The New Track Layout At Bank And Moorgate Stations
This map from cartometro.com shows the new track layout through Bank And Moorgate.
Note.
- Crossrail is shown in purple.
- The Central Line is shown in red.
- The Circle, Hammersmith and City and the Metropolitan lines are shown in yellow and mauve.
- The Circle, District lines are shown in yellow and green stripes.
- The Northern Line is shown in black.
- The Northern City Line, that terminates at Moorgate is also shown in black.
The routes of the Northern Line are now clear from the map.
The Northbound Route Of The Northern Line
The Northbound trains pass through the following platforms.
- The Easternmost platform, which is numbered 4 at Bank station.
- The Western Northern Line platform, which is numbered 7 at Moorgate station.
This route of the Northbound tunnel will be identical before and after the works.
The Original Southbound Route Of The Northern Line
Until January this year, the Southbound trains passed through the following platforms.
- The Eastern Northern Line platform, which is numbered 8 at Moorgate station.
- The original Western Northern Line platform, which was numbered 3 at Bank station.
Note how the Northbound and Southbound tracks cross between the two stations.
The New Southbound Route Of The Northern Line
The new Southbound route is shown dotted on the map.
- The new Southbound platform is also shown dotted.
- The Northbound and Southbound tracks still cross between the two stations.
The tracks don’t return to standard left-hand running until South of Borough station.
After the line fully-reopens, some time in May this year, the Southbound trains will pass through the following platforms.
- The Eastern Northern Line platform, which is numbered 8 at Moorgate station.
- The new Western Northern Line platform at Bank station.
Effectively, the Southbound tunnel has been moved to the West to create more space in Bank station.
Conclusion
The design of the new tunnel appears simple, but I don’t think it was that easy to construct.
Moorgate Station – 26th April 2022
In July 2021, I wrote Down Into The Depths At Moorgate Station and I included this picture of the lift that connects the Northern and Elizabeth Lines.
For much of the last few months, this lift lobby has been full of builders junk piled along the right hand side.
But today, everything looked finished.
The yellow bars are the barrier to stop passengers taking a closer look.
When Will Crossrail Open?
Between Angel and London Bridge stations, there are four projects underway on the Northern Line.
The Rebuilding Of Old Street Station
This page on the Transport for London web site, describes the rebuilding of the station.
This is an extract.
In summer 2022 we will:
- Create an interim exit route through the main station entrance stairs while works continue on the above-ground part of the new entrance
- Complete final changes to the traffic layout and close Subway 3 over the weekend of 10, 11 and 12 June 2022.
Transport for London’s journey planner also indicates that up to the end of June, there will be no closures of Old Street station or the Northern Line through the station.
It would appear that this project is totally independent of the trains and access to the platforms.
The Bank Station Upgrade
As far as Angel, Old Street, Moorgate and London Bridge stations are concerned, these stations are generally not affected by the work at Bank, as one line between Moorgate and London Bridge stations is being replaced by another.
- The signalling will have to be thoroughly checked.
- Drivers will have to be trained.
- Station staff will have to be trained in the procedures in the new platform at Bank.
I have checked the closed sections of the Northern Line on Transport for London’s journey planner and found this.
- May 1st to May 19th – Northern Line closed between Moorgate and Kennington. As now!
- May 20th – Northern Line fully open
- May 21st to May 22nd – Northern Line closed between Archway and High Barnet
- May 23rd to May 31st – Northern Line fully open
Note.
- I haven’t checked June yet!
- Archway has a turnback siding to allow the High Barnet branch to be closed.
- All dates are 2022.
It does look that the new Southbound tunnel through Bank station could open on May 20th, which is a Friday.
Crossrail Opening
Transport for London’s journey planner provides some interesting information about TfL Rail services.
- May 1st – Slightly reduced service
- May 2nd to May 6th – Normal service
- May 7th to 8th – Slightly reduced service
- May 9th to May 19th – Normal service
- May 21st to 22nd – Slightly reduced service
- May 23rd to May 31st – Normal service
Note.
- The slightly reduced service has a few less early morning services and a possible reduced frequency. It only applies at weekends.
- Normal service is just that, although trains might not be stopping at all stations.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find, that Crossrail can open on any day, where normal service is running.
With the new Southbound tunnel of the Northern Line possibly opening on the 20th May, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Crossrail opening a few days before, so as to give the very busy part of the London Underground in the City of London, a good test.
The Crossrail Pedestrian Route Between Liverpool Street And Moorgate
I described this pedestrian route in London’s First Underground Roller Coaster and as it is part of the Crossrail pedestrian routes, I suspect it will open with Crossrail.
This picture shows a cross-section of the massive Liverpool Street Crossrail station, which will connect Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations when it opens in December 2018.
Note.
- Moorgate station is on the left.
- Liverpool Street station is on the right.
- In the middle looking like a giant juicer is the ventilation shaft in Finsbury Circus.
- The Crossrail tunnels, which consist of two running tunnels and a pedestrian walkway between them are at the deepest level.
- There are escalators and lifts all over the place.
The route will become an ideal walking route between Liverpool Street and Moorgate stations in heavy rain, for those who don’t want to get wet.
But it could open earlier, as it would test the pedestrian tunnels.
London Underground Tests Trains In New Northern Line Tunnel
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the International Railway Journal.
This is the first paragraph.
Testing of new tunnels at Bank on the London Underground (LU) system reached a major milestone on April 16 when two trains travelled through the new structures.
It looks like the project is going to plan.
From the picture, it looks like the interior decorators haven’t finished.
London’s Other New Underground Line
In the middle of next month, Phase One of London’s other new Underground line will open.
The Bank station upgrade may only be a short section of new Southbound tunnel and track for the Northern Line and a much expanded station, but it promises to do proportionally for the City of London, what Crossrail will do for the whole of London.
The lucky Ian of IanVisits has been allowed to descend into the depths of the new section of the station with his camera and has posted this report on his web site, which is entitled Behind The Scenes At Bank Tube Station’s Huge Upgrade Project. The report contains twenty-four revealing photographs.
If ever there was a must-read, then Ian’s article must be it.
Final Tunnelling Gets Underway On Bank Station Blockade
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Ground Engineering.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Four weeks into the closure of Bank Station for its capacity upgrade, main contractor Dragados is making good progress on all key activities, including final tunnelling works.
This has been traditional tunneling, that would have been familiar to those like the Victorians, where a lot of the digging has been done by hand, with the addition of smaller diggers and power tools.
The project seems to be on schedule for a mid-May opening.
Carry On Ducking And Diving
I have a Google Alert running on “bank station northern line closure” and it is only picking up factual reports generally based on the fact that the Northern Line will be closed for seventeen weeks between Moorgate and Kennington, like this report in The Sun.
I have been to Moorgate station a couple of times, and it actually seems rather quiet.
It would appear that Londoners are doing, what they do in times of trouble with public transport and go ducking and diving.
The weather hasn’t been too bad, so that probably explains why the likes of Disgusted from Tunbridge Wells have been silent.
Conclusion
Londoners will carry on ducking and diving!
A Last Look At Bank Station Before Shutdown
On Sunday, I took a last look at the Northern Line before its closure on January 15th until mid-May 2022.
Note.
- The tunnel without cladding on the wall is the Southbound tunnel.
- The Southern tunnel will be opened up and will become a platform for the Northern tunnel.
- The doors in the Southern tunnel will lead to the new Southern tunnel, which is a number of metres to the West.
- The last two pictures are on the Central Line.
I had a brief chat with staff and they are not sure yet, if the Waterloo and City Line will be open during the closure.
Heavy Fire Doors At Moorgate Stations – 6th December 2021
They’re certainly not stinting on safety in Moorgate station.
These doors will cut off the passages between Crossrail and the Northern Line.
London’s Newest Property Hotspot Has Been Revealed — And It’s On The NLE Tube Line
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Metro.
This doesn’t surprise me one bit.
Any new train or tram line, whether it is under or over the ground always creates a property hot spot.
That’s why London needs to develop the West London Orbital Railway, Crossrail to Ebbsfleet and New Bermondsey station as soon as possible, as the areas they serve need a lift.
On a wider view, it is also why reopening rail lines is such a good policy. Some might object to property hot-spots, but most residents of the UK, like it when property prices rise!
Waterloo & City line To Operate All Day By The End Of November
The title of this post, is the same as this article on City AM.
Hallelujah!
Here in Hackney, it’s our best route to Waterloo, as we have several buses to Bank. I have two; the 21 and 141.
Let’s hope the Drain continues to work during the Great Blockade in the New Year, whilst the Northern Line is connected to the new tunnel at Bank.
The Anonymous Widower 