The Anonymous Widower

Are There Any Plans For The Bay Sub-Surface Platforms At Moorgate Station?

I use Moorgate station regularly, as there’s a Leon Restaurant just outside the station, that looked after me properly during the Covid-19 Pandemic, so when I’m in the area and need feeding I pop in.

These pictures show the four bay platforms on the Sub-Surface lines.

Note.

1. The pair of platforms to the left or South are numbered 5 and 6 and used to handle Thameslink trains, that ran to Moorgate station.
2. Platforms 5 and 6 used to be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
3. The pair of platforms to the right or North are numbered 3 and 4 and are used to terminate some Metropolitan Line services at Moorgate station.
4. Platforms 3 and 4 are  electrified with London Underground four-rail electrification.
5. The number for Platform 4 can clearly be seen.

This map from cartometro shows the track layout in Farringdon, Barbican and Moorgate stations.

Note.

1. The multi-coloured tracks and platforms of the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines running through Platforms 1 & 2 at Farringdon, Barbican and Moorgate stations.
2. The multi-coloured tracks and platforms of the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines terminating in Platforms 3 & 4 at Moorgate station.
3. The purple tracks and platforms of the Elizabeth Line running underneath the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines and their stations.
4. The maroon and white tracks and platforms of Thameslink running through Platforms 3 & 4 in Barbican station and terminating in Platforms 5 & 6 at Moorgate station.
5. The black tracks of Thameslink running through Farringdon and City Thameslink stations.
6. It would appear there used to be two junctions to allow trains from Moorgate to go North through Farringdon station or South through City Thameslink station.
7. The Thameslink tracks have two useful crossovers.
8. The black tracks of the City branch of the Northern Line running through Old Street, Moorgate and Bank stations.
9. The black tracks of the Northern City Line running through Old Street station  and terminating in Moorgate station.
10. The red tracks of the Central Line running through Chancery Lane, St. Paul’s and Bank station.

Because of the layout of the various tracks new connections and improvements may be possible.

Extending The Northern City Line To Bank Station

In Walking Along Moorgate – 30th September 2020, I describe some of the possibilities opened up by the design of Moor House, which has been built to allow more tunneling underneath.

I believe two extensions South from Moorgate station would be possible.

• It was intended by the builders of the Northern City Line, to take the route to just North of Bank station at Lothbury.
• Has The Possibility Been Created For A Pedestrian Tunnel Between Bank And Moorgate Stations?

Note.

1. As the extension to Bank station has dug tunnels all over the place, I would expect that the engineers on that project would have a good idea on the best way to connect Moorgate and Bank stations.
2. I usually use the Northern Line between Moorgate and Bank stations, but sometimes the Northern Line is rather crowded.
3. The Northern City Line is being resignalled and may have an increased number of trains, so more passenger capacity may be needed.
4. If a new station were to be built at Lothbury, it might be possible to improve step-free access to the Northern City Line.
5. A new station on the Northern City Line and a pedestrian tunnel could connect to the newly-installed travelator at Bank station.

There are certainly serious possibilities to improve connections between Moorgate and Bank stations.

Could Metropolitan Line Trains Be Turned At Moorgate Station?

Currently, there are eight trains per hour (tph) between Aldgate and Uxbridge in the Off Peak.

With the new signalling on the Sub-Surface Lines would it allow more trains to operate, if some Metropolitan Line services were terminated in Platforms 3 & 4 at Moorgate station.

Would It Be Worthwhile To Run Thameslink Trains Again Into Moorgate Station?

It would only need to terminate trains from the North, as trains from the South can terminate at Black friars Station.

Perhaps a two tph service from a convenient station would suffice.

A Pedestrian Connection Between City Thameslink Station And St. Paul’s Tube Station

I covered this in A Pedestrian Connection Between City Thameslink Station And St. Paul’s Tube Station.

March 29, 2025 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Bank And Moorgate Moving Walkway, Bank Station, Barbican Station, Circle Line, City Thameslink - St. Paul's Pedestrian Link, City Thameslink Station, Elizabeth Line, Farringdon Station, Hammersmith & City Line, Leon Restaurants, London Underground, Metropolitan Line, Moorgate Station, Northern City Line, Northern City Line Extension To Bank Station, Thameslink, Uxbridge Station