Waterloo East: The Other Waterloo Station 

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Oh, come on Mr H! Samuel Smiles isn' a real name! It's obviously made up. It's probably an alias of Charles Yerkes!

I absolutely love the story about the Waterloo Junction ‘interruption’.

Interesting similar story: In ye olden days of slam-door, non-walkthrough trains on the Chiltern Line, young couples found that, if they had a carriage all to themselves of an evening, there was a 12 minute window between leaving Marylebone and arriving at Harrow-on-the-Hill where, usually in the stretch of track in the St. John's Wood and Hampstead tunnels, they would often join what was known as the 'Mile-Low Club' . . . . Whatever that means 😉😉😉

9:33 My grandmother, who lived until 1987, called it Waterloo Junction all her life. (She also always referred to "3rd Class", despite it being renamed in 1956.)

So now I want a video on the live and crimes of your lawyer!😊

The fact that the old connection bridge still remains, fascinates me. I hope it never gets taken down as it is a wonderful piece of (as someone once advised me it is called) urban geology - even though it is over, rather than under the ground?!?! Still, long may it stand!

I associate this station, in pre modern pedestrian bridge times, with fried egg and chips followed by ginger cake. I used to travel through there to get from home in Clapham Junction to my great grandmother's house in Slade Green. She always had the same meal ready.

Waterloo East is an extremely useful connection for SWR passengers coming in to Waterloo who need the West-End or London Bridge, as it offers that connection to Charing Cross or London Bridge for free being included your normal Waterloo terminus ticket, whereas you'd have to pay to do the same journey by tube unless of course you have a travelcard.

8:23 wasn't expecting flint knapping on trains

Ladies of negotional affection is the term you are after

I found myself in Waterloo Road and decided to talk up those stairs which I probably hadn't done in 20 years. I staggered to my platform on jelly legs and gasping for breath. Won't be doing that again.

The confusing platform arrangement at the original Waterloo was extensively sent up by Jerome K Jerome in 'Three Men And a Boat'.

Wait, what??! So Waterloo Sunset ISN'T a station?

I can remember back in 1991 (same time as operation Desert Storm) taking a train from Waterloo East to Blackheath to an 'Hotel', i use the term loosly (Access, Barclaycard and DHSS cheques accepted). I was attending a week long course in Rotherhithe and took the train daily to New Cross to get a connection. Every morning, for the trip to New Cross on the station amongst the silent hoards, the Station 'Master' would pop out and insert a finger sign in a post on the platform to indicate what the next train was. Ah, them were the days.😅

We need to start a Crowd Fund Raiser to get Jago's lawyer out of jail. That or find him a better lawyer. That comment made me laugh.

Heavy. I had no idea that Waterloo East even /had/ any street level buildings or access of its own: I've just assumed that the footbridge from Waterloo was the only access.

When this popped up, I assumed it was YT playing silly buggers, because I was sure I'd already watched your Waterloo East video. But, no, this seemed to be a brand new film. So I watched it. And all the way through I had this feeling that I'd seen it before. Am I finally going mad?

6:00 --and for shunting military trains to go deal with the angry Martians coming up from Horsell Common. (Why does that one little detail of the book stand out so vividly? Oh well....)

The eponymous battle in 1815 would have been lost if it had been down to the bickerings of various train companies. Wellington would have met his Waterloo on platform 1.

That story of what used to happen on the trains can't be right. Are you really implying that there was 1½ minutes between stations? I think not!

not got to vid end but if you go "you are the interruption to my performance"

8:30 "perform their professional duties...so Waterloo Junction was added to the journey to provide an interruption" LOL! That moment when 19th century railway executives decided working commuters should no longer be allowed to lie back in their seats and think of England... :D

I guess your next challenge is to take a train from Waterloo,England to Waterloo (Gare de Waterloo) in Belgium. Apparently it can be done in just over 3 hours…..🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇧🇪🇪🇺

Back in the mid 1980's until about 2004 I regularly used Waterloo East. Fond memories of the station.

6:24 I've always loved the absolutely farcical passage in "Three Men in a Boat" where the three men (and the dog, but not the boat!) try to catch a train to Richmond from Waterloo. This explains the utter madness that unfolds.

My nan lived not far from here at Mead Row 1950 to 1970. The episode 'The Miracle Tea Party' of The Saint with Roger Moore begins with him coming out of Waterloo station, with the British Railways logo seen on the side of the station. New cross also has lettered platforms A to D.

Waterloo East is probably one of the most useful connections for people wishing to visit the south West from the south east and vice versa. Waterloo has so many connections that quickly being able to switch to one from is vital. Also the fact you can be in Sidcup and half an hour later be on a train to Bournemouth is incredible.

Arent there 4 Waterloo or ex Waterloo Stations.

I do kinda find it fascinating those situations where if your train is stuck at one “station” you can walk to the next one without having to go outside. They just added that a few years ago here at NYCT. You can walk from 5th Avenue station on the 7 line to Times Square, where the 7 also stops, without leaving subway. If your tube train is stuck at Southwark, you can get up to Waterloo and not need to walk on the street.

The confusing layout at Waterloo even gets a mention in literature. The protagonists in the comic novel _Three Men in a Boat_ start their journey by train from Waterloo to Kingston-upon-Thames, but can't find the train in question. They resort to bribing an engine driver to take them.

The way you say Verizon hurts my ears. Sounds more like "horizon". It's less of a media conglomerate and more our local telephone company here in New York.

"You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me. " 19th-20th century railway companies lore

1978?...I guarantee that the station was referred to as 'Waterloo East' rather earlier than that...I lived in London from 1963 and used both Waterloos regularly...dgp/uk

1:06 are they still using Stagecoach livery? How many years have they had the franchise?

Having now visited every London Underground station, I now fancy visiting other modes on the Tube map, including the South Eastern stations

I spent a lot of time commuting via Waterloo East. During the Olympics, they put a barrier down the middle of the passenger footbridge to stop people from walking on the right (instead of staying on the left). Sadly, that was taken away. On one occasion I went over the footbridge and idiots had all tried to come over on the right side of the footbridge in both directions. Each side only left room for one passenger to squeeze out on the left and ate up all the rest of the space. Nobody came onto the tannoy to tell people to "GET OVER ONTO THE LEFT AND BACK UP" and the entire thing became a logjam. I'm surprised nobody got crushed to death. It took 40 minutes to get across the footbridge. There was literally nothing causing this except passengers being impatient and the space for passengers not being able to cope with poor passenger flow. On the Waterloo East side of the bridge, near the bit that splits up into the routes to the different platforms, there used to be ticket machines...and signs showing you where trains would leave from. This would cause chaos as people would stand there and foot traffic would rapidly back up. Ideally, Waterloo East should be rebuilt, with the area on the east end of the footbridge massively expanded and the three existing platforms replaced by two island platforms (one that has all the Charring Cross trains and the other that has all the London Bridge trains). If that was done, there would be no reason for anyone to wait on the footbridge between Waterloo and the new Waterloo East platforms. The footbridge also needs a tannoy system and there needs to be a permanent crowd control team that forces passengers to stay on the left side of the footbridge.

Samuel Smiles, best known as the author of Self-Help? At times in his life he advocated the nationalization of the railways…

I used to end up here all the time before HS1. I hated schlepping all the way along that footbridge!

station needs a clean up, still looks the same as it did when I started using it from beckenham in the early 00's lol

Mayhaps someone will allow our dear intrepid Jago to visit the old footbridge/line and create a filum about what remains there?

And there ws me thinking this wS about the novelty tube line to Sefton.

There's something you say in this that set me to thinking. IN many of your videos you've mentioned that every single Railroad coming into London really, really wanted to open a station in the CIty of London, not a tube station but a reallyo truly, full fledged station. Yet looking at a Google map of London it looks like no one ever did open one in the City. Am I wrong and just bad at reading maps? If so what is the station. If I am reading it properly than what is the closest station to the City of London? My apologies if you have already answered that question.

Waterloo East, AKA: Blue Balls Junction.

8:08 As I understand it all SER trains from Charing Cross ran via Cannon Street where they reversed to go to London Bridge and beyond. That is why until the Thameslink upgrade the south side of the Borough Market triangle (the one giving direct access between London Bridge abnd Waterloo East/ Charing Cross) had only two tracks whilst the east and west sides of the triangle had four tracks. With changing operating patterns, and most trains going to Charing Cross (with fewer to Cannon Street and none at all between the two) this became the most intensively-worked double track railway in the UK. The Thameslink upgrade included a second pair of tracks on the triangle - Charing Cross trains now use these, whilst Thameslink uses the original pair.

Prior to being Waterloo East, it was called Waterloo (Eastern). Actually calling it "East" still caused confusion because some innocent passengers assumed the next station would be Waterloo (proper).

Although it wasn't the City, it would have been much easer and cheaper for the LSW to extend to Charing Cross than it was for the SER which, among other things, had to move St. Thomas' Hospital.

The 1960's Southern region trains , ( now SWT ) , often used ( closed compartments , 8 :18 ) between the non stop bit between Surbiton and Waterloo .... Perfect for some ( multiple ? ) shenanigans 😝..... OMG ...... DAVE™🛑

Every time I hear 'Waterloo' reminds me of that song by ABBA!!! 😉😄🚂🚂🚂

I find it funny that Waterloo East station has platforms shown in Alphabetical order. Platform A, B, C and D. Instead of Platforms 1-4. And also South Western Railway should start introducing the Class 701 Arterios on the Shepperton, Chessington South, Woking, Guildford and Reading services. And Southeastern now has all 30 Class 707 City Beam trains.

Does anyone know what is the fastest route between Waterloo and London Bridge? is it via Waterloo East or the Jubilee?

Have I just inadvertently discovered why closed-compartments were known as doggie-carriages?

First discovered Waterloo East in 1983 when aged 12 went on a family holiday to Germany sailing from Folkestone. Very handy connection for someone living in Southern England.

My Great Grandad worked in the later years of the SECR, entirety of the SR and most of BR. Some of that time was at Waterloo East.

My lawyer is in prison too. Small world.

Very interesting, Jago. Are these the only “lettered” platforms on the network?

Jago as a Yank, that has used all of these station and somewhat aware of the history this was one of the best explanations of the connections. As someone who lived in a place where the New York Central met the New York Ontario and Western via street rail, I'd love to see a train cross the old bridge.

So you're saying, before there was a mile high club, there was a 10mph club?

08:40 so Waterloo Junction was added to achieve coitus interruptus?! I thought it stopping Chamberlain achieve that!

One is slightly surprised you didn't mention one of the most obvious issues with the station: it cuts across the beautiful facade of Waterloo with an ugly viaduct/bridge. I believe Geoff Marshall (or at least someone) did a video about this years ago.

I used to work in southwark so used to take the train in to waterloo east. Very strange station as it doesn't even have a concourse.

Did the ladies in the compartment carriages pull the communication cord😊

From 1985 to 1987 I commuted here each week day from Lewisham Station . Then, some years ago, I done a course at Southwark College so used this station again. I can no longer cope with those stairs though I must say 😆

There's also a Waterloo station in Belgium, surprisingly.

I used to use it every day. I remember seeing Roy Kinnear and David Rappaport at different times on the footbridge back in the 80s.

You can go miles and miles with Samuel Smiles.

So the Junction was intended to uncouple rolling stock? Waterloo Eastus Interruptus!

Brilliant video sir, thoroughly enjoyed it, award yourself many points!

You still have to try and figure out when the next train is going towards Charing Cross or London Bridge. It really needs a Camden style next train to London Bridge and Charing Cross sign

I believe the expression is "plying their trade". I'm sure I read that somewhere...

Up the Junction gets a bit of a Squeeze here.

You are the convenient station interval to my oldest profession...

The other outstanding irony is that the current franchises,all seem to relate to the old predesssor companies! Especially,with the old Southern Railway components,as SouthWe

Mr Hazzard. your frequent use of the expression, "but that's another story" makes me ask if you have ever seen the movie "Irma la Douce"? (you brought the subject up, after all)

Found it handy when travelling from Richmond to Dover. Looks like Charing X trains stop there.

I guess when the LCC/GLC left the southbank commuter traffic went down

Not been in the UK for a few years. Are people still wearing Covid facemasks when travelling or is the B-roll video a few years old??

“Ladies doing their professional duties” sounded so quaintly British yet, however you put it, Jago, I see exactly where you’re coming from with that 😅

To say that anything published by Murdoch "leans Right" is a bigger understatement than "Hitler had hate issues ".

A Jago video from which I cannot remember a mention of Charles Yison Turkeys ! Come on standards are slipping here.

During the ad-read, I mistakenly read "Custom feed name" as "Custom food name", which confused me for a moment.

Sitting on a bench waiting for a train at WAE, I heard two women chatting in German behind me. They were staring uncomprehending at timetables. As I speak the tongue, I asked where they wanted to go. Answer Salisbury. That’s one problem of a double station.

23:31 This never ceases to amaze me, but I’ve found (I don’t know how many more others have), a lot of tube / overground stations are walkable from one intermediate station to another, and if I lived in the Waterloo East area, I’d gladly walk through, right through to the city on foot instead of the crazy amount of traffic you get every day! I’ll only use the tube or the bus if I was travelling further.

Please! For the love of all that is holy - no more Yierghkeieez jokes !!!

Jerome K. Jerome makes fun of the confusion of stations at pre-rebuilt Waterloo in his book, 'Three Men in a Boat'. "Nobody at Waterloo ever knows where a train is going or where it will depart from." He, George and Harris resolve their problem by tipping the driver to go where they want...

00:44 - Mind the Thigh Gap between the train and the platform edge. Although one could also say "At Waterloo East, Napoleon didn't surrender there either". 😂

Waterloo East is technically a separate station from Waterloo strange as Liverpool Lime Street high level and the low level Merseyrail station are classified as the same station(LIV)although they are managed by different operators.There must be a few other examples of these dual stations excluding adjoining Metro and private steam railway,Grosmount springs to mind,stations .In fact Waterloo had 3 as the international one had a seprate CRS code from Waterloo and was run by Eurostar not SWT but now they have moved to St Pancras.

As a regular use of Waterloo East (arriving via Waterloo, of course), I still find the use of platforms A-D confusing - not in the letters, but deciding the next train to London Bridge (A or C) or Charing Cross (B or D). I think there could be better signs at the station to advise which to use when you arrive at the top of the slopes down.

Bricklayer's Arms was not their own station; it was a joint venture with the London & Croydon. Both companies didn't want to pay the London &: Greenwich 'exorbitant' tolls to use London Bridge. The strategy worked and the SER obtained the L&G on a 99 year lease.

I like that you used a round part of the building, ( my ex place of work ) to describe the website that gave you every angle in news articles.

Lurking on the grimey footbridge to see which platform the next up train to Charing X or down train to London Bridge would pull into and then running like the clappers is my memory of Waterloo East in the 80s

Waterloo East was an exciting step on my family's annual holiday from Feltham to Ramsgate. My mother would never have used it if she'd known those ladies of the night frequented the line! 😮 Matron! 😂

Can you get to Kings Cross Station via York Road from Waterloo Station ?

I'm surprised that you forgot to mention that the old footbridge between Waterloo East and Waterloo forced people to cross a road used by taxis. I used to sometimes use Waterloo East before the new footbridge got built, and when they put in the new footbridge I had no idea the entrance was moved up in the air and ended up standing in the road in front of a locked gate wondering what they heck was going on.

Y is for Yerkes

I know that Jago dislikes maps, but without them it's very difficult to envision what the differenceses between Waterloo station 'then' and 'now' are. It would also help to explain how the line went across the Waterloo concourse. Without maps I just a lot of words that don't create something that I can comprehend and visualise.

Is the driver of 465022 at 1:28 vaping? Don't let management see

"It's all very confusing, really."

Very good video Jago. Now that you've done the other Waterloo station, you'll have to do a video on the other other Waterloo station which gives you an excuse to travel on a 777.

7:55 I am given to understand (and entirely unable to speak from personal experience as an innocent young student, oh no), that, in the 1970's before the universal introduction of saloon rolling stock, it was not unknown for certain gentlemen to maintain this tradition and make certain propositions to any of the aforementioned innocent young students who might or might not have been travelling from Waterloo.