6/270 - St. Paul's

Eastbound platform at
St. Paul's station,
28th February 2017

Originally going to be called Newgate Street, St. Paul's station is the 14th busiest station to only be served by one London Underground line, the Central line. The station is used by both commuters and tourists for St. Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge.

St. Paul's is one of the original stations to be opened by the Central London Railway when they started running services from Shepherd's Bush to Bank. The station opened with the name Post Office, as the headquarters for the General Post Office was located near the station. The General Post Office closed in 1912. It was not until 1937 that the station got the name we know today, St. Paul's. The railway station near Blackfriars was initially called St. Paul's, it was not until that station was renamed before St. Paul's could become St. Paul's.

Different level platforms at St. Paul's
station, 28th February 2017

Different level platforms

St. Paul's is a unique station, as the Westbound platforms run above the Eastbound platforms. To access the lower Eastbound platforms you have to go down an escalator. So far this is the first example I have found of tracks of the same line running at different levels within a station. Perhaps St. Paul's is the only station where this occurs? I will endeavour to answer this question by visiting all 270 stations. 

St. Paul's Cathedral,
11th May 2011

What is there to do in the area?

Another aspect of visiting all 270 London Underground stations is to point out interesting things to do near the tube station. Sometimes they are more obvious like Craven Cottage is near Putney Bridge, or the obscure little 'secrets' such as the tinseltown diner at Gants Hill. One of the best known attractions is obviously St. Paul's Cathedral, but if you work near St. Paul's or a tourist in the area and you are fed up of boring lunches such as sandwiches, go to Pilpel in Paternoster Square and enjoy a pita that is filled to the brim with salad, felafel, hummous and chickpeas. 

"To street" sign at St. Paul's
station, 28th February 2017

Design

One of the most interesting little details regular users at St. Paul's station may miss is the lovely "to street" signs at the base of one of the escalators up to the station entrance. 

St. Paul's station is a busy station at the heart of the City of London. However, there are lots of little details to look out for. Have I missed anything? If I have, drop them in the comments. 

More photos

Eastbound platform at St.
Paul's station,
28th February 2017