Explored with GAJ and Bauhausgirl.
It's been a couple of years since I've been under the Thames, so given the opportunity I jumped at the chance, thank you.
Image from Subbrit...
Also, thanks to those that went before: Speed and Kevin Arnold, some people far too elite to be named, GAJ, Ojay. You can be sure your pictures are all better than mine.
From Kevin Arnolds report...
" ...It was the second tunnel to cross the Thames (first one being Brunel tunnel) and since in the first weeks there was a cable pulled train operating in it, the Subway is considered a forerunner of the deep level tube railways. Technology developed during the digging of the tunnel (Greathead shield) and experience gained from it made it possible to construct the City and South London Railway 20 years later. Unfortunately the train wasn't very popular with customers so it was removed shortly after the opening and the tunnel was turned into a pedestrian subway. It was much more popular and used for 18 years until the construction of the nearby Tower Bridge sealed its fate. Not only was the bridge more convenient to use, it was also free, while the Subway was not.
The subway was then bought by London Hydraulic Company which used it to run water pipes under the Thames. Nowadays it's used as a cable subway as well although there's just a small bunch of them... "
And that's all there is to it really, a very important place, in a small part of the cities development.
The new shaft...
This was one of the most interesting bits for me, although I wasn't expecting it at the time...
It's the old waiting room, the pillar probably supported the floor...
Overall, I was hoping for more clues of it's former uses. One thing that is left is tiles on the floor from when it was a pedestrian crossing...
Well worth doing though, the view from the exit at night is immense.
It's been a couple of years since I've been under the Thames, so given the opportunity I jumped at the chance, thank you.
Image from Subbrit...
Also, thanks to those that went before: Speed and Kevin Arnold, some people far too elite to be named, GAJ, Ojay. You can be sure your pictures are all better than mine.
From Kevin Arnolds report...
" ...It was the second tunnel to cross the Thames (first one being Brunel tunnel) and since in the first weeks there was a cable pulled train operating in it, the Subway is considered a forerunner of the deep level tube railways. Technology developed during the digging of the tunnel (Greathead shield) and experience gained from it made it possible to construct the City and South London Railway 20 years later. Unfortunately the train wasn't very popular with customers so it was removed shortly after the opening and the tunnel was turned into a pedestrian subway. It was much more popular and used for 18 years until the construction of the nearby Tower Bridge sealed its fate. Not only was the bridge more convenient to use, it was also free, while the Subway was not.
The subway was then bought by London Hydraulic Company which used it to run water pipes under the Thames. Nowadays it's used as a cable subway as well although there's just a small bunch of them... "
And that's all there is to it really, a very important place, in a small part of the cities development.
The new shaft...
This was one of the most interesting bits for me, although I wasn't expecting it at the time...
It's the old waiting room, the pillar probably supported the floor...
Overall, I was hoping for more clues of it's former uses. One thing that is left is tiles on the floor from when it was a pedestrian crossing...
Well worth doing though, the view from the exit at night is immense.
