Four stations, three railways and two sides of the river. There’s a lot of history to Blackfriars. For more on Forbes and Watkin: • The Circle Line Slapfight ko-fi.com/jagohazzard / jagohazzard
It's a great city, I've been multiple times and I've still got much too learn, it's got alot of interesting facts and areas you don't usually know about
The view from the Thameslink platform is a hidden gem. It’s protected from the weather, you can see Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, and various city landmark buildings. I also remember seeing an amazing fly past one VJ Day!
I have been to Vienna Hauptbahnhof on numerous occasions and also paid Vienna Westbahnhof a visit out of interest. At no point did I see any service to Blackfriars listed. Must have been served from Meidling.
I live in the Southwest United States, have never been to the UK, and have only been on a subway or "tube" once, about a dozen years ago. And yet, here I am, binge watching all of your fantastic videos! I don't know why, and I try not to question it. Keep up the great work!
For me, riding the Tube is a major reason to visit London. Last time I also went out of my way to take a short ride on the Elizabeth Line (and stumbled across this station in my subsequent explorations on the surface).
When I used to commute from Kent in the early 1950's, one or two electric trains would sometimes take the origional bridge (now demolished) and then go via the Ludgate hill platform (with the round window in the building-end) to Holborn Viaduct.
I regularly used Blackfriars to commute to my office on southbank, well not any more due to Covid. It’s a great station with really good views over the river and city. One bit you missed was the dubious continuity of Tom Cruise chasing a bad guy through Blackfriars in his Mission Impossible film. The bad guy walks along the platform to cross the river to get to Tate Modern, meanwhile Cruise chases him, runs through an office block seemingly next to Blackfriars, throws a chair through a window and jumps down onto the roof of Blackfriars station. We then see him running across the top of the roof before somehow getting down to ground level and running underneath the railway arch on the south side. Nobody got stopped at the ticket barriers !
Sounds a bit like the railroads around New York City. A lot of wealthy folks didn't like the idea of a bunch of railroad bridges across the Hudson (I'm not an expert on the history, but I'd imagine boating companies may also have put on some financial pressure; also, the Hudson at NYC is much wider than the Thames in London), so railroads were forced to enter Manhattan only by way of tunnels. Only one "classic" company based west of the Hudson, the mighty Pennsylvania Railroad, was able to build a tunnel under the river from New Jersey (a smaller rapid transit line, the Port Authority Trans-Hudson, also did so); all the other rail companies based west of the Hudson which claimed to serve NYC such as the Erie, Lackawanna, and Jersey Central were forced to terminate across the river in NJ and run ferries into Manhattan. And even then, until the tunnel was opened in 1910, the "Pennsy" itself required passenger ferry connections. One of the old rail/ferry terminals in Jersey City has been preserved with the old train shed and even destination signs. (The New York Central and New Haven, based respectively in NYC itself and east of the river, ran into Manhattan via land and relatively smaller bridges and tunnels.) To this day there's still only one mainline rail approach to Manhattan from the west; the old Pennsylvania RR tunnel. And it's now over 100 years old and in need of replacement, and as of now there's no shovel-ready plan for that.
andyjay729 I made a new england car tour bback in 2005and everything seemed in disrepair, at least from a continental europe perspective. I assume the infrastructures were very old, but thrashed too... It was a mayor dissapointment for a USA lover.
The Hudson is far more formidable than the Thames, but a bridge was initially planned to enter Manhattan from Jerseyside, but proved to be far too ambitious: www.6sqft.com/the-never-built-hudson-river-bridge-would-have-been-twice-the-length-of-the-george-washington-bridge/ In the event, the now famous tunnels were built. More here: jerseydigs.com/north-river-bridge-hoboken-history/ And: www.nycroads.com/crossings/hudson-river-bridge/
@@honestguy7764 Yes, a lot of the highways in the Northeast are pretty old. I think a lot of the newest ones were built in the '50s; some around NYC date back to the '30s. On top of all that there's the harsh climate, exacerbated by road salt in the winter. And of course no one wants to pay to fix things.
This gets my vote for most interesting and educational YT comment of the year! I am also just now realizing that this must be why, every time I’ve taken Amtrak into NYC, we’re always booking along until we get to that tunnel, and then everything slows down to a c r a w l.
The pub on the right heading out towards New Bridge Street north of the river is genuinely one of the most architecturally fascinating pubs in the entire country. Worth a visit
Excellent use of "footled" and "transpontine." One of the many reasons why I love your channel is your tongue-in-cheek narration. Also, as someone who has visited London only once (and liked it immensely), I like experiencing the city through your eyes. Thanks and keep up the great work!
I remember when me ol' mum was night editor at the Guardian opp Doggett's during the start of the Iraq war and she kept a prized "proof" edition of the first paper off the roll but day editors and new news soon had her name off the page :( She got me a bit of work with Newsflow which were the newspaper delivery vans that swarmed at around 4am between papers and stations for the newspaper trains, abs insane wage but miss your dropoff and you were out (as I found out) and was the few times the police turned a very blind eye to absolute manic driving and speeding, doing sixty down Grays Inn Road and sailing past parked police cars was cool as anything. I remember driving into Waterloo like I was in the Sweeney right up onto the platformy bit, handbrake turn, chaps had the bundles off and away and back again for the second load and it was foot to the floor all the way back.
I used to be in the Ambulance Service in London and we would have loved to do 60 down Grays Inn Road, until someone thought it would be a good idea to put 3 litre Holden engines into plastic bodied bread vans. Then we would regularly do 60 and more all over town. Oxford Street was the best, in and out of every traffic island, thems was the days.
Thanks! Yeah, things are getting a bit crazy, it’s not so long ago that it was a good day when I got two subscribers. I’m planning a couple more videos in that area - there’s a lot of history.
my beloved Blackfriars station .. a nice stroll from The Cut to get early trains to Gatwick i mostly used it for. But I was always around Southwark, my area, and the River. I'm noyt in London now and miss it deeply. Cool vid !
I seem to remember my father mentioning that the old piers of the bridge were not sound and would need extensive repair if required to carry weight again. BR did kinda not fight too hard in keeping the pillars there as the casements and foundations were solid and could be used again if demand was serious enough, I think they at one point filled the pillars with concrete to stop them shifting as there used to be straps and bands around them when the bridge was still extant.
I always thought Blackfriars was named after a Joes Cafe in the area where they kept burning the chips. It turns out though that it was actually named after a priory built in the 13th century of Dominican Friars who used to wear black hoods?
Blackfriars is cheap and easy to get to from Brighton plus it puts you in a good position to get anywhere on either side of the river. Plus it's simple, clean and easy to use also there is a lovely little pub on the north side just outside the station. Plus it has one of the best views whilst entering London.
I work at 160 Queen Victoria Street in Pre Covid times, just behind the blackfriar pub. I find the history of the area all very interesting. Im also a big fan of City Thameslink station.
They say you learn something new everyday.. Solar bridges! Not a regular Blackfriars user but I've used the cafe in the entrance. Another good video and great to see this channel grow, 50K subs coming soon, well deserved!!
I have long found London's hodgepodge of mainline stations to be charming as well as vexing in their quirky spatial relationship to each other. If one hadn't any advanced knowledge of their precise histories it might seem as if they were haphazardly sited by some capricious Monopoly player no doubt reveling in their idiosyncratic city planning habits. Out of the London termini Blackfriars, a station that seemingly can't make up its mind on whether it desires to be known a mainline terminus or regional through-station, perplexed me the most. Jago, in his unwavering commitment to bring light on those London transport topics most of us had before never given a moment's thought to, once again cures me of my ignorance through this most illuminating of presentations. Bravo, good sir!
Fascinating! I used to use Blackfriars daily when I lived in SW London and worked on the edge of the City (thank you Thameslink!), this was back in the 1990s to early 2000s when the station wasn't fully "transpontine". It was only when I had to use the station again a few years ago following a meeting in the area that I discovered the extent of the dramatic changes from when I used the station daily. It was barely recognisable, but I loved the views of the skyline from its glass walls, and snapped away with my phone's camera like a dry twig.
I love Blackfriars, the view from the platform is great especially at night. The Thameslink line is also far better than any of the other Southeastern commuter routes.
As a Northerner, I usually roll my eyes hard whenever anyone talks about London infrastructure, and the billions of stupid station names. But your presentation is good and I'm learning despite my prejudices :D
Great video. I had a contract in Lambeth and would cycle on a Boris bike daily over Blackfriars Bridge to Hatton Garden for lunch and so it is fascinating to have some historical context..Thanks!
I laugh so much at your videos, your mildly sarcastic presentation just gets me in fits of giggles. Thanks for giving me something to watch while waiting for my model railway glue to dry!
Great video. The historical stations in this area are a right mess, and a hundred years later we are still trying to unpick the incredibly comprehensive but illogical rail network bequeathed to us!
to get to such diverse destinations as ..... HOW COULD YOU MISS EAST CROYDON !!! lol :) have to say when i used to live in Brighton the Thameslink trains provided a very affordable (and quick) way to get to Victoria, cheaper than southern, but not the comfy seats you *used* to have on the gatwick express rolling stock. Have to say I really love your videos and one of the rare few i will stop eveything else, put it full screen and enjoy all the details and narration you have put together. Fingers crossed one day I'm walking thru your filming and I can spot myself :)
Been there just once -- last year. I admired the 'Shard' from its platform. I used to regularly use Aldwych Underground Station in the 50's. What a place! But it was close to Kings Chapel in the Savoy - so it was that . . . . or the Tram along the embankment. Hey-ho! And the double-decker Southern Railway trains from Charing Cross added to the fun!
Add an interesting tidbit,the Tram lines over both Blackfriars,and that other bridge,running a figure 8 services,serving South London,via Elephant &Castle,Mitcham,and other points! The night services ran on a 15 minute headway,now all bus! See,"The Wheels used to talk to us",a very interesting book,and Nemo Productions,did some paperbacks on the tram lines,by area,and also had a capsulated history of the lines,along with a roster,(including renumbering,which were notable)! More food for the fearless folk watching your great channel! Thank you,history is always interesting 👍!
The follow up bus services were for a time externally and internally were the 109B and 109W ( for services from Croydon). and 155B and 155W from Wimbledon and up the old route of Stane Street
Thank you for making my information more up to date! You are appreciated, and my guesses ate right for a change! All my data is not available where I now live,so I am working from pure memory! By the way,what was the other bridge,Waterloo,or ????
@@roberthuron9160 The embankment passes under Waterloo (there was an exit from the tram tunnel there for single deck trams to the lines that went to from the other bridge - Westminster. You will note the 109 and 155 oick up their common sections at Elephant and Castle to where all reads in london lead to
Ah so,Charlie Brown! I had a brain freeze,and a couple of cells didn't connect! I knew Waterloo was involved,but with no maps available,my visualization was very off! So,it was Westminister Bridge,and since you jogged my memory,I think Clapham,and Purley,as well as,Catford all contributed trams into those services: the 5/22,35,38,and 2/4,were lines operated! I hope I got it right,or close to it,as the lines South of the Thames were EVEN numbered,and those North were ODD numbers!Correct??
@@roberthuron9160 Not quite a fig 8 but it was a loop. Think you may be right on tram service numbering. The depots involved sound about right , I am not an expert on London Trams - I have a Willouby and Oakley Book on the table in front of me waiting to be read. and a misplaced ABC Ian Allan of 1951 reprint. Dont think there was a Depot at Catford - it would have been New Cross. (Walworth Brixton and Thornton Heath were the othermain ones in this context that would have supplied south london routes.
Excellent video and information. Can never tire of learning some more of London’s history, and particularly so of the railways. I’ve always loved the way a station name such as Blackfriars prolongs the memory of a history several hundred years earlier.
A couple of things (probably mentioned below, but who reads the comments, eh? Well, you, obviously, but...): The building immediately south of the river used to be the Daily Express building, and the first support - the one with the enormous coat of arms - was an adjunct to the tea room, apparently. In any case, you could see old men in suits being served meals on there, which wasn't terribly exciting at the time, even, but must have been a cool place to eat. And they knocked down the Daily Express building, that has to be a plus. The other thing is that you can catch trains from Blackfriars to Gatwick all through the night, and watching the dawn come up in summer from the southbound platform is almost impressive enough to distract you from the fact that you got up at three o'clock in the morning to catch an early plane. My favourite station. It also goes to Brighton. And Croydon. And Bedford, for that matter. Never been to Bedford, probably never will.
2:24 I'm lived my whole life in the Medway Town, where to know anything about the local railway history is to know about the rivalry between LC&DR and SER. A few highlights: Chatham Central Station - Not in Chatham, but right next to Rochester Station (the old one not the new one). Rochester Bridge Station - Next to Rochester Bridge but on the Strood side not the Rochester Side. Rochester Bridge(s) - The second railway bridge (now the only railway bridge) built by SER right next to the LC&DR Bridge because they had to get to Chatham as well. I think at one point we basically ended up with five mainline stations all in use (for a short while) within about a mile: Strood Station, Rochester Bridge Station, Rochester Station (the old one), Rochester Common Station and Chatham Central Station. And throughout history you've had seven stations in total, the other two being: the original Strood Terminus and the New Rochester Station, next to the old Rochester Common site. The fighting between the two companies may have been stupid and petty (it really was), but it sure made the railways of the south east a lot more interesting.
Great video! This is my favourite London train station. I live down in Kent, and coming up to London on a Spring or early Summer morning, with the sun shining over the river, as the train slowly comes to a halt on the station/bridge is magnificient.
A really good and informative video about London subway and railway passenger transports, showing history, unknown facts and other interesting details to all of us. Thank you very much for your work in research, filming, cutting and uploading your videos. Stay healthy and keep going on with your reports on London themes. Best greetings from Germany. Günter.
I share your delight in the views from Blackfriars Station, which I often use, or pass through on my way to Eurostar from my local station, Nunhead. I frequently choose that way into London over the Underground/Overground, just to enjoy the views of the river.
I visited the National Railway Museum earlier this year, before the plague happened, saw a Swiss (Integra Domino) signal box table somewhere in the depot, wondered how it got to England, took a photo, and only when looking at the photo at home I realized it was actually in use at Blackfriars.
Taschi The Integra was licenced to Henry Williams Ltd in the UK and British Rail Western Region used them extensively. Gloucester, Plymouth and Exeter still have them, and Swindon Panel has been preserved at Didcot Railway Centre and linked to a simulator. Great fun to work.
I didn't know any of that! Thanks for taking the trouble to make this video with such a laconic commentary. I haven't been to London for years, so it is interesting to know the old Blackfriars Bridge is now gone!
@Voltaic Fire I would interesting to observe how you interact with the denizens of ole London town, to actually see which party is responsible for your negative view point.
@Voltaic Fire fair enough, but it would have been interesting as i haven't experienced the problems you describe, not even in the environs of Hammersmith and charing cross hospital.
We've had Thameslink trains passing through Gravesend for about 2 years. Their destination is Cambridge via Abbeywood and Blackfriars. I'll try it out when the Crossrail services from Abbeywood start. Big changes since I used to commute into Cannon St in the 1970's
I used the dingy old Blackfriars back in 1999 up to about 2002 when I was working for Sainsbury’s, whose offices, like the original station, were in Southwark!
1993 and Maidstone East gets a third platform and a siding line for 'Thameslink 2000' services. In 2020 we are still waiting for a start date for through trains to Cambridge.
LOL! And I thought Southern California freeways were confusing (even for locals). I feel suddenly compelled to visit London just to experience the result of this fabulous history.
I like Blackfriars. Have taken the train to Gatwick twice from there in early rush hour. The view from the platform is great. It's sorta sad with us leaving to go home each time. Great video. When this covidemic is over, we will get back to London. Looking forward to your next video!
only bumped into this channel the other day (its amazing how you wend your way through the labyrinthine gulleys to end up somewhere interesting!) great channel well presented, I'm in for the ride…..
Great vid. Southwark was my pre-Covid stomping ground for a couple of years so very familiar with it. Finsbury Park to Blackfriars is a great way to get south of the river from north London without using the tube. Similarly Blackfriars to Farringdon is a great little hop that is otherwise tedious on the tube. One thing you didnt mention is the great way they have weaved the stairs to the platforms into the existing ironwork on the south side.
When it comes to having no relation between the name of a station and its location, the GWR were the undisputed masters. Bromham and Rowde halt, nowhere near either. Try a stroll from Westbury Station into town. I'd recommend wearing stout shoes and taking a packed lunch...
...and Yeovil Pen Mill. At least the Southern Railway's station for Yeovil, a very good yomp from the town centre, has the decency to call itself Junction.
I regularly use Blackfriars since our offices moved to Queen Victoria Street in 2016. The station feels and is very much like a stop on the line rather than a destination to meet for food or drinks cose by. Perhaps because it's midway between the City and Westminster there's not much going on around it in that sense. Although it's mainly functional, there are great views across the river from the platform. Since I'm always heading south of the river on the way back, my views are out towards the city. I'd never seen the supports for the old platform on the other side!
I remember travelling back from an A level conference from London to Bedford in the late 90s. Terribly late at night for a group of schoolgirls, but we did feel all grown up travelling to get instructions on what the examiners wanted to see on our scripts. I'm not a trainspotter per se, but Thameslink is an amazing service and close to my heart.
Superb stuff - it’s a station that I use far more these days as many London bound trains from redhill go to London Bridge / Blackfriars with thameslink rather than to Victoria.
Another awesome video. I've never seen an electrostar at Blackfriars, only 700s, but I've never spent more than half an hour there and have only visited a handful of times.
Our head office used to be south of the river from Blackfriars underground. It was pleasant walking across the bridge when I visited, but I always wondered about the red pillars. Between you and Geoff, I feel I now know much more about this familiar part of London,
