4/270 - Borough

Borough station exterior in 2017,
February 9th 2017

Borough maybe a small station on the Bank branch of the Northern line, but it has had a rich history. If you want to know what Borough looked like when it opened in 1890, take the Northern line to Kennington station as they were near enough identical at the time. Even below the surface the two stations are similar as they both use lifts to get to platform level. However, at Borough station the Southbound platform is directly below the Northbound platform, where as at Kennington they are on the same level. At Borough, this means only the Northbound platform is accessible to those with mobility restrictions. 

Borough opened in 1890 when the City and South London Railway (C&SLR) ran surfaces between Stockwell and King William Street. The C&SLR, which became the Northern line, ran the first deep level underground services in London. King William Street, which is close to the present day Monument station, closed in 1900 when the line extended to Moorgate. The map below shows how the area would have looked like on a tube map in 1900, not how St. Paul's was originally called Post Office and Embankment at the time was called Charing Cross. 

Diagram of the Tube Map in 1900 in a Harry Beck style

Roundel on the Southbound
platform at Borough,
9th February 2017

Air-raid shelter

During World War Two large parts of the network were used as air-raid shelters. However at Borough because the line changed its route in 1900 by extending to Moorgate, there were tunnels that were no longer used, and subsequently used during World War Two as air-raid shelters between 1940 and 1945. There were six entrances on Borough High Street to access the disused tunnels. When the Jubilee line extension was being built in the 1990s, the tunnels at King William Street were cut through in order for the line to reach London Bridge. The tunnels still remain north of Borough. 

Southbound platform at
Borough,
9th February 2017

Cool Fact

Borough is the least used station on the Bank branch of the Northern line, with all the other stations having an annual passenger usage in excess of 10 million. Also, Borough is one of only nineteen stations on the network where there are no escalators down to platform level, instead you have to use lifts. 

Borough station is filled with history, although London Bridge might be closer to Borough market, if you are going to visit the market, why not visit a station rich in history? 

More photos

A view of The Shard from
the entrance to Borough
station,
9th February 2017

Borough station exterior,
9th February 2017

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