Everything about Barbican Station totally explained
Barbican is a
London Underground and mainline rail station serving the
Barbican Centre in the
City of London,
England.. It is on the
Circle,
Hammersmith & City and
Metropolitan lines between
Farringdon and
Moorgate, in
Travelcard Zone 1.
First Capital Connect trains on their way into Moorgate also stop there, but not when outbound from Moorgate (the platform which was used for this purpose is closed).
History
The station was first called "Aldersgate Street", this being the name of
the street on which it stands. This changed to "
Aldersgate" then "Aldersgate and Barbican" before settling on the present name.
The station replaced an earlier building at 134 Aldersgate Street which for many years had a sign claiming "This was
Shakespeare's House". Although the building was very close to the nearby
Fortune Playhouse, there's no documentary evidence to indicate that Shakespeare resided here; a subsidy roll from 1598 shows a "William Shakespeare" as owner of the property, but there's nothing to indicate that it's the playwright.
On the 14th of April 1914 the body of seven year old Margaret Nally was found in the ladies cloakroom at what was then Aldersgate Street Station, she'd been sexually assaulted and suffocated with a cloth pushed down her throat.
A display on the history of the station, including text and photographs, is just inside the barriers, on the southern side of the main entrance corridor.
Layout
The station lies in an east-west aligned trench with cut-and-cover tunnels at either end. The modern entrance gives access from
Aldersgate Street, through a
1990s building, to a much older footbridge that leads to the eastern end of the platforms. To the north are backs of buildings that face onto
Charterhouse Street and
Charterhouse Square. To the south are the backs of buildings that face onto
Long Lane. To the west is Hayne Street.
The station is mostly open to the elements, though there are some short canopies. The remains of the supporting structure for a glass canopy over all four platforms (removed in the
1950s) may still clearly be seen.
At the western end of the central island there's a disused
signal box. Also from this end of the platforms may be seen the beginnings of the complex of tunnels leading under
Smithfield meat market. Livestock for the market was at one time delivered by rail and there was a substantial goods yard under the market.
Future
As part of the
Thameslink Programme, services on the
First Capital Connect Line between
Farringdon and
Moorgate would cease operations to allow the platforms at Farringdon to be extended, which is planned for the end of
2008.
When
Crossrail is built, the Farringdon Eastern Ticket Hall will be just to the west of Barbican station, and there will be an interchange built here. (which would probably involve removal of the signal box at the western end of the station).
Further Information
Get more info on 'Barbican Station'.
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