After our morning in Camden we went to Euston to join a Hidden London tour into the disused tunnels and abandoned spaces under the station.
The tunnels connected the two original private Underground lines that came together at Euston Station. These lines eventually became part of the Northern Line. The two lines had their own booking offices on the surface at either side of the main line station. The tunnels connected the two lines together and provided a direct link into the main line station.
We met our guides at the one remaining booking office on the surface for out two hour tour. This was on the corner of Drummond Street and Melton Street. As part of CrossRail this building will eventually be demolished so it was a timely visit for us.
There were eight of us on the photography tour and once underground we split up into four groups, each with our own guide.
Melton Street
After our safety briefing and we had all put on our hi-viz jackets we had a presentation about the history of the Northern Line and the tunnels that we were to visit. Then we went outside and turned left and went into what was the surface booking hall on Melton Street. The three lifts are gone and the shafts now act as ventilation for the Underground lines below.
The space was dominated by the fan assembly. Above and all around us were the steels that supported the structure. The fan was very loud!
At the back of the old booking hall we could see the old entrances and the remains of the green tiles.
To the tunnels and a quick tour
We crossed over the Melton Street and went into the mainline station and then down into the Underground station. We were waved through the barriers and descended onto one of the Northern Line platforms. There at the end of the platform we went through the door and climbed up into the tunnels.
After the doorway we had our first view of the tunnels.
Looking back down the steps to the door on the platform.
We then went on a whistle stop tour as a group around the four areas of interest. As this was a photography tour the number in the group was limited. Later we were to be allowed to wander around the areas as we wanted with only a guide to make sure we didn’t get lost or stray into the other areas.
We stopped to look at the diagrams of where the tunnels were in relation to the Underground and the main line station.
As we walked around the four areas we had some of the more interesting features and old adverts pointed out to us.
We were to have 20 minutes in each of the areas of interest.