jamesbradshaw4675]

Great video Stopper services are 6. ,7 coaches long . Be very lucky if there 3 coaches up North .

[@Tornado922]

The rail service up north does need some serious work done

[@mikelitoris4027]

the beam in "city beam" is because you can look down the entire 5 car set as the gangway is open :)

[@Tornado922]

That would make sense

[@Andrewjg_89]

I like London Bridge as it’s lot more brighter and more vibrant than it used to be before. Plus with lots of trains as well.

[@Tornado922]

This was my first time here and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[@alanshelly7068]

Awesome video buddy

[@Tornado922]

Thank you kindly

[@chrisatrailway7573]

Another great video

[@kenwilliams3560]

Very enjoyable video

[@Tornado922]

Thank you kindly for saying so!

[@Byron6741]

I'm heading to the UK in the July holidays.

[@Sarahbryson321]

I hope you enjoy your stay!

[@Tornado922]

Where are you going?

[@Byron6741]

@@Tornado922 I'm visiting Edinburgh Wavely this time, I usually visit the southern regions of the UK because that's where my family lives.

[@Sarahbryson321]

Love the 465s

[@Tornado922]

They have a sense of character to them

[@sctrains3687]

Nice video jarred 👍

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!

[@breeze1472]

Great Video from a great station

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!

[@miahaskurti4539]

After Rainham (HS1) Can You Do Cheddington. Then Marks Tey. Then Clapham Junction And Hadley Wood

[@Tornado922]

Those stations will be covered later this year when I get the chance to do them

[@bobbrooks266]

WOW that was a busy time, absolutely brilliant. Ok let the cat out of the bag, did Winston Churchill who you was talking to have cod and chips or a nice steak and kidney pie 🥧 lol .As always it's appreciated you taking the time to make these fantastic video's. Take care and regards to the family

[@Tornado922]

It was definitely cod and chips with salt and vinegar for good measure!

[@stevewareing8525]

Top Class video Jared. I'm amazed you managed to capture so many numbers without turning into an "Oozlum Bird" (Look it up) 😉. Before you visit London Bridge again you should ring Winston and ask him to order fish and chips for you and have it delivered by Lord Lucan riding Shergar! Now that would totally blow the minds of the people wondering what you are doing standing at the end of a platform with a camera. Alternatively if you wear an orange hi viz and white hard hat and carry a clip board there is a good chance everyone will stay out of your way. 👍

[@Tornado922]

I'll go one step further and have the table set with all the condiments waiting for me!

[@TheTrainSpotter2005]

13:33 It just refers to the new trains being introduced across a few lines, this enabled the stock that use to run on it (465 and vice versa) to be expelled to other lines essentially extra capacity you could say. It all really kicked off a couple years ago (time sure flies!) I’d like to say they are the curse because when south west trains we’re rolling them out they lost there franchise to Firstgroups. And also Southeastern lost there’s (became government owned) when they were rolling out onto there lines because of the claims and what not. Who knows where they shall strike next! 😂😂

[@Tornado922]

That would certainly make sense!

[@jordanbarker5521]

Try and do a trains at Penzance

[@Tornado922]

I have been meaning to go to Penzance for a long time now, I will get it done at some stage but I don't know when that will be

[@tdm2642]

You should do Bromley south

[@Tornado922]

I'll be sure to give that a look at some stage this year

[@John2Ward]

I am immensely impressed that the upgraded station now has the facility to order fish and chips from the far end of the platforms!

[@Tornado922]

My first impression of that station was absolutely incredible

[@CRGtrainspotter]

Good film mate really enjoyed it London Brudge is always a good place for trainspotting I was considering going to London Bridge when you was filming because I was at tonbridge and ashford

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much, I hope you had a great time!

[@jaykayinmk]

Great video as always, bud 🙂🙂

[@sarribel]

Busy terminus

[@Tornado922]

It's a great station to come to

[@railwayron4053]

I would love to film with you at London Bridge it's a fantastic station with loads of trains its just brilliant

[@Tornado922]

I'm sure we can get something sorted!

[@nevandrews3477]

Interesting vid... bonkers place. Did you have to sign in? I've been twice to LBD and found the staff walking the platforms to be quite 'arsy'

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much, to be honest I just walked onto the platforms and started filming, the station staff could see what I was doing but I was never approached. As a rule of thumb with any large station in London with a few exceptions I tend to sign in just to make sure I cover myself. I keep hearing mixed reports about different stations in and around London with regards to how station staff approach train spotters.

[@nevandrews3477]

@Tornado922 thanks for the reply. I'll have another visit in May, was just curious 🤔 👍

[@nilswestermann2598]

nice video

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!

[@jamieclarkson8757]

Hey Jared could you visit London Euston next if you have some time .

[@Tornado922]

I'll see what I can do

[@splittieful]

no Tones?

[@Tornado922]

Nope, I don't go for tones

[@johnjones7137]

Tornado do you mean Peterborough, Cambridge, Luton or Bedford

[@Tornado922]

Quite possibly

[@arnoldspottingvideos5269]

Great video Jared. London Bridge is a busy station on the SEML 👍

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!

[@Valentascream]

That was nothing short of brilliant, well done sir!,,

[@Tornado922]

Thank you kindly!

[@MrIamcool3123]

I mean do carnforth after this

[@Tornado922]

Carnforth will be done later in the year when I get the chance

[@robertstrainsnsw1596]

Great video at London Bridge

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!

[@eddingtonrailroading]

Amazing as always

[@Tornado922]

Thank you!

[@MrIamcool3123]

Do Carlisle next

[@Tornado922]

Carlisle will be done later in the year