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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2012 21:01:33 GMT
Hi all,
On my recent visit to London I tried to make sense of the curves between South Kensington and Brompton Road (Closed).
The line seem to do a double "S" shape turn. Looking at the A to Z Map the route doesn't seem to follow the street plan of Brompton Road. Does anybody have an idea of the actual route taken?
Doing some research via Google there is a throwaway reference to the line curving to avoid a 17th Century Plague Pit? Any truth in this?
Thanks in advance.
Irish Underground.
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Post by norbitonflyer on Nov 1, 2012 22:48:20 GMT
Nothing to do with aplague piut as far as I anm aware: it is my understanding that these curves, like the Aldwych branch, are the result of the Piccadilly having been cobbled together from three originally quite separate projects - the Great Northern and Strand, (Finsbury Park to Aldwych), the Piccadilly and Brompton (Picadilly Circus to Brompton Road) and the Deep Level District (Hammersmith - South Kensington - Mansion House). Yerkes bought them all out before cosntruction began but was obliged to follow the routes already approved, extending the P&B at each end to join the GN&S and the DLD at new junctions at Holborn and South Kensington respectively.
The main line of the DLD was never built east of South Ken, but the step plate junctions and a second westbound platform tunnel can still be seen there.
Brompton Road and South Kensington stations were originally planned to be on quite separate lines, and were put on parallel alignments - probably delibderately so that any future extensions shouldn't get in each others' way.
Connecting them together required a large S-bend to join them up(I don't know why there are two, but it is probably because of wayleave problems)
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Post by jimjams on Nov 4, 2012 12:32:59 GMT
Hi all, On my recent visit to London I tried to make sense of the curves between South Kensington and Brompton Road (Closed). The line seem to do a double "S" shape turn. Looking at the A to Z Map the route doesn't seem to follow the street plan of Brompton Road. Does anybody have an idea of the actual route taken? Doing some research via Google there is a throwaway reference to the line curving to avoid a 17th Century Plague Pit? Any truth in this? Thanks in advance. Irish Underground. I first noticed this some fifty years ago while travelling to work at S Kensington, the loud screeching noise alerted me that the next stop was mine, very helpful if one had nodded off that early in the morning. I imagine this must cause extra wear on the wheels, are they special or standard? |
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Post by londonstuff on Nov 4, 2012 14:18:41 GMT
Hi all, On my recent visit to London I tried to make sense of the curves between South Kensington and Brompton Road (Closed). The line seem to do a double "S" shape turn. Looking at the A to Z Map the route doesn't seem to follow the street plan of Brompton Road. Does anybody have an idea of the actual route taken? Doing some research via Google there is a throwaway reference to the line curving to avoid a 17th Century Plague Pit? Any truth in this? Thanks in advance. Irish Underground. I first noticed this some fifty years ago while travelling to work at S Kensington, the loud screeching noise alerted me that the next stop was mine, very helpful if one had nodded off that early in the morning. I imagine this must cause extra wear on the wheels, are they special or standard? Plus the fact that, if I'm not mistaken, the lines are on top of each other rather than side by side. I'm sure this was discussed here years ago but I wouldn't even know where to start looking. |
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Post by metrailway on Nov 4, 2012 18:44:24 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2012 9:16:15 GMT
Gents,
Thank you very much for your replies and helpful information.
Irish Underground.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2012 21:57:18 GMT
Does anyone know if the unused DLD tunnels are used for anything now? They were a signalling school once, but I don't think they are now.
Thanks.
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Post by norbitonflyer on Nov 25, 2012 23:30:26 GMT
Does anyone know if the unused DLD tunnels are used for anything now? . The only substantial part that was built was the extra westbound platform tunnel, built so that trains on both routes could arrive simultaneously rather than one have to wait for the other to clear - no need for that eastbound of course). It was indeed used as a signal school, but in the 1970s remodelling which included the addition of escalators it became the lower landing. The only other tangible evidence of the plans is the junction tunnels at the exits to both Piccadilly Line platforms, where the Piccadilly Line was to have converged with/parted from the "main" DLD. see linkie here |
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Post by abe on Nov 28, 2012 10:26:25 GMT
Lots more historic photos on Sub Brit, as well as a 3D isometric taken from London's Lost Tube Schemes (which also has lots about South Kensington). |
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