Exploring Arsenal, one of London's Shallowest Tube Station | Hidden London Hangouts (S03E24)
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- The team explore Arsenal station, formerly known as Gillsepie Road, one of the London's shallowest Tube stations.
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A late comment - sorry. I've only discovered your site today, so great job. As a person born and brought up in Highbury and Arsenal being my team for 60+ years, I much enjoyed this one, as Arsenal was my local tube station. One glaring omission (sorry), you did not cover, was how and why the name of the station was changed from Gillespie Rd to Arsenal. A certain Herbert Chapman (legendary manager of the 1930's) and the Arsenal board, worked very hard to get the name changed to the Arsenal. It was quite a battle I can tell you, but Herbert did it. I also used to love all of the wall posters from the ticket office, down to the train. The tube's posters are legendary too. I remember walking down there in 1962 with my mate Graham, whom I still keep in touch with, and seeing a poster featuring Dr No, the first James Bond film. to which we commented, "who the hell is James bond?" We soon found out......
That ‘chicken run’ is amazing. The former paramedic in me (my previous job of 20 years) asks how on earth do you have the physical work space to realistically attend to someone who’s collapsed? Cardiac arrest would be a nightmare. I can only imagine TFL have got plans in place. I’d be amazed if not.
Last week Hampstead, the deepest and this week Arsenal, one of the shallowist! Well done Fab Four, don’t know if you intended it but what a comparison! The fantastic engineering of those deep lift shafts at Hampstead and the absolute vandalism of removing that beautiful frontage at Arsenal and sticking up that ghastly white monstrosity!! It would look much better if they stuck posters for the Underground all over it, I’m sure Laura would agree to that! Thanks team keep up the great work.
Love your hair and mug, Siddy
You really shouldn't be surprised at the audience figures going up. You folks make a fantastic team and always deliver great videos for those that love the Tube.
LOVE YOU!!!! X
As it happens, ahem, the last Tube Station I entered when I left London, after a lovely long visit of a few weeks in blazing Summer 2018, was Arsenal. A Wednesday afternoon. COMPLETELY deserted, a short taxi ride from the Highbury Centre where I was staying (great place travellers...) and a NO CHANGE train ride all the way to Heathrow Terminal 3, and my flight back to New Zealand. Brilliant, unassuming, residential area, quiet Station --- except on Match Day!
Thank you so much Chris, Alex, Laura and Siddy 👍
Re: the lifts and emergency staircases, in 1994, i the last few weeks of Aldwych's operation, I was with a friend up in London, who was quite keen on old railway history and infrastructure, and since it was the evening rush hour, I decided to take her via Aldwych, which by then of course had the last surviving examples of the old lifts with the lattice or wooden gates, etc, and they were endeavouring to keep them in service as much as possible right up until the closure date. However, that evening they had both conked out for the day, and so we had to ascend the emergency stairs! My friend wasn't impressed, she said she'd never use the station again. I told her that was pretty much a foregone conclusion anyway!!
I did pay Aldwych one more return visit alone before it closed (in the final week, not the final day though), the lifts were working again, and all the "Aldwych" signs had already been removed from the platforms, any ones installed there since closure are therefore "reinstatements." (If it hadn't been for a few temporary paper signs affixed to the walls, trains would have been arriving and departing from "Strand" during the final week!!)
The nearest the UndergrounD has to a car park on the roof of the station is the new Hounslow West, The car park has been built on the original ground level station site, the trains now run underground there, but I think it turns away from its original route to reach the new platforms.
Great stuff as per !!!
I work Saturdays as part of a six day working week but your fab podcasts give me something to look forward to and get me through the day !!
Thanks again
Thank you guys, enjoyed as always. At least this week I wasn't stuck in Morrisons car park with a poorly van!!
My Nan lived in Elfort Road just around the corner from Arsenal for 100yrs. As a child I loved hearing the rumblings of trains going underground when I was almost asleep!
I have so much to catch. Haven't seen the last two episodes because I finally had a vacation in Iceland. Siddy, your country is amazing and I enjoyed every moment there.
Hi, guys! I've come to this series rather late so enjoying dipping in and out. I've used Arsenal station many times because I have friends who live nearby, just a couple of minutes' walk in fact. I remember it from before the "chicken run" was introduced and, to answer one of the questions, the old stadium has indeed been turned into housing.
"Gillespie Road" is (unlike York Road/York Way) still the name of the road that runs past Arsenal Station today. Also, it's one of the few Tube stations without any bus routes directly serving it. The nearest routes are in Blackstock Road, right up at the far easterly end of Gillespie Road.
Talking about TfL covering old signage to update it, recently I bought an old TfL Rail Chadwell Heath sign from the LTM Shop and when it arrived me and me dad noticed that it was an older Great Eastern sign from 2004 covered in a vinyl , it’s definitely made me happier because now I own something with a bit of history and I will definitely cherish
When they renamed Surrey Docks station to "Surrey Quays" in the early 90's, they replaced the signs a week or two early, and then stuck vinyls reading "Docks" over the word "Quays!!" One or two were removed early by mischievous zealots, before the official renaming took place!!
Great episode as usual! Regarding an additional station between Manor House and Turnpike Lane, I found this in the late Mike Horne's "The Piccadilly Tube": 'A pair of stations had originally been intended for Harringay, at St Anne's Road and Turnpike Lane; the former was deleted to keep average speeds high...in substitution for a proposed third track between Finsbury Park and Wood Green.' Bear in mind that one of the original purposes of the GNSR (before the GNPBR) was to siphon commuter traffic off of the busy Great Northern out of King's Cross.
By the way, I think the ventilation shaft is in Colina Road: www.google.com/maps/@51.5838599,-0.0996034,3a,82.9y,12.44h,93.03t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swPgqz4lby0D67f1kzPizMA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192.
Thanks guys. Another great video, something very different this week which is always a treat. That's another station I have to visit then, if even to confirm the pink ness of the tiles.
Dazzle we need your colour interpretations!
I’m finally going back to London in august for the first time since January 2020. I’m so looking forward to looking at tiles! I think I’ve finally become an adult!
Come and say hi to us
Kess loves Siddy Holloway! 🐩🐩🐩
Regarding Hatton Cross, I remember that rumour about the car park being above the station.
If memory serves, and it may be that it doesn't, there was an idea of putting the car park at ground level, with the station underneath.
Space was always at a premium at the southern edge of the airport.
It always amused me that the trains towards the airport came up to the surface for a very short time close to Hatton Cross and then dived back down into the station.
I remember feeling really sad when the old Hounslow West went in favour of the current sub-surface one.
At least the original entrance to Hounslow West survived, it was only the platform areas that were replaced.
I think the chook run is cool never done it but could imagine trying to navigate it with a few to many pinot's on board would be very funny thanks 😊
Sir Henry Norris, The Arsenal Chairman and Herbert Chapman who was the manager at the time was the ones who persuaded the London Underground to change the name from Gillespie Road to Arsenal under a 99 year lease....That time has passed , but not sure what the deal with the name is now.
I wondered when the club's move to the Emirates Stadium took place, whether the station name may have reverted to Gillespie Road, indeed I remember reading that the idea had been discussed at the time, as both Holloway Road and Drayton Park (Network Rail) are nearer, but are unable to cope with the large crowds on match days, and now both have to close for periods before and after games, so the "Arsenal" name was retained to encourage fans to still use it. Btw, I've not been in the Emirates Stadium (yet, I'd like to), but my late father was a keen football and cricket fan, and I've lost count of the number of times I went to the old Highbury ground as a kid....he was quite tight with cash...we usually ended up going to watch the reserve team matches!!
I have just found your You tube channel and I’m catching up on previous episodes. After watching the episode on Arsenal I can confirm that the old Highbury Stadium has been converted into flats. At least 3 of the 4 stands have been converted to flats. It is a listed place so they couldn’t pull it down. Love your channel and keep up the good work.
Great episode thank you.
Back of the net Chris and Alex lads night out would be epic
As kids we were the usual little sods..my brother (aged about 10 and me 7yrs old) decided a boring Sunday round our Nan's needed some entertainment...we decided to hop on a train from Arsenal to well, anywhere! Who cared, we were kids only we had no idea about paying for tickets so we rode up to the end of the line then back again. Got "collared" for not buying a ticket on our way out of Arsenal and my brother actually left me there as ransom til he ran like hell leather to haul my parents back to pay for my "release". Those were the days!!
Just caught up last night. Was hanging out with Farmer Rayner's relatives in Oklahoma during the live broadcast. Another good one team!
Happy Christmas
Hi Team, another fun episode, so love the old Gillespie road station building, such a shame they didn't just extend the old style one, do not like the new station building it stands out like a sore thumb 💖👍
Yes, it doesn't look like they've changed it again much since that "act of vandalism" in the 30's though, apart from the renovation of the mosaic roundel, which has been done just once (so far!!) and the addition of that tiny roundel up high on the right hand side, at a right angle to the wall, which must be a recent addition. You can only see the latter in the opening sequence behind Siddy and Chris, it isn't there in the 30's (11:09) or the 80's (16:08).
The 'chicken run' horrifies me, I'm afraid. I sincerely hope it's VERY well monitored during crowds, as it's a crush disaster waiting to happen otherwise.
I loved watching this! I miss visiting London, the virus has impeded my visits two times already. My favourite bit is always the travelling on the railways especially the DLR. I think I should visit Covent Garden as well to see what's new at the transport museum.
I hope you sit in the driver’s seat on the DLR. highlight of my day!
@@alexgrundon2346 I once managed to be on the front of the third carriage, but never on the front of the first carriage.
Dylan I will show you my sharp elbows sometime. Always works 🤣
@@alexgrundon2346 I'm not British, so as a foreigner I would not try that. I would be told to go back to my country. (That's what some foreigners get told over here when they try to get a advantage over locals)
Come and ride on the DLR with me. I’ll look after you.
Hi Alex, I know that you support the "other" north London club, but as I'm an Arsenal season ticket holder, I've been travelling to this station since the mid 1970s. The station is not very deep, but it is a long walk from the entrance to the platforms, especially after a defeat! I love the old signage on the platforms of the stations former name.
I spend some 35 years living by both the old and new stadiums, and never saw a match, but now I’m out of it, no more fans in Drayton Park, no more fouling up the tubes, so nice to be living somewhere else.
I used to live the far side of Wood Green, just a mile as the crow flies from the Spurs ground. My family and most of my mates supported Spurs, so I had to be different and support the team from over the hill. Up the Gunners!
@@peebee143 So pleased I’m now somewhere else in the universe and not Highbury, but miss some of my old haunts.
I’m sadly not a fan of football at all but family loyalty suggested I should be a Gunners supporter, even though I much prefer blue to red!
@@alexgrundon2346 Me neither Alex, when I lived Highbury, would often get asked whether I was an Arsenal fanatic when showing no interest in the game.
So enjoy these videos, I have a London underground way sign out in my home in New Zealand, grew up in High Barnet.
The poster added by Laura, I think dates back to 1919. It was a 0-0 draw so it would seem the the poster was much better than the match!
Rather interestingly, when the station was rebuilt in the early 1930s, an extra tunnel was dug to platform level from the main access passage in anticipation of increased traffic, thinking that the Luftwaffe bombed the front of the station, the original Leslie Green red block was rebuilt to its current state, or rebuilt due to subsidence, be interesting to see what this video will show.
Finally got to sit and watch this episode. Since I'm a huge football fan (Newcastle United though...) I really enjoyed it. Good football stadiums must be accessible via public transport. The one thing that really annoys me about Arsenal station is that it's closed after the final whistle and the police direct the fans to either Caledonian Rd or to Finsbury Park.
Love your stream, any update on the Elizabeth Line fully running services from Shenfield to Reading?
Finsbury Park station has a almost similar layout, a sloping passageway from the entrances to the stairs and lifts to the platforms, which are fairly shallow as well
Am I the only one that recalls the response when Arsenal lost a match? We used to call them ArseNil. Aside from that, this is one of many stations that has been ruined by modernisation. They could easily have extended the building and kept the original look.
When the new stadium opened, Victoria Line staff were asked to attend the “Time to Talk” sessions that LUL were doing at the time. We went to a conference room in the new stadium and were given lots of Arsenal gifts and Victoria line gifts. I don’t support Arsenal so I gave the Arsenal goodie bag to another colleague at Cobourg Street. Kept the Victoria line stuff though! 😂
In the photo of the crowd of 'peaky blinders' - do you think the man a third of the way in at the front is sticking up his middle finger or just holding a cigarette? ☺
Arsenal! ❤️🤍
I thought it would be nice to live above Russell Square or Goodge Street station. There is enough space behind those arches 😃 Shame they just rode this facade down, but the parts from Euston really need to be preserved - unless they don’t build HS2 now, that is
Three observations - 1st - why did they re-tile the Gillespie Rd platform? I know they enlarged the station but, the platform & the track wasn't relocated, so why redo it?
2nd - that Chelsea/Arsenal match poster. Admission to the game was only 1/- (that's 5p to you young lot). Blimey !! A bit different today.
And, 3rd - yes, that original stadium became housing built around the pitch, so most of the original pitch is still there.
If you were to visit London for the first time Which Tube line Would you choose Where would you travel from and which station would you travel to and why
NORTHERN LINE! High Barnet to Morden - either branch. The history, the colours, the story.
Another great programme, really enjoying the series and learning a lot about the Underground.
Are the team aware of a Two Ronnies sketch on CZcams titled
'London Rail Stations' It features the pair as railway staff on a tube train(studio mock-up)getting as many London station names into an ordinairy conversation as possible. Very clever and funny.See how many you can spot!
Christ and Roger Taylor. Lincolnshire.
It was sensational!!!
@@alexgrundon2346 Thanks for the reply Alex. Glad you enjoyed it. By the way, it is Chris not Christ!!! Typing error.
I didn’t know whether to thank you or pray to you.
I think a lot of stations try to crowd control by trying to encourage to migrate around stations in certain ways sometimes it’s not the shortest or quickest
Indeed so and not just that Association Football thing.
Even the five day delight that is Test Cricket at Lord's has to succumb to crowd control capers at St. John's Wood.
The number of times that I have berated myself for being too excited to remember to ignore the match day signs directing us in the opposite direction to the way out from reality. Instead of going through a cross passage to arrive at the bottom of the escalator shaft, you groan as it opens out to...
the other platform.
First world problems!
LondonReconnections.com took a look at the history of the station here www.londonreconnections.com/2015/its-arsenal-round-here/
Have they forgotten an A between the E and the N in Arsenal?
Hello everyone, are you all aware that since Arsenal had opened the huge, large Emirates stadium, the nearest railway/tube station is Finsbury Park? This station is, of course, served by Great Northern (part of Thameslink), Piccadilly line and the Victoria line? The station is significantly larger than Arsenal tube station. Now with regards to my previous question regarding whether or not the Central line 92 Tube Stock had been fitted with new motors, I had asked this because there was a plan for the 92 Tube Stock to receive a new traction package, in order to improve reliability of the 92 Tube Stock trains. Finally when Crossrail/Elizabeth line opens, it will be interesting to see if it attracts passengers from the Central line and relive crowding, pressure and strain on the Central line, as it parallels the Central line east to west or west to east. It will be interesting to see the passenger ridership statistics for the both the Central line and Crossrail/Elizabeth line, once the latter begins operating services.
Best wishes and take care. Kind regards, Peter Skuce. St Albans. Hertfordshire.
The nearest station to the Emirates station is actually Holloway road. Finsbury park is quite a walk from the Emirates.
Is it prone to flooding?
Hi way do people call the underground or the underground map, The tube or the tube map............Pete (OLDBOYSTEAMING).