GES130 Swiss Cottage Tube
This one was almost done a long time ago, but due to it's ease of access, it wasn't necessary to worry about doing it, when there are so many other places to 'visit,' As my usual co-horts were otherwise engaged, I was left at a loose end. With nothing much else of interest to me, I decided to tick this one of the list. It's distance from the most common access point put me off a little, and the fact others had come a cropper down here meeting workers and service trains. I was a understandably a little apprehensive. However building work at a previous stop had presented a very easy way to remove 800m of tunnel running, and within a few minutes I was looking up empty tunnels lit up by the out of service lights. A last look into the starry night sky, and I jogged cautiously up the tracks, keeping eyes and most importantly ears alert from problems.
Distance doesn't seem to be very far when jogging up tunnels, as was clear when we legged it to B&B. It's clear that the fear factor seems to speed time up, and the process of getting to your destination seems almost instantaneous. Another factor is that the station has an open area before it, so that takes up some of the distance. On leaving the single track tunnel, it becomes a double track tunnel and around the curve the station. This is a photo looking North at the start of the station from the Southern end.
A shot across the tracks at the Southern entrance to the station. As with sewers, one can't help but be amazed at the amazing brickwork involved in constructing this tunnel. Equally the sheer number of man-hours put into this mammoth task.
This is the only real 'platform' that's left. The fire escape goes to the operational station. Next time you're in the Jubi1ee line station building for here, one of the doors you see in the surface building leads down to this mostly forgotten ghost station. The sign on the wall indicates the station's status.
The tunnel as it twists off to the left heading North to the next station, Finchley Rd, the first station on this line since Baker St.
Looking up through vents in the ceiling above the tracks, one can see the illuminated roundel logo for the Jubilee line station.
On the left side of the tracks as one approaches the station from the South (this photo is looking south) are a number of doorways in the side of the station. They didn't seem to really serve a purpose that I could put my finger on, nor could one construe them as being for artistic or design purposes. So I left scratching my head a little.
This is the area behind the entrances in the side of the tunnel as seen above. Again, no real clue as to why they were here. Not wide enough for storage or machines. Odd.
At the station, there are lots of fans and equipment tucked away. They start at random (to the uninvited visitor) times and it makes one jump. So After grabbing a few pics of the mostly featureless station, it was off back down the tunnel from whence i had emerged. Feeling more confident I walked back, looking at the walls and smaller details of the track as I did. Relishing the moment and sucking up the odd ambience of the tunnel. Unlike zero clearance tunnels, these ones had little alcoves every now and again. So you wouldn't be totally squished if meeting an oncoming train.
Getting back out onto the road, it was nice to settle the nerves and let the heart return to a normal rhythm.
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