The Northern Line was an amalgamation of two lines: the City & South London Railway, and the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway. Both of the original companies had separate surface buildings at Euston as well as a third shared one in the mainline station.

Both of the external station buildings were closed in 1914, leaving only the shared one in the mainline station in use. That the external ones had only opened in 1907 is testament to the waste that direct competition and a lack of a cohesive planning strategy can cause. However, they were built at the insistence of the LNWR in exchange for allowing the shared one to be built on its property (the rationale behind this is somewhat mystifying). The arrival of the Victoria line necessitated a significant remodelling of the station but unfortunately it now has one of the more confusing station layouts on the underground.

An attempt at a diagram showing the two sets of Northern Line platforms in relation to the shared lifts. The numbers on the diagram show where the photos further down the page were taken from. The platform numbering is how it was before the Victoria Line was opened.

To open the diagram in a new window, click here.

What is now known as simply the Charing Cross branch lost the race against City & South London Railway to open a deep level station at Euston by six weeks.

Using the shared lifts as a starting reference point: they are on the left of the photo. The passageway on the right led to the Charing Cross platforms - part of the passage has been adapted for other use. The left hand door is a through corridor.

(photo: 2009)

The partitioned space is not particularly long. Emerging through it, one finds this further bit of passageway. The steps at the end led up to platform 1 (the northbound platform of the Charing Cross branch)

(photo: 2009)

Closer view of the steps that used to lead up to platform 1. There are 16 steps here (not all captured in the photo). There was then a short level section (as can be seen by the tiling on either side) then another 16 steps up to platform level.

When the lifts were the only means of exit from the station, these steps at the north-eastern end of platform 1 led downward toward the lift shafts (the City branch was at a lower level and the shared lift shaft was at a level roughly equidistant between the two lines).

The escalators that were built to replace the lifts, have their concourse at a much higher level than the old landing for the lifts, so the exit steps from platform 1 now lead upwards.

(photo: 2009)

Platform 1 in 2009 (the north-eastern end of the northbound platform) showing the steps that now lead upward. A photo of this area when the station opened can be seen here.

Further along the passage. This passageway emerged onto platform 2 - the same situation applies as for platform 1, i.e. the stairs from the platform used to lead down to the lift shafts/City Branch (as seen here), whereas now they lead up towards the escalator concourse. There are 15 steps here - the wall is built on the 16th one. Beyond that was a small level section then either 10 or 16 more steps up to platform level (the number of steps indicated on the original station plan is unclear).

Note the West Side Story poster on the right hand side. The film dates from 1961, thus indicating the date of closure of this passage (the passage that went via the lifts closed much later in 1968).

(photo: 2008)

This and subsequent photos on this page are of the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead's own entrance to the station, which is located at the opposite end of its platforms from the shared lifts. The entrance and exit to the CCE&H lifts were on different platforms, as still seen at some deep level stations today. Most of the access space has been partitioned off now.

(photo: 2009)

The connecting passageway between the entrance and exit side of the lifts. The photo was taken from the same position as the one above it but rotated 90° to the left. A right turn at the end of this passage leads to the other side of the lift shaft seen above. A left turn leads to the emergency stairs.

(photo: 2009)

The other side of the lift shaft i.e. the one that connects with platform 2. It is not known whether this was the entrance or exit side.

(photo: 2009)

The bottom of the lift shaft provides draught relief for the southbound running tunnel. It also has this stub of a tunnel: built 'blind' as a test for the proposed deep level shelter at Euston during World War II.

(photo: 2009)

Tiling still intact in the emergency stair shaft.

(photo: 2009)

These steps down from inside the station building used to lead to the emergency stairs, although the doorway has been sealed. Its position was on the right hand side - the outline of it can be made out where the tiles abruptly end.

(photo: 2008)

Shortly before the demolition of the building for HS2 works around the Euston area.

(photo: Aug 2021)

Inside view of the middle arch on the left hand side of the station building (as per the photo above).

(photo: 2009)

The inside of the old station building has been painted but some indication of the attractiveness of the original tiling is evident.

(photo: 2009)