{"id":6605,"date":"2013-09-17T18:41:42","date_gmt":"2013-09-17T18:41:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thetimechamber.co.uk\/beta\/?page_id=6605"},"modified":"2022-05-23T12:37:00","modified_gmt":"2022-05-23T12:37:00","slug":"charing-cross-jubilee-line-and-ventilation-areas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thetimechamber.co.uk\/beta\/sites\/underground-sites\/charing-cross-jubilee-line-and-ventilation-areas","title":{"rendered":"Charing Cross Jubilee Line and Ventilation Areas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Charing Cross Tube Station has a long and complicated history. \u00a0The first part of the station was opened in 1906 when the Bakerloo line was constructed and this part of the station was known as\u00a0Trafalgar\u00a0Square. \u00a0A year later the Northern Line, then the\u00a0Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway, was opened and this part of the station was known as Charing Cross. \u00a0At the time, there was no direct connection between the two stations and passengers would have to take lifts to the surface. \u00a0In 1914 an effort to improve interchanges, the Northern Line was extended down to the then Charing Cross\u00a0Station (District) & Embankment, \u00a0now known as Embankment. \u00a0For a few years, the naming of these stations became confused. \u00a0The existing Northern Line station was known as Charing Cross (Strand) and the existing Charing Cross Station to the south was renamed Charing Cross (Embankment).\u00a0In an effort to solve the naming\u00a0confusion\u00a0 the stations we renamed once again. \u00a0Charing Cross (Strand) became simply, Strand and Charing Cross (District) &\u00a0Embankment was renamed\u00a0to Charing Cross.\u00a0In 1926, the 4 lifts within the twin Trafalgar Square Station were replaced with\u00a0escalators. A third shaft contained a set of escape stairs, which have since been removed. \u00a0One shaft has since been blocked and had a walkway constructed over it, the other two shafts are used for ventilation.<\/p>\n

In 1973, the Northern Line Strand Station platforms were closed to allow for the construction of the new Jubilee Line Platforms, then known as the Fleet Line. \u00a0These platforms were constructed between the platforms for the Bakerloo Line and the Northern Line, with a construction shaft being built to the north of the station. \u00a0At the same time, a long overdue interchange between the Northern and Bakerloo lines was constructed. \u00a0In anticipation of this new interchange, the Charing Cross station was renamed Charing Cross\u00a0Embankment\u00a0 \u00a0Upon the opening of the new station in 1979, Charing Cross Embankment was named Embankment, and the Strand and Trafalger Square stations were combined and named Charing Cross. \u00a0At the time, it was expected that the Fleet Line would extend into East London and follow the line of the Strand above. With the\u00a0rejuvenation\u00a0of the Docklands during the 1980’s and 1990’s, the plans were revised and the Fleet line was directed south of the River via Waterloo.<\/p>\n

The new tunnels of the extended Jubilee line branched south after Green Park. \u00a0The final section of the tunnel between Green Park and Waterloo was opened in November, 1999. \u00a0At this point, the Charing Cross Platforms were closed to the public. \u00a0They are still actively used by London Underground as it allows them a reversing point for trains in central London, stabling for up to 6 trains in the event of an emergency and an active film set away from the public.<\/p>\n