GES124 Brompton Rd Tube

As with other ghost stations, Brompton Road station had a short life. Only 1906 until 1934, where, like other closed stations, it was underused. In the run up to WWII, the station was sold to the War Office. They converted the lift shafts into offices as well as the platforms being walled off and used. Since the 1950s the station is used by University Air and Naval Squadrons. The tracks, platforms and some of the areas above the platforms are still owned by the tube. There is a link between the upper occupier and the track area, but it is locked off and access prohibited. Access is only possible via track level.
I explored this by myself, the second station I've done solo and third in total. This was by far the most terrifying and adrenalin-fuelled.

Something not shared with other closed stations, is the actual name of the station still in situ. Certainly of the ones i've visited. I immediately like this station, as the sense of period and history was still there. The Lesley Green tiles were all still there behind the bricked off platform. The station seemed to have two halves. One half with the brown, green and cream tiles, the other with dark green and cream painted walls.

Another shot of the tiling. You can also see here the bricked off sections behind the wall and the passage through. The steps lead to a crossover.

Looking the other way from above, and more of the sections. Originally these would have been separate sections and used for different purposes during the war.

Strangely the westbound side of the crossover passage here was fenced off with a gate in for track access. The Eastbound side was open to the tracks. The track power indicator shows off, but I didn't want to find out if this was so. One is always respectful of the live rails when exploring metro systems.

The eastbound platforms, this area is documented as having been used as a communications centre and teleprinter area during the war. Two track bridges can be seen passing through here. One leads to a vent area, the other with a square grill in leads to a padlocked gate and the building above. I don't know why, mainly the sense of history, but I really loved the paint scheme here. It added to the feeling I'd walked into somewhere pretty much untouched for over 60 years, which I had.

On the Westbound platform was this long section, it was used for briefings and relaxation. The white painted wall at the end was used for briefings and as a cinema.

Crossover tunnel half way down the above picture to the Eastbound tracks.

Close up of the cinema screen from one of the above pics. Once upon a time it would have been white. Pipe ninja doesn't smoke, so is fine with the smoking policy here.

Up some dusty steps was this passage which cross the tracks as a bridge mentioned earlier. It was horribly dusty down here, and got worse. One doesn't imagine many people coming down here.

The remains of a ventilation fan, you can see the fan blades at the back as it's stood upright.

A very dusty old lift shaft where the fan above presumably once sat. You can see how the conversion of the building after closure, has seen the building encroach into the lift shaft, which would have been round once. Apologies for poor photo, it was a bugger to light.

Looking down onto the tracks from the dusty corridor bridge. I don't know if I can really describe why I find this so beautiful, it's mostly connected to a mixture of being somewhere one shouldn't and wandering around transport infrastructure by oneself late at night.

Eastbound tracks and the gate with the crossover. One thing I definitely don't like about the tube, from a photography perspective, is the lens glare from the lights.

Westbound tracks and the open side of the crossover tracks. I've lost count of the number of times i've passed here in a train and thought about this station. Peering through the carriage windows trying to identify something of the station. It was good to finally be here.

At one end of the platforms was this set of stairs that originally went to the lifts and from them the original surface ticket hall. A vacuum cleaner was left on the steps, and a lonely pipe ninja get's some cheap thrills. How can you not love the great tiling here.

Bricked off area of the station, through here is the access to the converted lift vents and the surface station.

Door to the rest of the former station. The identical laminated notices make reference to the occupier of the upper building and that if you get through this gate, you can expect to find a locked door to the surface.

Looking through the door and beyond. The tiles still continue on what looks like a few empty sections. I could have placed the camera better for this. It's an odd thing, when you're exploring somewhere you could end up in a lot of shit for being in, by yourself, logic and common sense just fly out the window, or up the tracks.

Looking East up the tracks to the next station. The wind picked up in the tunnel at this point, so fearing a service train, I decided to make myself scarce.

Many thanks to Mr X for working with me to suss out access routes, and Mr. Y for rental services. This explore will go down amongst my favourite.

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