I was intrigued to find a layout of Charing Cross Station online, which showed the platforms to the Jubilee Line. But the thing is, if you look at the tube map, the Jubilee line doesn't go to Charing Cross... This means there are two platforms not in public circulation? Hmm....
History:
In 1971 construction began on the new 'Fleet line'. Economic pressures, and doubt over the final destination of the line, had led to a staged approach. Under the first stage, the Baker Street to Stanmore branch of the Bakerloo Line was joined at Baker Street to a new 2.5-mile line into central London, with intermediate stops at Bond Street and Green Park and terminating at a new station at Charing Cross, thereby relieving pressure on the West End section of the Bakerloo Line between Baker Street and Charing Cross and also allowing increased frequencies on the section north of Baker Street.
This line, essentially a Bakerloo relief line, took over the Bakerloo line from Stanmore to Baker Street and continued in new tunnels south of Baker Street ending at a (temporary) terminus at Charing Cross, with a view to subsequently extending further eastwards.
The eventual extension was different from that originally planned and the new line branched off the existing one south of Green Park station in the Westminster direction. In doing so, it isolated the short section to Charing Cross station, which was closed at the same time as the new extension opened.
Clear as mud? This poster explaining it still isn’t the easiest thing to read!
The project was renamed the Jubilee Line for Queen Elizabeth II's 1977 Silver Jubilee.
The line was officially opened by the her son Prince Charles on Beltane 1979. Here he is driving one of the things!
Passenger services started the very next day. The combined stations (including Trafalgar Square) ware named “Charing Cross”.
Although Charing Cross was built as the ‘end of the line’ plans existed to extend the line East (to Lewisham). Therefore the tunnels were built beyond the extent of the station beneath the Strand, almost touching Aldwych Station which would have been the next stop.
On 20th November 1999, the Jubilee Line platforms at Charing Cross were closed to passengers after just over 20 years use.
The rule of thumb for filming is that if it needs to look old: use Aldwych , if it needs to look new: use Charing Cross. You may recognise some of the platform shots from Spooks, or the fantastic ’28 Weeks Later’ 2007.If you can tear your eyes away from Madonna dancing around in her pants, her underground train bit of the ‘Hung Up’ video was filmed at Charing Cross. It’s around the 03:24 mark here:
The rest of the station can be seen throughout these scenes from Skyfall:
Even Thor has got the tube from here before:
These lengths of tunnel are still actually used to reverse trains into, but as the station isn’t manned it’s not geared up for passengers.
When the Jubilee platforms were first opened in 1979, five escalators down to the new platforms were provided as part of the station's extensive refurbishment (three on the Northern Line side and two on the Bakerloo). With the closure of the platforms these escalators were also closed and access to them walled off. Here’s a photo of the main concourse when these platforms were still in use: (Photo taken in the 90’s sometime)
The Explore:
Walking through tube stations there are locked vent grilles off to the side, you have probably never even noticed them...
Let's look beyond that grille:
Once on the other side of that grille it's so odd to be stood 12" away from passengers passing in the walkways, while they are competely unawares of your presence:
Here's a vid of people walking past, you can even hear the busker!
Construction / service tunnel: My GPS worked here. This was taken directly under Trafalgar Squares 4th Plinth!
Oh, speaking of Trafalgar square... Research has revealed that this ventilation shaft actually works out to be 3m taller than Nelsons column! This was taken near the bottom looking down. (looking up isn't that impressive, and 25m of it is above ground anyways!)
Right, arriving at the hidden platforms themselves, you're faced with the old Jubilee Line maps:
Link between North & South platforms:
Vestibule 1:
Platforms:
The platforms are obviously used for filming, so have been furnished with 'contemporary' posters. But closer inspection reveals they're a lot more generic than they look. Some of the films they are advertising are completely fictional. None of them have release dates on them. I guess this means they don't have to replace them too often.
Approaching Vestibule 2:
Bottom of Vestibule 2:
Note the 'Toblerone' thingies missing from the escalator, they're just black rectangles of adhesive.
They were removed for Daniel Craig to slide down the in Skyfall, obviously never been replaced!
I'm still working on the final video (Dereliction Addiction 69) But heres a view of passengers boarding / alighting taken from a vent shaft just above their heads. They were completely unaware I was there!:
Time to go. Thanks for reading.
History:
In 1971 construction began on the new 'Fleet line'. Economic pressures, and doubt over the final destination of the line, had led to a staged approach. Under the first stage, the Baker Street to Stanmore branch of the Bakerloo Line was joined at Baker Street to a new 2.5-mile line into central London, with intermediate stops at Bond Street and Green Park and terminating at a new station at Charing Cross, thereby relieving pressure on the West End section of the Bakerloo Line between Baker Street and Charing Cross and also allowing increased frequencies on the section north of Baker Street.
This line, essentially a Bakerloo relief line, took over the Bakerloo line from Stanmore to Baker Street and continued in new tunnels south of Baker Street ending at a (temporary) terminus at Charing Cross, with a view to subsequently extending further eastwards.
The eventual extension was different from that originally planned and the new line branched off the existing one south of Green Park station in the Westminster direction. In doing so, it isolated the short section to Charing Cross station, which was closed at the same time as the new extension opened.
Clear as mud? This poster explaining it still isn’t the easiest thing to read!
The project was renamed the Jubilee Line for Queen Elizabeth II's 1977 Silver Jubilee.
The line was officially opened by the her son Prince Charles on Beltane 1979. Here he is driving one of the things!
Passenger services started the very next day. The combined stations (including Trafalgar Square) ware named “Charing Cross”.
Although Charing Cross was built as the ‘end of the line’ plans existed to extend the line East (to Lewisham). Therefore the tunnels were built beyond the extent of the station beneath the Strand, almost touching Aldwych Station which would have been the next stop.
On 20th November 1999, the Jubilee Line platforms at Charing Cross were closed to passengers after just over 20 years use.
The rule of thumb for filming is that if it needs to look old: use Aldwych , if it needs to look new: use Charing Cross. You may recognise some of the platform shots from Spooks, or the fantastic ’28 Weeks Later’ 2007.If you can tear your eyes away from Madonna dancing around in her pants, her underground train bit of the ‘Hung Up’ video was filmed at Charing Cross. It’s around the 03:24 mark here:
The rest of the station can be seen throughout these scenes from Skyfall:
Even Thor has got the tube from here before:
These lengths of tunnel are still actually used to reverse trains into, but as the station isn’t manned it’s not geared up for passengers.
When the Jubilee platforms were first opened in 1979, five escalators down to the new platforms were provided as part of the station's extensive refurbishment (three on the Northern Line side and two on the Bakerloo). With the closure of the platforms these escalators were also closed and access to them walled off. Here’s a photo of the main concourse when these platforms were still in use: (Photo taken in the 90’s sometime)
The Explore:
Walking through tube stations there are locked vent grilles off to the side, you have probably never even noticed them...
Let's look beyond that grille:
Once on the other side of that grille it's so odd to be stood 12" away from passengers passing in the walkways, while they are competely unawares of your presence:
Here's a vid of people walking past, you can even hear the busker!
Construction / service tunnel: My GPS worked here. This was taken directly under Trafalgar Squares 4th Plinth!
Oh, speaking of Trafalgar square... Research has revealed that this ventilation shaft actually works out to be 3m taller than Nelsons column! This was taken near the bottom looking down. (looking up isn't that impressive, and 25m of it is above ground anyways!)
Right, arriving at the hidden platforms themselves, you're faced with the old Jubilee Line maps:
Link between North & South platforms:
Vestibule 1:
Platforms:
The platforms are obviously used for filming, so have been furnished with 'contemporary' posters. But closer inspection reveals they're a lot more generic than they look. Some of the films they are advertising are completely fictional. None of them have release dates on them. I guess this means they don't have to replace them too often.
Approaching Vestibule 2:
Bottom of Vestibule 2:
Note the 'Toblerone' thingies missing from the escalator, they're just black rectangles of adhesive.
They were removed for Daniel Craig to slide down the in Skyfall, obviously never been replaced!
I'm still working on the final video (Dereliction Addiction 69) But heres a view of passengers boarding / alighting taken from a vent shaft just above their heads. They were completely unaware I was there!:
Time to go. Thanks for reading.
Last edited:
