The 1973 stock still operates on the Piccadilly line today, totally refurbished with longitudinal seating only and extra space by the doors for luggage.
September 30, 2024: Exactly 30 years to the day, can’t believe it. 😮 Aldwych and Holborn stations 1907-1994. They are now “Ghost Stations”. Anyone know why Aldwych and Holborn stations were closed? Did the two stations have low ridership over the course of when they were in operation? And the branch between Aldwych and Holborn (Kingsway) was the shortest line on the Underground at the time, that’s probably another reason why for the line’s closure.
Thanks so much for making this historic document available. It's funny that both LU "appendices" (the other is Charing Cross Jubilee) are only a few hundred metres away from each other.
@@bingola45 The trains in this video are exactly the same as the trains they are using today. The Piccadilly Line is still using the 73 stock by Metro-Cammell and the Bakerloo Line are using exactly the same 72 stock, again, by Metro-Cammell. They have been updated a few times every decade or so but they are still entirely the same trains. Unless you are reffering to the rolling stock before the 70s current trains (i.e 1930s stocks) these trains are still in operation.
In response to the video description, the reason to why the Aldwych Branch existed is because it served as the original southern terminus of the Great Northern & Strand Rly section of today's Piccadilly Line, (Aldwych was originally named Strand), that and the other section of the line once known as the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Rly. The B&PCR extended and joined the GN&SR at Holborn with two new additional platforms that are used today, hence why Holborn had separate platforms for Aldwych.
@@NESTABROWN9....would have gone on to Waterloo where it would have interchanged with the Northern, and Jubilee lines. So it could have been possible to get on a Piccadilly line train at Waterloo! ...oh well 🙄🤔.
Part of it was that it had to be built in order for the other parts to be built, what became the Piccadilly line was originally three separate proposals, but it was grouped together, and before being built was bought by the Yerkes group. They were obliged to build this line. Because of the way it was built (you get the impression it was the "least cared about" line, the fact that the Aldwych platforms are half-length confirms it), it didn't have any trains running to or from the rest of the line EXCEPT a limited number of "Theatre Specials" that would be run on the nights of big performances (Aldwych/Strand was in a major theatre district, after all). The final nail in the coffin was some technicality about the lift being unsafe because of part of the mechanisms being exposed at the top (couldn't they have put a cage over it though?) Had the Jubilee followed its original intended path, this station may have been saved.
Beautiful Piccdailly line Train history! However I haven't seen Aldwych branch service before! I was very first time to look the view on the clips!! Very brillant Mate!
Holborn had two separate platforms that served trains to and from Aldwych, one of which was a bay platform (6) and closed much earlier before the entire branch closed. The other was Platform 5 (also closed from public), which trains used to pass through to join the rest of the Line Northbound...hope that answers your question...
The branch was probably built because of the amalgamation of the (at the time) proposed Brompton and Piccadilly Railway and the Great Northern and Strand Railway. The former was originally intended to run from Earls Court to Holborn and the latter was intended to run from Surrey Street (site of Aldwych) to Finsbury Park via Holborn. After the amalgamation, the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway took its recognisable form of the core Piccadilly line we know today. As for Aldwych, it was only retained (albeit much diminished from intended) as part of the plan for the Great Northern and Strand Railway
Nice little film of a nice little branch line on TfL that is no more, however the station lives on and is trapped in a time warp occasionally being used for police, fire brigade, TfL staff training and the occasional film crew. The old platforms are also used to test equipment and it is rumoured to be haunted by a ghost of a former actress of the theatre that was demolished to make way for the station. The final curtain call for the station itself was the vast sums of money needed to repair the beautiful old Ottis lifts in the booking office which just could not justify keeping the station open hence its closure back in 1994.
Gosh, you'd never guess these are the same trains running today on the Piccadilly Line, the refubishment was so intense. One thing I'm certainly glad they modified are the ceiling vents, the ones you see here are very ugly. And there aren't as many of them as on the refurbished trains.
The 1973 stock is still serving the Piccadilly line today but Aldwych is no longer being served and a 4 car ex Northern line 1972mk1 stock resides there for filming and training purposes.
Was a shame to see this line close to the public but it has been a useful filming resource. I think the only reason it closed was because the lifts were life expired and the passenger useage was not high enough to justify complete lift replacement.
The branch was opened because the Great Northern & Aldwych Railway (Piccadilly line) thought that the company would extend under the River Thames to serve Waterloo Railway Station (it never did)
wow two line closures in one day. the Epping to Ongar Branch closed the same day. no wonder the train wasnt crowded. everyone went to ride the last train on the ongar branch
Understand from other videos that it was originally part of a previous planned line south from King's Cross which was never finished as the company went bust. The Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway took over the tunnels but their line went (surprisingly!) to Piccadilly Circus and west so the stub to Strand aka Aldwych was left. Which is why even in use the station never looked finished - it wasn't.
@perrymak2000 Train brakes are applied by compressed air. When a train is parked, the air will eventually leak away. Parked trains have to have other means to stop them rolling away. Modern trains have spring-applied parking brakes. In this case a Rail Anchor was used.
It would be required in this day and age, but, this is obviously quite old footage, so maybe it wouldn't have been required back in the day. Much love.
At least I got that. I'm asking at which point in the video does the announcer say "Goodbye, we're sorry the Aldwych line is closing down", because I haven't heard that line.
The Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (now the Piccadilly Line) was originally two separate undertakings; the Great Northern & Strand from Finsbury Park to Aldwych and the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway which was to run from a connection with the proposed deep level District Railway at South Kensington to Air Street near Piccadilly Circus. When the two companies were bought by Charles Tyson Yerkes and incorporated into the Underground Electric Railways of London group a connection between the two was authorised and built rendering the Strand (now Aldwych) station superfluous. The second track and platforms were built but never used. As one travels between the two there is a crossover where the train transfers from the westbound to the eastbound. The unused running tunnel was used to store artefacts from London museums and art galleries during WW2 and the unused platform at Aldwych was used to test new platform designs. The unused platform at Holborn was used for various things including (I understand) a staff model railway club. The deep level District never went ahead and the Piccadilly was extended to Hammersmith. If one looks beyond the east end of the eastbound Piccadilly platform at South Kensington, one can see that the tunnel is large enough to accommodate a junction with the Picc taking the left hand road.
Well, both routes were operated during peak hours, so I suppose some people went on the Aldwych branch in the morning then to Ongar in the afternoon, or vice versa.
Probably the government, who were the ones authorising the closures. I suspect they signed off the closures to be done at the end of the third quarter of 1994, I guess, or whatever fiscal year system they used back then.
Aldwych is since 1994 a "Ghost Station" but I'm convinced of that this station will reopen in the future as a DLR or Jubilee extension from another ghost station since 1999 Charing Cross :)
They should've opened a subway (a walkway in case people get confuzzled) between Aldwych and Temple stations, there aren't many connections between the Piccadilly Line and the Circle and District lines except for the west
I find 0:46 to 1:03 a bit scary as the train left for Aldwych, complete with a whistle that sounds like a Black 5 or a pre-grouping LMS engine. Otherwise an excellent video. Also could someone please tell me the length of this branch, and why was this line always suffering from low patronage.
+London Underground 1973stock 1. About 2 miles i think and 2. I didn't serve anywhere in particular. The district line already served the places mentioned and it was just competition which led to the branch being built. Hope this of any help :)
OK. But at a terminus station, you won't find those. Both sides will show the direction of departure. For example, at Elephant & Castle (Bakerloo) they both show northbound.
I clearly recall the times I used it over the years before closing, would take the line to Strand, reflection back to Strand, that platform was in a real state, think LU ran the service down.
by the way, when the Aldwitch branch was still in operation, from which platform of Holborn did the services to Aldwich depart from? was It from the Eastbound (towards Cockfosters)? I was 3 years old when the Aldwitch branch closed
It had its own separate platform at Holborn and didn't operate from any of the main Piccadilly line ones. I was 4 and had just started primary school when the branch closed, but I've read a lot about it and I'd love to go and see the station at some point.
Nesta Brown's uncle3: I was being this before toward to Aldwych. But this is one video... Why this train gone be backward the line? This is sightly weird train to find sense backwards to Aldwych, hm?? 🤔
It did connect to the main Piccadilly Line but it needs manual operation which took time, they only used it to transfer trains on and off of the branch. They used to run through Holborn to Russell Square but that ended in I believe 1917?
@Mariusz Matysiak5618 It’s the 1973 Stock which is still in service today on the Piccadilly line. They are nearly identical to the 1972 Stock still in service on Bakerloo. This was filmed in 1994 which was two years before their refreshments commenced.
+Jack Searle - the old 1972 stock Northern Line train currently stabled in the platform is a 4-car unit only because when it used to serve the Northern Line, they were 7-car units formed partly of one 4-car unit, just like the Bakerloo Line still is
I'm glad they still have the old Northern Line 1972 stock there, but seeing as they are going to apparently be demolishing Platform 5 and any rails running to Aldwych, I suppose sadly it won't be long left for the train... ;(
The 1973 stock still operates on the Piccadilly line today, totally refurbished with longitudinal seating only and extra space by the doors for luggage.
Takes me back . . . hard to believe it's almost 25 years! Thanks for this.
30 years now, in 2024.
September 30, 2024: Exactly 30 years to the day, can’t believe it. 😮 Aldwych and Holborn stations 1907-1994. They are now “Ghost Stations”. Anyone know why Aldwych and Holborn stations were closed? Did the two stations have low ridership over the course of when they were in operation? And the branch between Aldwych and Holborn (Kingsway) was the shortest line on the Underground at the time, that’s probably another reason why for the line’s closure.
love the compressor noise in those trains
I never got to ride on the 1973 tube stock prior to refurb, so this is fascinating to see how little luggage space they had!
Ironic, isn't it? Especially when it was designed to "cater for the Heathrow users' needs"
Cause people didn't feel the need to bring two massive roller bags per person when travelling back then
good film thanks for posting these older trains always seemed like they went so fast!
limeyosu2000 These trains are still in service today, on the Picadilly line.
Thanks so much for making this historic document available. It's funny that both LU "appendices" (the other is Charing Cross Jubilee) are only a few hundred metres away from each other.
Great coverage of the final day thank you for posting
Loved the old trains, remind me of my childhood.
The 1973 stock is still serving the Piccadilly line and the 1972 mk2 still on the Bakerloo Line today.
I love the old trains too. Pity they had all gone before I was born.
@@bingola45 They're still using exactly the same trains
@@metromodernism No they aren't. They withdrew the old ones before I was born.
They now operate trains from the 1970s.
@@bingola45 The trains in this video are exactly the same as the trains they are using today. The Piccadilly Line is still using the 73 stock by Metro-Cammell and the Bakerloo Line are using exactly the same 72 stock, again, by Metro-Cammell. They have been updated a few times every decade or so but they are still entirely the same trains. Unless you are reffering to the rolling stock before the 70s current trains (i.e 1930s stocks) these trains are still in operation.
Nice sound of Martin Mind the doors....... Please.
He ain't that polite now !!!!
Very interesting, thank you. I'm going on a tour of Aldwych tomorrow.
In response to the video description, the reason to why the Aldwych Branch existed is because it served as the original southern terminus of the Great Northern & Strand Rly section of today's Piccadilly Line, (Aldwych was originally named Strand), that and the other section of the line once known as the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Rly. The B&PCR extended and joined the GN&SR at Holborn with two new additional platforms that are used today, hence why Holborn had separate platforms for Aldwych.
They had planned for an extension south of Aldwych, which never came to fruition.
@@scythal Hm??... 🤔
@@NESTABROWN9....would have gone on to Waterloo where it would have interchanged with the Northern, and Jubilee lines. So it could have been possible to get on a Piccadilly line train at Waterloo! ...oh well 🙄🤔.
Part of it was that it had to be built in order for the other parts to be built, what became the Piccadilly line was originally three separate proposals, but it was grouped together, and before being built was bought by the Yerkes group. They were obliged to build this line. Because of the way it was built (you get the impression it was the "least cared about" line, the fact that the Aldwych platforms are half-length confirms it), it didn't have any trains running to or from the rest of the line EXCEPT a limited number of "Theatre Specials" that would be run on the nights of big performances (Aldwych/Strand was in a major theatre district, after all). The final nail in the coffin was some technicality about the lift being unsafe because of part of the mechanisms being exposed at the top (couldn't they have put a cage over it though?)
Had the Jubilee followed its original intended path, this station may have been saved.
i miss london of the 90s so much. all is completely different now
It is
It’s not so nice now. Mind I was a kid but it was nicer
Beautiful Piccdailly line Train history! However I haven't seen Aldwych branch service before! I was very first time to look the view on the clips!! Very brillant Mate!
Holborn had two separate platforms that served trains to and from Aldwych, one of which was a bay platform (6) and closed much earlier before the entire branch closed. The other was Platform 5 (also closed from public), which trains used to pass through to join the rest of the Line Northbound...hope that answers your question...
The branch was probably built because of the amalgamation of the (at the time) proposed Brompton and Piccadilly Railway and the Great Northern and Strand Railway. The former was originally intended to run from Earls Court to Holborn and the latter was intended to run from Surrey Street (site of Aldwych) to Finsbury Park via Holborn. After the amalgamation, the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway took its recognisable form of the core Piccadilly line we know today. As for Aldwych, it was only retained (albeit much diminished from intended) as part of the plan for the Great Northern and Strand Railway
ikr i love their sound. It suits an underground train.
Nice little film of a nice little branch line on TfL that is no more, however the station lives on and is trapped in a time warp occasionally being used for police, fire brigade, TfL staff training and the occasional film crew. The old platforms are also used to test equipment and it is rumoured to be haunted by a ghost of a former actress of the theatre that was demolished to make way for the station. The final curtain call for the station itself was the vast sums of money needed to repair the beautiful old Ottis lifts in the booking office which just could not justify keeping the station open hence its closure back in 1994.
I miss those ones I love the sounds of them
2:35 is where the train sounds like a brass
Looking at this video 11 years later, it is crazy to see what has changed
Thanks, lovely trip❤
Gosh, you'd never guess these are the same trains running today on the Piccadilly Line, the refubishment was so intense. One thing I'm certainly glad they modified are the ceiling vents, the ones you see here are very ugly. And there aren't as many of them as on the refurbished trains.
Thank you, Fred. I love undergrounds/metros/subways, but London's is the best.
The 1973 stock is still serving the Piccadilly line today but Aldwych is no longer being served and a 4 car ex Northern line 1972mk1 stock resides there for filming and training purposes.
Was a shame to see this line close to the public but it has been a useful filming resource. I think the only reason it closed was because the lifts were life expired and the passenger useage was not high enough to justify complete lift replacement.
Oh, look at all the people on the train not staring at their phones....It's like another world. A better world.
They read papers instead to avoid eye contact instead lol
How is it better, it's just like the newspaper.
@@wunderbar4870 Because the is under 60 seconds, not seat with a "lazy" to read of the newspaper, huh! 🙄
The branch was opened because the Great Northern & Aldwych Railway (Piccadilly line) thought that the company would extend under the River Thames to serve Waterloo Railway Station (it never did)
wow two line closures in one day. the Epping to Ongar Branch closed the same day. no wonder the train wasnt crowded. everyone went to ride the last train on the ongar branch
If it was me, I think I'd have wanted to ride the Aldwych branch one last time
Understand from other videos that it was originally part of a previous planned line south from King's Cross which was never finished as the company went bust. The Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway took over the tunnels but their line went (surprisingly!) to Piccadilly Circus and west so the stub to Strand aka Aldwych was left. Which is why even in use the station never looked finished - it wasn't.
@perrymak2000 Train brakes are applied by compressed air. When a train is parked, the air will eventually leak away. Parked trains have to have other means to stop them rolling away. Modern trains have spring-applied parking brakes. In this case a Rail Anchor was used.
Oh my God, this makes me SOOO homesick living in SA, to think I will never ever go on another underground train!
Why??
@@NESTABROWN9 Because the South African BEE ('Black Economic Empowerment') policy can only destroy things, not build them.
I was referring to the way in which the driver makes the announcement, then a while later says 'Please?'
It would be required in this day and age, but, this is obviously quite old footage, so maybe it wouldn't have been required back in the day. Much love.
Goodbye, we're sorry the Aldwych line is closing down :(
when is that?
It closed in 1994, look in the description...
At least I got that. I'm asking at which point in the video does the announcer say "Goodbye, we're sorry the Aldwych line is closing down", because I haven't heard that line.
I don't think its said in this video
@@mielole No idea!
The Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (now the Piccadilly Line) was originally two separate undertakings; the Great Northern & Strand from Finsbury Park to Aldwych and the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway which was to run from a connection with the proposed deep level District Railway at South Kensington to Air Street near Piccadilly Circus.
When the two companies were bought by Charles Tyson Yerkes and incorporated into the Underground Electric Railways of London group a connection between the two was authorised and built rendering the Strand (now Aldwych) station superfluous.
The second track and platforms were built but never used. As one travels between the two there is a crossover where the train transfers from the westbound to the eastbound. The unused running tunnel was used to store artefacts from London museums and art galleries during WW2 and the unused platform at Aldwych was used to test new platform designs. The unused platform at Holborn was used for various things including (I understand) a staff model railway club.
The deep level District never went ahead and the Piccadilly was extended to Hammersmith. If one looks beyond the east end of the eastbound Piccadilly platform at South Kensington, one can see that the tunnel is large enough to accommodate a junction with the Picc taking the left hand road.
I assume most people just went to Ongar, seeing as it was a charming rural line.
Who made the decision that they would close on the same day
yes good question?
Well, both routes were operated during peak hours, so I suppose some people went on the Aldwych branch in the morning then to Ongar in the afternoon, or vice versa.
Probably the government, who were the ones authorising the closures. I suspect they signed off the closures to be done at the end of the third quarter of 1994, I guess, or whatever fiscal year system they used back then.
The driver shuts down his cab, walks to the other end of the train, and opens up the cab at the other end which now becomes the front.
Aldwych is since 1994 a "Ghost Station" but I'm convinced of that this station will reopen in the future as a DLR or Jubilee extension from another ghost station since 1999 Charing Cross :)
I heard rumours going around that it was going to involve the Crossrail (if i'm not wrong, I don't live in London, but its metro system is intriguing)
"Stand clear, mind the doors......please" lol
The train can be driven forwards from either end, so it never needs to turn around. To which Northbound/Southbound signs do you refer?
They should've opened a subway (a walkway in case people get confuzzled) between Aldwych and Temple stations, there aren't many connections between the Piccadilly Line and the Circle and District lines except for the west
When looking at a video of the 90s I can’t help but wonder where the people in the video are today and what they’re doing now.
It's like them saying mind the gap...between the train and the platform edge. Just health and safty.
The old Chicago "L" trains used to sound the same. The heaters were underseat and you could burn your legs on them.
Huh, how?? 🤔
Piccadilly Line 1973 Tube Stock
I find 0:46 to 1:03 a bit scary as the train left for Aldwych, complete with a whistle that sounds like a Black 5 or a pre-grouping LMS engine. Otherwise an excellent video. Also could someone please tell me the length of this branch, and why was this line always suffering from low patronage.
+London Underground 1973stock 1. About 2 miles i think and 2. I didn't serve anywhere in particular. The district line already served the places mentioned and it was just competition which led to the branch being built. Hope this of any help :)
Apparently at Aldwych there is still a train in one of the platforms
That's right yeah, there's an old 1972 stock Northern Line train stabled there and can be driven up and down the branch for filming
OK. But at a terminus station, you won't find those. Both sides will show the direction of departure. For example, at Elephant & Castle (Bakerloo) they both show northbound.
I feel somehow sad watching this :( LOL
@KenFromBeara Sure is
no hi-vi for the dude stepping onto the track!? X
Why would it be required?
I clearly recall the times I used it over the years before closing, would take the line to Strand, reflection back to Strand, that platform was in a real state, think LU ran the service down.
How does the train turn around? Surely they don't change the Northbound-Southbound signs around, so what do they do?
@boleamj isn't it used as film locations now??
@YesIamEccentric There were proposals to do this right up until the 1960s I believe.
by the way, when the Aldwitch branch was still in operation, from which platform of Holborn did the services to Aldwich depart from? was It from the Eastbound (towards Cockfosters)? I was 3 years old when the Aldwitch branch closed
It had its own separate platform at Holborn and didn't operate from any of the main Piccadilly line ones. I was 4 and had just started primary school when the branch closed, but I've read a lot about it and I'd love to go and see the station at some point.
It’s now a disused platform, platform 5.
what line was it and it would of been good if they reopened the other part and upgraded it
Nesta Brown's uncle3: I was being this before toward to Aldwych. But this is one video... Why this train gone be backward the line? This is sightly weird train to find sense backwards to Aldwych, hm?? 🤔
@KenFromBeara
I don´t know, I´m from Spain xD
Back when London was still London
I'd explore a found footage of the Aldwych Branch.
How does a train go back once it has terminated?
The ones I see when I enter LU platforms.
Why don´t they use Aldwych as a train subway shed if they have something old preserved? They could make runs with it from station to station...
Well, they use it to store an old Northern Line train, and it is still used for films, like Fast and Furious 6 and various other films...
Did ALDWYCH ever appear on the blinds?
What did you mean??
@@NESTABROWN9 Whenever I see train on Aldwych branch blind always set to blank.
2:24 he forgot to say please and then he did
Did this line just run from Holborn to Aldwych then? Did it ever cross onto the Piccadilly line?
It did connect to the main Piccadilly Line but it needs manual operation which took time, they only used it to transfer trains on and off of the branch. They used to run through Holborn to Russell Square but that ended in I believe 1917?
Why did they close the Aldwych branch?
There were very few passengers going to Aldwych. Ultimately the lifts needed replacement, so it was the last straw.
They should reopen that station
Aldwych Is Now Closed
Why closed?
how does that guy at the beginning NOT get electrified even though he steps on a rail?
It's just the third rail (middle one) that's live I think.
I miss the old Aldwych :((( WHAT ON EARTH is the driver doing on the running line???
What was the camera used?
ajuk1 A potato
@@BruceLeroyUK 😅
2:31 The whistle got a bit too excited
0:28 he's unleashing his pet 1973 stock to walk him to aldwych
Aldwich!!!
the chap stood on the current rails 😯😐
nvm... It's the running lol
Yeah, but I asked an officer and he said all are live....
Beulah .....what does Beulah mean pls ??
Beulah translated from the Hebrew for happy marriage is the trading name of Editions Audiovisuel Beulah who operate this TH-cam channel
Beulah25 -thank you very much ❤️
Other Is Opened
0:46 London Underground ???? stock - I don"t know.
Mariusz Matysiak 1973
@Mariusz Matysiak5618 It’s the 1973 Stock which is still in service today on the Piccadilly line. They are nearly identical to the 1972 Stock still in service on Bakerloo. This was filmed in 1994 which was two years before their refreshments commenced.
@@ericschwartz3559 I completely forgot about this comment, but thank you so much! 😄
this batch should have 4 cars not 3
No, the 1973's could only run as 3 or 6 car trains, others could run 4, but also a 1973 4 car train would probably be too long for the platforms.
+Jack Searle - the old 1972 stock Northern Line train currently stabled in the platform is a 4-car unit only because when it used to serve the Northern Line, they were 7-car units formed partly of one 4-car unit, just like the Bakerloo Line still is
I'm glad they still have the old Northern Line 1972 stock there, but seeing as they are going to apparently be demolishing Platform 5 and any rails running to Aldwych, I suppose sadly it won't be long left for the train... ;(
Or rather, before I do.
ahhh
1973 Tube stock :-)
The Metro (underground) in Russia, St. Petersburg makes this one look tatty, anyone seen it?
mk1
They aren’t wearing masks 😷
£6000 fine 😂
Sounds from the slack & whining of the traction motors as if that stock was on it's last knockings, too.
0:28 he's unleashing his pet 1973 stock to walk him to aldwych