Brompton Road

Piccadilly Line

BROMPTON ROAD (part 2)

(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.

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 passageway that led from platform level to the northernmost lift shaft. The lift shaft has been divided into two, vertically. This passageway leads to the ventilation shaft part.

Stairs leading up from platform level to the passageway that led to the southernmost lift shaft. Beyond the doors at the top, there is a 90° left turn, then the padlocked door that leads to the Ministry of Defence owned part.

Part of one of the sectioned off platforms.

The partitioning wall between platform and track is obvious in these photos. The distinctive tile 'rings' are still visible on the ceiling however.

The sign says South Kensington to Knightsbridge 520m

Further links:

Dr. James Fox has an excellent web page about the below ground aspects. Click here for it.

The remains of the original Knightsbridge station building in 2000. The station was rebuilt in the 1930s to replace the lifts with escalators, during which time an additional entrance was provided in Brompton Road (near Harrods). This reduced the distance between Knightsbridge and Brompton Road stations, thus minimising any hardship caused by the closure of Brompton Road station. In any case, Brompton Road was so little used prior to closure that many trains hadn't been stopping there.

This is the original surface building of Hyde Park Corner station. Replacing lift shafts with escalators caused the street level locations of many stations to alter slightly. This one is now the Pizza On The Park restaurant. At least it still survives: Dover Street, further up the line, lost its name (it's now Green Park) and its surface building.

(photo: 2000)

Down Street (Piccadilly Line)