Piccadilly Line
 

 

BROMPTON ROAD

(1906-1934)

 

A station that fell victim to bad planning i.e. putting one where it wasn't needed. Like Down Street, it was bricked up at platform level during World War II, so there is very little to see from passing trains.

The upper half of the building (including the emergency stairs, one and a half of the two lift shafts, and some of the passageways) were sold to the Ministry of Defence.

The Old London Underground Company have, in 2011, obtained a lease for the MOD part of the site and intend to open it as a multi-faceted entertainment venue, including a restaurant on the roof.

It is worth following the fortunes of this company to see if it is as successful in persuading London Underground to lease or sell some or all of its disused stations (including the Clapham air-raid shelters).

 

 


1930s map showing the station's ideal location for access to the Victoria & Albert Museum. That South Kensington station has close proximity to the museum also, as well as the Natural History and Science Museums, not to mention interchange with the District Line, probably didn't help Brompton Road's case for continued existence.

 

 

 

The remains of the station building between South Kensington and Knightsbridge. The building was originally L-shaped - the passenger entrance/exit was on Brompton Road itself. After closure, the front was demolished for road widening works leaving only the side portion in Cottage Place. Unlike Aldwych, the side entrance was not designed for passenger access.

(photo: 2000)

 

 

 

The ventilation shaft at the top of the northernmost lift shaft.

The Brompton Oratory is on the left.

(Photo 2011)

 

 

 

Top of the emergency stairs.

(Photo 2011)

 

 

 

One of the lift shafts was converted into four war-time operations rooms (one above the other). Access was provided by breaking through from the emergency stairs and one of the access levels is shown here (with the emergency stairs still continuing downward). The tiling on the walls is original station tiling.

(Photo 2011)

 

 

 

The other lift shaft is split vertically in two: one half to provide ventilation to the station remains below ground. The other half contains these semi-circular rooms. Behind the wall on the left are the stairs.

(Photo 2011)

 

 

 

The station is a curious mix of underground railway and war time histories.

(Photo 2011)

 

 

 

The southern lift shaft converted into the entrance for the 4th (and lowest level) operations room.

(Photo 2011)

 

 

 

Inside the 4th operations room. The other pair of lift exit/entrances on the other side of the shaft, have been bricked up. The station's brown/green tiling is still visible but the recess also has a World War II map of south London still in situ.

(Photo 2011)

 

 

 

Passageway leading from the lift shafts to the platforms at the point where it crosses over the eastbound track. The padlocked door delineates between London Underground property and Ministry of Defence property.

(Photo 2011)

 

 

Continues on next page...

 

 

Brompton Road - part 2 (Piccadilly Line)