St Mary's tube station

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St. Mary's
Location
Place Whitechapel
History
Opened by East London Railway
Platforms 2
Key dates Opened 1884
Closed 1938
Replaced by Aldgate East


St Mary's (Whitechapel Road) was a station on London Underground's District line located between the present-day stations at Whitechapel and Aldgate East.

Contents

[edit] History

Opened on 3 March 1884 as St Mary's, the station was initially used by both District Line and East London line trains. The station was always very small and cramped and was located very close to both Whitechapel and Aldgate East stations, on a tight curve just before the junction to the East London line.

In 1938, Aldgate East was moved further eastwards and given a new entrance only a few hundred yards from St Mary's (Whitechapel Road), immediately rendering that station surplus to requirements. It closed on 30 April 1938.

[edit] World War II

During World War II, the station was re-opened for use as an air raid shelter. The edges of the platforms were bricked up to separate the shelter areas from the still-used tracks. However, on 22 October 1940 the surface building was hit by a bomb and severely damaged. It was subsequently demolished and little evidence of the station's existence appears above ground today. The bricked-up platforms are still accessible to London Underground staff via an anonymous door off Whitechapel Road. Below ground, it is still possible to make out where the station was, as the barrel-vaulted roof and bricked-off platforms are still just about visible from passing trains.

[edit] St Mary's Curve

The connecting line leading to the East London line is still called St Mary's Curve, although it is no longer used following the closure of the East London line in December 2007. For many years the line was used only to transfer stock between the East London and Metropolitan lines (i.e. not for passenger use). When lit, it could easily be seen from the left-hand side of East London line trains entering Whitechapel from the south and can still be seen from the right-hand side of District line trains entering the station from the west. The East London line is currently being extended and plans to open in 2010 as part of the London Overground (National Rail) network. As the line will no longer share train stock with the Metropolitan line St Mary's Curve will no longer be used, but the tunnel shall remain.

[edit] Gallery

St. Mary's (Whitechapel Road) station, 1916

St. Mary's (Whitechapel Road) station, 1938, shortly after its closure

Notice of Closure

[edit] External links

Preceding station   London Underground   Following station
District line
towards Upminster
towards Hammersmith
 Hammersmith & City line
towards Barking

Coordinates: 51°31′00″N, 0°04′10″W

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