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Post by edwardfox on May 29, 2011 12:36:56 GMT
I can't find any logical explanation for how Farringdon was important in the mid-19th century to be chosen as the terminus of the wonderful new Underground railway. Non-railway research seems to indicate the Farringdon area was a little downmarket at that time.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2011 15:46:22 GMT
The same probably applies to Abbey Wood on the Crossrail line - not particularly interesting or special, but nevertheless, the Crossrail will terminate there.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2011 15:56:51 GMT
Probably all down to funding at the time, or perhaps just to make a point, that it could be done!
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Post by mrjrt on May 29, 2011 16:25:56 GMT
Perhaps it was with an eye to the straight road leading south to Blackfriars. The Met had "form" at building a terminus then having to relocate it for the next extension (Farringdon St->Farringdon, Liverpool St. Mainline->Liverpool St.).
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Post by abe on May 29, 2011 18:38:34 GMT
Earlier proposals considered building the terminus further south, at St Martin's-le-Grand, to serve the General Post Office HQ. During the 1850s a lot of clearance work removed slums in the Farringdon area, the Farringdon Road was constructed along the Fleet valley, and the Smithfield cattle market was moved to north of King's Cross. According to Alan Jackson (author of London's Metropolitan Railway,
Funding for the company from the City Corporation came along in 1859, to the sum of £200,000.
I would suggest therefore that the opportunity to get the land enabled the company to have somewhere to store its rolling stock (this was before they made arrangements with other companies). The money from the City Corporation might have swung their view towards extending the line towards the City, rather than south towards Blackfriars. And, just as the company was about to start work, removing the section south of Farringdon would (i) save money, and (ii) allow bets to be hedged about future direction.
All speculation on my part though...
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Post by norbitonflyer on May 29, 2011 19:21:43 GMT
The money from the City Corporation might have swung their view towards extending the line towards the City, rather than south towards Blackfriars. . According to CULG the extensions to Blackfriars and to Moorgate opened within less than 2 weeks of each other - 1865-12-23 1 Farringdon to Moorgate opened - 1866-01-01 LCDR services via Blackfriars and Farringdon started |
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Post by mikebuzz on Aug 22, 2011 19:38:16 GMT
The Met was heading for the City over the Fleet, but the City would not accept a terminus within the CoL boundary and the Met struggled to raise enough money for the project, so Farringdon was chosen. Holborn would have been too costly.
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