Elephant & Castle tube station
Encyclopedia
Elephant & Castle tube station is a station on the London Underground
system. It is located in the London Borough of Southwark
and on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1
and 2
. The station is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line
between Kennington
and Borough
, and is the southern terminus of the Bakerloo Line
, the next station being Lambeth North
.
(C&SLR). The Baker Street & Waterloo Railway
(BS&WR) station opened on 5 August 1906, five months after the rest of the line. Although belonging to separate companies, the platforms were connected below ground from 10 August 1906.
The C&SLR station was similar in design to the station at Kennington. It was partially rebuilt in the 1920s when the C&SLR tunnels were modernised, and was rebuilt during the construction of the Elephant & Castle shopping centre and roundabout in the 1960s and again at the start of the 21st century, reopening on 12 December 2003. The BS&WR station building remains much as originally constructed and is a typical Leslie Green
structure. The main alteration is a modern glass-sided and glass-topped flat-roofed extension abutting the original western elevation, giving access to three of the six arches. These arches, in a classic deep-red faience style, formed the original perimeter: two are infilled with street-facing shops.
The first baby to be born on the underground was born at the station in 1924. Press reports claimed that she had been named Thelma Ursula Beatrice Eleanor (so that her initials would have read T.U.B.E.) but this story later proved false, and she was named Marie Cordery.
. To get from either ticket hall to the platforms it is necessary to use lifts or very narrow and steep spiral stairs.
The northern building provides the most direct access to the Bakerloo Line, while the southern one is linked more directly to the Northern Line. From inside the station, the northern exit is labelled as the London South Bank University
exit and it is at the southern tip of the triangular campus. Visitors who turn right on leaving this exit will see signs to the university. (Some but not all exit signs also mention the Imperial War Museum
.) The southern exit is labelled the Shopping Centre exit and the exit for interchange to National Rail.
The Castle Sandwich Bar is to the left of the Bakerloo line entrance. Between them is the entrance to South London House, an office block above the station. As Elephant & Castle also functions as a drivers' depot, London Underground uses the buildings over the station for administration and drivers' accommodation.
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London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
system. It is located in the London Borough of Southwark
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
and on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1
Travelcard Zone 1
Fare zone 1 is the central zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services. For most tickets, travel through the zone is charged...
and 2
Travelcard Zone 2
Fare zone 2 is an inner zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services.-Background:...
. The station is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
between Kennington
Kennington tube station
Kennington tube station is a London Underground station in Newington/ Walworth on Kennington Park Road, on both the Charing Cross and Bank branches of the Northern Line. Its neighbours to the north are Waterloo on the Charing Cross branch and Elephant & Castle on the Bank branch; the next station...
and Borough
Borough tube station
Borough tube station is a London Underground station in The Borough area of the London Borough of Southwark. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line between Elephant & Castle and London Bridge stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1....
, and is the southern terminus of the Bakerloo Line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
, the next station being Lambeth North
Lambeth North tube station
Lambeth North tube station is a London Underground station in the neighbourhood of Lambeth, at the junction of Westminster Bridge Road and Baylis Road. It is on the Bakerloo line, between Elephant & Castle and Waterloo, and is in Travelcard Zone 1...
.
History
The station was built in two stages. The Northern Line station opened on 18 December 1890 as part of the first deep-level tube, the City & South London RailwayCity & South London Railway
The City and South London Railway was the first deep-level underground "tube" railway in the world, and the first major railway to use electric traction...
(C&SLR). The Baker Street & Waterloo Railway
Baker Street and Waterloo Railway
The Baker Street and Waterloo Railway , also known as the Bakerloo tube, was a railway company established in 1893 that constructed a deep-level underground "tube" railway in London...
(BS&WR) station opened on 5 August 1906, five months after the rest of the line. Although belonging to separate companies, the platforms were connected below ground from 10 August 1906.
The C&SLR station was similar in design to the station at Kennington. It was partially rebuilt in the 1920s when the C&SLR tunnels were modernised, and was rebuilt during the construction of the Elephant & Castle shopping centre and roundabout in the 1960s and again at the start of the 21st century, reopening on 12 December 2003. The BS&WR station building remains much as originally constructed and is a typical Leslie Green
Leslie Green
Leslie William Green was an English architect known especially for his design of iconic stations constructed on the London Underground railway system in central London during the first decade of the 20th century....
structure. The main alteration is a modern glass-sided and glass-topped flat-roofed extension abutting the original western elevation, giving access to three of the six arches. These arches, in a classic deep-red faience style, formed the original perimeter: two are infilled with street-facing shops.
The first baby to be born on the underground was born at the station in 1924. Press reports claimed that she had been named Thelma Ursula Beatrice Eleanor (so that her initials would have read T.U.B.E.) but this story later proved false, and she was named Marie Cordery.
The station today
The station has two surface buildings, widely separated by the northern of the two roundabouts. There are no escalators. At the more northerly (Bakerloo) one, entrance is through the original entrance and exit is through the new extension, adjoining Skipton HouseSkipton House
Skipton House is a high specification office building in Elephant and Castle, Central London.It was built for a Japanese bank and then sold on to accommodate staff of the Department of Health who were moved out of Alexander Fleming House. The project architect was Paul Cayford. Its address is 80...
. To get from either ticket hall to the platforms it is necessary to use lifts or very narrow and steep spiral stairs.
The northern building provides the most direct access to the Bakerloo Line, while the southern one is linked more directly to the Northern Line. From inside the station, the northern exit is labelled as the London South Bank University
London South Bank University
London South Bank University is a university in south London. With over 25,000 students and 1,700 staff, it is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name...
exit and it is at the southern tip of the triangular campus. Visitors who turn right on leaving this exit will see signs to the university. (Some but not all exit signs also mention the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
.) The southern exit is labelled the Shopping Centre exit and the exit for interchange to National Rail.
The Castle Sandwich Bar is to the left of the Bakerloo line entrance. Between them is the entrance to South London House, an office block above the station. As Elephant & Castle also functions as a drivers' depot, London Underground uses the buildings over the station for administration and drivers' accommodation.
Transport links
London bus route 1, 12, 35, 40, 45, 53, 63, 68, 100, 133, 148, 155, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 196, 333, 343, 360, 415, 453, 468, C10, P5, Express route X68 and night bus route N1, N35, N63, N68, N89, N133, N155, N171 and N343.External links
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