In fact we are often told there’s little left of Aldwych tram station because the Strand underpass has been built through the site of it. Glazed tiles can be seen (they seem to be a green or a sort of blue colour.) Source: Secret Vault. In fact the historic pictures shown below are the best I can find of Aldwych tram station – which does rather make up for the fact its invariably Holborn tram station that gets an airing whether its modern exploration or a historical overview! And that’s ensured what’s left of the Aldwych tram station largely intact. Well the new sixties road underpass was in fact built through here but the actual road tunnel is somewhat narrower than the tram tunnel itself (because the tracks fanned out in order to accommodate the island platform) thus there is in fact a box within the old tram station site. One thing I had always understood was one could go no further than about where the road ramp gets to a few feet or so in height, even Hidden London didn’t go that far, but what surprised me was there is indeed a way to see the old Aldwych tram station – its still there contrary to popular opinion which more or less tells us its disappeared because the road was built through that site. The Secret Vault however ventured well beyond here and found a way to see the old Aldwych tram station! Picture source: Secret Vault.
This is usually as far as things go – but Hidden London ventured no further than the southern extremity of Holborn tram station. It has in fact been altered part of it was dug up for the Crossrail construction works (which I wrote about here) the stipulation was the works had to restore the tram subway to the same exact condition it was found in – and yes that included relaying the tracks and the centre conduit rail! other than that no work can be done therefore the tram subway remains much as it is – given that it already had considerable alterations including infilling of the tram tracks further south which were done prior to the grade II order imposed upon it in 1998. The tram subway was grade two listed over twenty years ago thus its a historic structure and cannot be altered or demolished. Whether one wants a clinically presented (yet in depth knowledge) or a no frills, haphazard yet exciting exploration of the Kingsway subway is probably down to one’s individual preferences, but once again Secret Vault have gone where Hidden London Hangouts missed out! The fact its ‘Holborn Tramway’ doesn’t indicate some sort of new, exciting tram proposed there but inevitably it’ll be the old tram subway! Hidden London Hangouts have covered it too but not like Secret Vault! Once again its thumbs up to the latter for a much greater in depth exploration broadcast last night as well as solving some questions of how the road tunnel has been built and what actually remains of the tram subway towards its southern end.
0 kommentar(er)
