15/16 October 1940: The London Underground on this day 70 years ago
Thirty-ninth day of the London Blitz.
At 20:00 on Tuesday 15 October 1940, a bomb derailed a District line train at Southfields, breaking all its windows, and injuring several passengers. The track was also damaged, and service suspended between Putney Bridge and Wimbledon.[1]
The Metropolitan line tunnel at Whitechapel High Street was penetrated by two separate High Explosive (HE) bombs at 20:05 and 23:12.[2]
Eastbound District line services were reversed at Bow Road from 20:20 due to a large fire at Bromley-by-Bow.[3]
Services through Queens Park were restricted from 20:27 to 22:30 due to debris on the track caused by a bomb nearby.[3]
Warren Street station closed from 20:30 to 21:58 due to bombs in the vicinity.[3]
At 21:40 a bomb breached the tunnel between Mark Lane (west of the site of the current Tower Hill replacement) and Aldgate East stations.[1] Services suspended between mansion House and Whitechapel.[3]
Earls Court station closed between 21:40 and 22:08 due to a suspected Delayed Action (DA) bomb outside.[3]
Services suspended at Gunnersby due to a bomb on the track at 21:40; resumed 00:45.[3]
At 22:15 one of the subways connected to Bank station was penetrated by a bomb, but it was empty at the time.[2] At 02:45 on the 16th the canopy of the station's Lombard Street entrance was damaged by bomb blast.[4]
Marble Arch station was closed at 22:35 due to heavy firing by Anti-Aircraft guns in Hyde Park.[3]
At 23:20 an Incendiary Bomb damaged glass on the roof of Gloucester Road station.[1]
Angel station was closed at 23:25 due to a DA outside.[2][5]
Power from Highgate sub-station to the sections between East Finchley and Highgate, and Highgate and Kentish Town, failed at 23:54; current resumed at 00:01.[5]
At 23:54 glass in the frontage of Holborn station was also damaged.[1]
The District/Piccadilly line tracks a quarter-mile west of Acton Town were damaged by an HE at 02:30 on the 16th; services suspended.[2]
At 03:05 windows were broken in the linesmen's hut and debris on the track at the Metropolitan line part of King's Cross station.[4] At 03:40 a bomb went through the Clerkenwell Tunnel. Numbers 13, 22, and 27 feeders from Charlton Street sub-station were broken.[1]
The west siding and fly-over at Acton Town were damaged at 03:35.[4]
Glass was damaged at Leicester Square station at 03:40.[1]
At 03:44 an HE breached the Metropolitan line tunnels between King's Cross and Farringdon Street stations, rupturing both gas mains and the Fleet sewer, and filling the tunnels with gas and flooding them with with water. Two patrolmen trapped.[2][1] At 03:52 two DAs were reported by the signal cabin at Aldersgate (now Barbican) station. Power to tracks and lighting failed.[5]
At 04:45 tunnel segments were cracked 80 yards south of Highgate station.[4]
At 08:00 on the 16th, the following working conditions were reported:
[2] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Damage Appreciation 15-16/09/40, page 3 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/3]
[3] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 15/10/40 to 06:00 16/10/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
[4] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 15/10/40 to 06:00 16/10/40, sheet 5 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
[5] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 15/10/40 to 06:00 16/10/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
[6] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 16/10/40, page 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/3]
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At 20:00 on Tuesday 15 October 1940, a bomb derailed a District line train at Southfields, breaking all its windows, and injuring several passengers. The track was also damaged, and service suspended between Putney Bridge and Wimbledon.[1]
The Metropolitan line tunnel at Whitechapel High Street was penetrated by two separate High Explosive (HE) bombs at 20:05 and 23:12.[2]
Eastbound District line services were reversed at Bow Road from 20:20 due to a large fire at Bromley-by-Bow.[3]
Services through Queens Park were restricted from 20:27 to 22:30 due to debris on the track caused by a bomb nearby.[3]
Warren Street station closed from 20:30 to 21:58 due to bombs in the vicinity.[3]
At 21:40 a bomb breached the tunnel between Mark Lane (west of the site of the current Tower Hill replacement) and Aldgate East stations.[1] Services suspended between mansion House and Whitechapel.[3]
Earls Court station closed between 21:40 and 22:08 due to a suspected Delayed Action (DA) bomb outside.[3]
Services suspended at Gunnersby due to a bomb on the track at 21:40; resumed 00:45.[3]
At 22:15 one of the subways connected to Bank station was penetrated by a bomb, but it was empty at the time.[2] At 02:45 on the 16th the canopy of the station's Lombard Street entrance was damaged by bomb blast.[4]
Marble Arch station was closed at 22:35 due to heavy firing by Anti-Aircraft guns in Hyde Park.[3]
At 23:20 an Incendiary Bomb damaged glass on the roof of Gloucester Road station.[1]
Angel station was closed at 23:25 due to a DA outside.[2][5]
Power from Highgate sub-station to the sections between East Finchley and Highgate, and Highgate and Kentish Town, failed at 23:54; current resumed at 00:01.[5]
At 23:54 glass in the frontage of Holborn station was also damaged.[1]
The District/Piccadilly line tracks a quarter-mile west of Acton Town were damaged by an HE at 02:30 on the 16th; services suspended.[2]
At 03:05 windows were broken in the linesmen's hut and debris on the track at the Metropolitan line part of King's Cross station.[4] At 03:40 a bomb went through the Clerkenwell Tunnel. Numbers 13, 22, and 27 feeders from Charlton Street sub-station were broken.[1]
The west siding and fly-over at Acton Town were damaged at 03:35.[4]
Glass was damaged at Leicester Square station at 03:40.[1]
At 03:44 an HE breached the Metropolitan line tunnels between King's Cross and Farringdon Street stations, rupturing both gas mains and the Fleet sewer, and filling the tunnels with gas and flooding them with with water. Two patrolmen trapped.[2][1] At 03:52 two DAs were reported by the signal cabin at Aldersgate (now Barbican) station. Power to tracks and lighting failed.[5]
At 04:45 tunnel segments were cracked 80 yards south of Highgate station.[4]
At 08:00 on the 16th, the following working conditions were reported:
"Bakerloo line[1] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 15/10/40 to 06:00 16/10/40, sheet 4 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
Trafalgar Square station closed.
Northbound trains reversing at Queens Park, services suspended Canons Park to Stanmore.
District line
Suspended Charing Cross [now Embankment] to Whitechapel - damage between Whitechapel and Mark Lane.
Suspended Acton Town to Northfields - damage near Acton Town.
Suspended Dagenham to Barking.
Metropolitan line
Suspended Baker Street to Moorgate (16/10) - damage at King's Cross and Aldersgate [now Barbican].
Suspended Edgware Road to South kensington.
Northern line
Suspended Strand [now Charing Cross] to Kennington.
Suspended Tooting to Clapham Common.
Camden Town station closed.
Piccadilly line
Suspended Wood Green to Arnos Grove.
Suspended Finsbury Park to King's Cross.
Suspended Acton Town to Northfields, and Acton Town to Alperton - damage near Acton Town 16/10.
Russell Square station closed - land mine nearby.
East London Line
Open for freight only.[6]
[2] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Damage Appreciation 15-16/09/40, page 3 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/3]
[3] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 15/10/40 to 06:00 16/10/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
[4] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 15/10/40 to 06:00 16/10/40, sheet 5 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
[5] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 15/10/40 to 06:00 16/10/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
[6] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 16/10/40, page 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/3]
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Labels: Blitz 70, London Underground, The London Underground at War
posted by Nick Cooper at
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