There's something beautiful about the 1990's footage, like truly wonderful and nostalgic. I wasn't even born then but i'd love to go back for a day to see the tube like it was back then
LOL, I would love to go back in time too, ideally with a camera that does not look like a camera. Perhaps 1938 would be a good year as the O stock had been introduced but there were many types of older train in use as well; also there were the though GWR trains to Moorgate / Liverpool St / Aldgate; the trains with Pullman Carriages, the Southend Corridor Express, the Silver Link train to Newcastle for their brand new and older 3rd rail electric trains and more....
Visiting London from time to time, I was always a bit fascinated 'bout underground trains. Just discovered your channel (by a coinsidence btw) and I'm very happy about it. Always wondering about curved platforms too, and just got explained. Thanks. You just boosted my fascination in london transport and I surely know which of London's museums I'll be visiting next :) Thanks so much. And greetings from Poland :)
@@brokenbritain1930 What the hell kind of drugs are you on? The old stations was absolutely falling apart. Little cleaning and was just generally dark and nasty. The modern one is nice and bright, clean and just looks so much more asthetic
James Hall I have to agree. And as much as I love the 1938 stock trains, even by 1990 they were too outdated, slow and badly maintained. The new tube is great and you can see the difference.
Excellent video, Simon. My friend used to say that Bank's Northern Line platforms looked like the inside of a dustbin, with all that corrugated cladding.
In the 1990 segments they were still using the original 1960s vintage Oswald Laurence recording. It is still being used on the Northern Line at Embankment but has been replaced everywhere else.
Yes, Embankment Platform 3 on the Northern Line was the original Oswald Laurence recording, and is still in use (minus the "Stand clear of the doors, please" bit). Copies of the recording were added to the Central Line platforms at Bank (and the Bakerloo platforms at Waterloo) some years later, but both have been replaced by newer recordings at these locations. The one at Embankment also disappeared for a while, but was reinstated as a gesture to Oswald Laurence's widow, who loved hearing her late husband's voice there. Tfl also sent her a copy of the recording to play at home!!
I miss grotty old London. It had soul, a humanity about it. London has lost its soul. It's a bland, sterile, Americanised and fearful place now. Cleaner though.
London was, is and always will be changing. That is it's soul. It has most certainly changed for the better especially the accessibility for disabled people.
Late 1980s strikes; garbage, ambulance, transport etc. Rampant Thatcherism. I remember overflowing rubbish bins and piles of bagged refuse from the shops, restaurants etc, steaming gently. My introduction to London was in 1986: yes, a little grotty (graffiti and pigeon poo especially!) and dare I say it a touch outmoded, but with a soul.
MusicalElitist1 hes not wrong. Lived in nightingale estate before demolishion, amazing place. Ask anyone who lived there it was grotty but we all fucking loved it
@TheBottledair Many decades ago I attended a speech given by a former Lord Mayor of the City of London who in response to my question about the foul state of this station suggested that he wanted to fund its improvement but not only had Maggie Thatcher's govt. prohibited this but if he made a fuss in public they would change the special funding arrangements which the City Corporation enjoys in a way which they would not like. In short, 'blackmail'.
Very interesting film - Nice to see the many differences. The Central Line has a really fascintating curve - so i have a plan what to film next time in london... Thankyou for the video... Greeting from germany
Travelling on the tube in the 90's was an experience. I loved the seedy old feel of the stations. It's just too clean now. I loved seeing all of the cool ravers and boho hippy types on the tube back then. It's just not the same. They'd also be fewer tourists if the tube looked like it did in the old days.
I was a graffiti artist in and around the London underground in the 80s, so for me the 90s footage rules, same rolling stock as the 80s same sounds,same smells, Thanks for the upload
@0605194 yes but he is the guard who opens and closes all the other doors. He has to open his door first and close it last - and watch as the train starts to leave the station to ensure that no passengers have clothing trapped in the doors and about to be killed as the train enters the tunnel.
tayo axel It was missing from Embankment's Northern Line platforms until Oswald Laurence's widow told station staff she missed his voice. Not only did this get to Underground HQ, they made her a CD of his voice doing the announcements and also instructed Embankment staff to reinstate the voice on the northbound Northern Line platform which she used to travel.
Trek001 The whole Oswald Lawrence thing has become confusing as the exact same recording has been attributed to a bloke called Peter Lodge - and both Oswald's widow and Peter's family have both definitely claimed it as theirs! No one seems to really know who recorded it.
Didn’t know Oswald Laurence could be heard at Bank on the central line as well as Embankment. I knew it could be heard at several stations though. Oh and the woman saying mind the gap in 2010 was replaced a few years ago. Don’t know why and I’ve never heard her anywhere else since.
The locations I know Oswald Laurence's "Mind The Gap" recording were used at were: Northern Line Embankment Platform 3 Bakerloo Line at Waterloo (both platforms) Central Line at Bank (both platforms) Hounslow East Piccadilly Line. Ladbroke Grove Hammersmith and City Line. There may have been other locations, but now, only the one at Embankment remains.
Oh wow.. this is incredible to see! 1990 being a key year for me as I was brought into this world and its interesting yet so hard to believe Bank looked like how it did back then. During this video, was it in the middle of or about to commence refurbishment or something? Or did a large amount of LU stations in the 80s 90s look as dusty with dim lighting etc? Great videos :)
Nope, that's what the tube looked like in those days. Really grungy and well worn. I think it's lost a lot of its character. Of course things need to be repaired, but what they did at Knightsbridge, for example, is nothing short of vandalism.
@kinkisharyocoasters Yes, I've seen photos of this. Probably similar cannot be done here because it was not thought of & would be too expensive to install. Plus that the time taken for the extensions would delay services - even 2 second delays per train (1 second out, 1 second retract) would result in overall train services reductions (number of trains per hour). The few seconds it takes passengers to open the train doors using the buttons explains why the buttons are not used anymore.
Here in NYC, two of the stations with large gaps on the platforms due to curves have moving structures on the platform edges than extend when a train stops (aligned with the doors) to bridge the gap. After the doors close, they retract back onto the platform. Why can't they have those on the Central line? That arrangement looks awfully dangerous, especially on the eastbound platform. I wonder if there have been any lawsuits over it.
Thats a good question, I think the sound was either when the driver stopped accelerating and put the train into coast mode or reduced the rate of acceleration from full to half.
its something thats rubbing off on a lot of people today - how the underground has changed and in some cases its people who at one time despised the old underground - now they want it back
Thanks to the new southbound platform plus associated new interchange passageways the whole ambience of the Northern line has changed dramatically - its a real shame that this was not done decades ago, for instance when the DLR Bank platforms were built
yes I heard about his voice being reintroduced - because of a reversing loop which was flooded during WW2 this platforn is curved... the southbound platform is straight I need to go and film there, before the looming war sees such activity banned.
@astralwarrior8 sorry no, as I never got around to filming at Dalston Junction. But... now that you mention it, when LO trains from Dalston Junction reach Highbury & Islington I might be able to do something there... might be a mix of silent super 8 film and video. Simon
@zigwey Stations such as this probably had a member of staff on the platform helping the guard. It was very very rare but I have heard of guards being killed when they did not bring their heads in before the train reached the tunnel wall at the end of the platform.
while I love the new upgraded southbound platform I wish they'd kept the corrugated (?) design on the northbound. looking forward to the contrast of both of these with next year!
Yes, the corrugated iron was removed after the DLR work was finished, and revealed the tiling underneath, and the ceiling was in an awful state, until the refurbishment of the platforms was completed. Further changes have occurred at Bank since then, including the diversion of the southbound track into a brand new platform (The old southbound platform has become a concourse). Similar work was done at London Bridge a few years earlier.
@@ianmcclavin yes, now a regular user of said new southbound platform and new exit. even though it's so much easier to use and nicer now, I miss the dingy vibe of the deep level lines during the latter part of the 20th century.
I personally don't think that curved platforms is that of a problem for passengers in terms of safety, as contact rail is usually on the other side anyways, in terms of accessibility, yeah it might be a problem, but nothing that can't be done with a ramp. The bigger problem in my opinion is that it's almost impossible to control boarding, because you can't see the whole length of the train in a mirror, or even if you look out the window
I don't know if they still do but last time I was on the tube at a curved platform there were a couple of station assistants signalling to each other and then to the driver, might be done by CCTV cameras on modern trains, it's been a long time since I used the underground.
Yes, he closes the passenger doors and then would normally oversee the start of the station departure (make sure that no-one is in danger from trapped clothing, etc) before closing his door. Especially when underground he has to make sure he is fully inside the train before reaching the tunnel wall, as otherwise he risks being decapitated. This has happened - thankfully only very very rarely. Pleased you like the films... plenty more to come, including many from overseas.
Yeah there's a reason it's called the Headwall ! Almost happened to me at Camden Town southbound. That's what happens when you get pretty girls hanging about on the platforms. It gave me a reality check though, big time!
Apart from Highbury & Islington plus a few Northern Line views at Moorgate, I am not sure. I know that I have not yet digitised everything, especially not the DLR. Although its not 'tube' trains I am holding back on Circle & District Line views, eg: Westminster, Embankment, Gloucester Road until I have some S stock views - as yet the new trains do not pass through these stations. (Dateline early July 2013). I need to 'take stock' and see whats remaining! I hope this helps, Simon
There's no interchange between LT Epping and Heritage Epping Ongar heritage railways yet. Shame they didn't preserve electric traction beyond LT Epping.
@@colinvespa4709 it would have been very expensive for a preserved line. Especially when you bear in mind that the route from Epping to Ongar, although it was electrified in 1957, it didn't have enough power to run more than one train at a time on the route (to enable this, it would have had to have a substation built at Blake Hall, but was denied due to insufficient traffic)
A fair point, any electric unit would have have its power provided by a mobile generator. I remember travelling on the East Lancashire railway and rode on one of the two class 504 carriages with a diesel electric train in the middle to provide electricity. Quite an unique experience, unfortunately both units are now scrapped as it deteriorated a lot since then.
Bank Station is being Maintain for the old Escalators and Lifts to DLR ( Docklands Light Railway ) and also being upgrade for the old Central Line and Northern Line Platforms and the Waterloo and City is being not affected by the platforms Works
@TheBottledair I know what you mean, but just wait until you hear the pa announcements in the film I'm currently working on... its not just a visual matter! (Harlesden station) Simon
Part of this footage was filmed on a Sunday during an emergency training exercise, During thus staff training event the station was closed and trains did not stop.
What I like on this video is the famous "Mind the gap" and "Stand clear of the doors please." announcements by Oswald Lawrence. TFL have brought back his famous announcement on the northbound Northern Line platform at Embankment. I hope they introduce hus voice at other stations in the near future.
is the man at 3:43 the train guard? Why doesn't he just close the doors and move down inside? Excellent videos btw, I really appreciate the effort you put into them.
its so weird hearing central line sound like that its weird im so used to hearing that futuristic sound but when i hear the central line sound like a bakerloo line when its departing i think wow the central line used to look and sound like that.
I understand your question, you are not the first person to have asked this and I expect more people to ask in years to come, so please do not feel bad about asking! I bought the camcorder in the Christmas sales in December 1989 and set about filming future memories. So yes, I filmed it. I was in my early 30s at the time and hope to be filming more for decades to come!
despite the neglect... somehow the 1962 stock trains had so much more character to them than the bland modern stuff (if you can call the 92 stock modern now!). They were still my favourite tube trains. (guess i'm biased coz I'm as old as they would have been :0) )
At 1:27 you put that bank station is a cirve because it is to mirror the streets above it is actually because when it was being construcred they accidemntally broke in to the bank of England.
Yes it was very grimey back then. Many years ago I attended a presentation given by a former Lord Mayor of London (ie: the square mile). One of the things he said was that the City Corporation wanted to spend some money and make this a showpiece station that people would want to use but the Westminster (British) government did not want local governments to invest in urban transport and they warned that if the City Corporation invested in the station it would find some of its special (financial) privileges within the UK being removed.
Am I seeing things or is that one man [starting at about 3:21] riding with the train door still open?! Though it does look like he's wearing some sort of uniform so I'm assuming he works for the LU
on clip 1 present day - when the train opens its doors I can faintly hear "This is Bank. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform." not really impossible to hear :P
Some of the footage dates from a Sunday when the station was closed and there was an 'emergency exercise' .... the trains were passing through without stopping. In those days this part of London was much quieter on Sundays.
I love the old rickety trains. They're simple and made for the purpose of transporting people on rail. Everything is purely mechanical controlled by physical switches, contacts, relays and linkages. Simple and pure mechanical engineering. No computers or indeed a single silicon chip is was used to control these trains, unlike trains built nowadays, where the driver if they were manually driving, is only moving a glorified computer joystick to send inputs to a computer telling it how to drive the train. Why can't we go by using simple technology nowadays?
yes, clockwork technology .. maybe less reliable and with more parts that need frequent maintenance / replacing to keep everything working well, but it had a charm that high-tech does not
3:05 I'm pretty sure they've reduced the speed limit of trains coming into the southbound platform today, can't remember the last time I saw a Central Line train enter that platform that quickly lol
probably I just did not wait for them... something that I now regret, as I know that many people would have liked to have been able to see them! btw, at that time the Northern Line probably used a mix of 1959 and 1972 Mk1 tube stocks.
Yes, the Northern Line has had a fair share of "mixed stock" over the years. At one point in the 70's, it was 1938 Stock, 1972 mk1 Stock (unpainted) and 1972 mk2 Stock (with painted red doors). In time, the 1938 Stock was withdrawn (although five units were brought back in peak hours only between 1985 and 1988), replaced by 1959 Stock from the Piccadilly Line, the '72 Mk2 Stock was transferred to the Bakerloo, and eventually the Jubilee Line (though it's back on the Bakerloo now), and the '72 Mk1 Stock soldiered on alongside the '59 Stock, until replaced by the 1995 Stock. Of the '72 Mk1 Stock and the '59 Stock, the '72 Stock disappeared first (they didn't want 3 types on the line again!!), then the '59 Stock was phased out as the '95's were phased in. Only then did we have just one type on the line again, (a situation that hadn't occurred since the line was 100% 1938 Stock in the early seventies).
@yosmosonic yes, the station really was that bad! Thefate of the map is unknown to me, but I have seen similar era maps as the London Transport Museum Acton Depot,which I have visited on several of its recent open days. (Near Acton Town station).
Cool stuff! I am doing this sort of video too! After I figured out there is no ressources on the web for certain German transportation facilities, I started to collect material myself. Let's see how they will bei in 2035..^^ By the way, was it necessary to buy one of those passes for filming on the tube?
at stations with curved platforms it was not always easy - especially in the days before TV displays at busy times a member of staff would help by standing half way along the platform and telling the guard when its safe to close the doors
zigwey When you work a line day in day out you know at what point on each platform that you need to be in by, often after closing and giving the driver the bell, guards would hit the “Guards Close” button and hold the door open with the heel, then as you bring your head in - move the foot away and door closes... it just becomes automatic...
@@S404_44 not only that there used to be a additional announcement from Oswald Lawrence that said “Stand Clear of the Doors Please”. That was removed I believe in the 2000s so only Mind the Gap remains at Embankment.
It’s difficult to avoid curves as stations are located on streets and street corners and streets aren’t straight. If you had a straight underground line it would mean having long passages to walk along to reach the platform where the radius from street station to line is greatest.
Its worse than that. At a social group meeting where a former Lord mayor of the City was the guest speaker I was told that the City Corporation wanted to fund making the station nice but not only was Whitehall prohibiting this but if the City 'went public' and tried to garner support for their desire to become involved then Whitehall wouldrejig favourable tax concessions in a way which would be financially disadvantageous. In the end (several years later) however the City did get its way.
There's something beautiful about the 1990's footage, like truly wonderful and nostalgic. I wasn't even born then but i'd love to go back for a day to see the tube like it was back then
LOL, I would love to go back in time too, ideally with a camera that does not look like a camera. Perhaps 1938 would be a good year as the O stock had been introduced but there were many types of older train in use as well; also there were the though GWR trains to Moorgate / Liverpool St / Aldgate; the trains with Pullman Carriages, the Southend Corridor Express, the Silver Link train to Newcastle for their brand new and older 3rd rail electric trains and more....
Agreed for me it's the graffiti and the sounds of them,
I can still remember the smell like when you play Scaletrix for hours,electric ozone
Absolutely wonderful. That old 'Mind the Gap' takes me right back! Look forward to the sequel in 2030 :p
The mind the gap announcements hasn't changed.
Visiting London from time to time, I was always a bit fascinated 'bout underground trains. Just discovered your channel (by a coinsidence btw) and I'm very happy about it. Always wondering about curved platforms too, and just got explained. Thanks. You just boosted my fascination in london transport and I surely know which of London's museums I'll be visiting next :) Thanks so much. And greetings from Poland :)
the state of the place in 1990 was absolutely a tip
Jasey2007 i prefer it tbh, plus it aint that much better now
@@brokenbritain1930 What the hell kind of drugs are you on? The old stations was absolutely falling apart. Little cleaning and was just generally dark and nasty. The modern one is nice and bright, clean and just looks so much more asthetic
James Hall I have to agree. And as much as I love the 1938 stock trains, even by 1990 they were too outdated, slow and badly maintained. The new tube is great and you can see the difference.
I worked there in 1990. On night shift weird to see it now.. Great memories
It looked nice and full of character. The roughness of places like London & New York is what made them so special.
I'd forgotten just how grotty the tube was back in those days but I still miss the 1990s all the same.
Yes it was grotty and in places is still like that!
@@CitytransportInfoplus Where?
Excellent video, Simon. My friend used to say that Bank's Northern Line platforms looked like the inside of a dustbin, with all that corrugated cladding.
David Henderson Thanks. Yes, the inside of a dustbin would make for an appropriate description. Happily things have changed since then.
3:42 guards door stayed open, I forgot all about that.
He closes it in the tunnel
Many railways still do this, my local railway is still like this, in fact the guards in Sydney are boycotting the new trains because they can't do it
I was quite taken aback to see that!
a
The train guard-man use the doors control with it, I think.
what an amazing difference! Brings back a lot of memories, many thanks for posting
In the 1990 segments they were still using the original 1960s vintage Oswald Laurence recording. It is still being used on the Northern Line at Embankment but has been replaced everywhere else.
Yes, Embankment Platform 3 on the Northern Line was the original Oswald Laurence recording, and is still in use (minus the "Stand clear of the doors, please" bit). Copies of the recording were added to the Central Line platforms at Bank (and the Bakerloo platforms at Waterloo) some years later, but both have been replaced by newer recordings at these locations.
The one at Embankment also disappeared for a while, but was reinstated as a gesture to Oswald Laurence's widow, who loved hearing her late husband's voice there. Tfl also sent her a copy of the recording to play at home!!
I miss grotty old London. It had soul, a humanity about it. London has lost its soul. It's a bland, sterile, Americanised and fearful place now. Cleaner though.
Nostalgia certainly is a funny thing!
London was, is and always will be changing. That is it's soul. It has most certainly changed for the better especially the accessibility for disabled people.
Late 1980s strikes; garbage, ambulance, transport etc. Rampant Thatcherism. I remember overflowing rubbish bins and piles of bagged refuse from the shops, restaurants etc, steaming gently. My introduction to London was in 1986: yes, a little grotty (graffiti and pigeon poo especially!) and dare I say it a touch outmoded, but with a soul.
MusicalElitist1 hes not wrong. Lived in nightingale estate before demolishion, amazing place. Ask anyone who lived there it was grotty but we all fucking loved it
@@andrewthornhill7042 Ah those were the days
@TheBottledair Many decades ago I attended a speech given by a former Lord Mayor of the City of London who in response to my question about the foul state of this station suggested that he wanted to fund its improvement but not only had Maggie Thatcher's govt. prohibited this but if he made a fuss in public they would change the special funding arrangements which the City Corporation enjoys in a way which they would not like. In short, 'blackmail'.
Fantastic contrast. I remember the tube in the 80s when I was a kid. It was dog rough as this video clearly demonstrates.
Very interesting film - Nice to see the many differences. The Central Line has a really fascintating curve - so i have a plan what to film next time in london... Thankyou for the video... Greeting from germany
Travelling on the tube in the 90's was an experience. I loved the seedy old feel of the stations. It's just too clean now. I loved seeing all of the cool ravers and boho hippy types on the tube back then. It's just not the same. They'd also be fewer tourists if the tube looked like it did in the old days.
I know of some subterranean passageways where even today you would want to stay well away from the walls if you are wearing clean clothing!
Couldn't agree more 👍
The "mind the gap" man emphasises the first and last words so that it sounds more like a command rather than a caution
This came out 10 years ago today. Time really does pass quickly, doesn't it
wow, and still I have yet more historic footage to come...
I was a graffiti artist in and around the London underground in the 80s,
so for me the 90s footage rules,
same rolling stock as the 80s same sounds,same smells,
Thanks for the upload
Great memories ...first saw the underground in 1958!
Love the fact that you said about a capacity upgrade to the Northern line at Bank. Well my friend its happening right now
its taken quite a while to become a reality, in part because of the amount of work involved
@@CitytransportInfoplus Looking forward to an updated version with 2022. Might be difficult to find the same shot/angle for comparison though!
Mind the gap/Stand clear of the doors announcements
Good memories of that man
@0605194 yes but he is the guard who opens and closes all the other doors. He has to open his door first and close it last - and watch as the train starts to leave the station to ensure that no passengers have clothing trapped in the doors and about to be killed as the train enters the tunnel.
when did they change the Mind the Gap announcement on the central line?
grahamf19 but its still at embankment
tayo axel It was missing from Embankment's Northern Line platforms until Oswald Laurence's widow told station staff she missed his voice. Not only did this get to Underground HQ, they made her a CD of his voice doing the announcements and also instructed Embankment staff to reinstate the voice on the northbound Northern Line platform which she used to travel.
Trek001
The whole Oswald Lawrence thing has become confusing as the exact same recording has been attributed to a bloke called Peter Lodge - and both Oswald's widow and Peter's family have both definitely claimed it as theirs! No one seems to really know who recorded it.
@grahamf19 Maybe stern male voices do it for you but most people are adults and can do without it.
Look how everything was chill back in the day
Didn’t know Oswald Laurence could be heard at Bank on the central line as well as Embankment. I knew it could be heard at several stations though. Oh and the woman saying mind the gap in 2010 was replaced a few years ago. Don’t know why and I’ve never heard her anywhere else since.
The locations I know Oswald Laurence's "Mind The Gap" recording were used at were:
Northern Line Embankment Platform 3
Bakerloo Line at Waterloo (both platforms)
Central Line at Bank (both platforms)
Hounslow East Piccadilly Line.
Ladbroke Grove Hammersmith and City Line.
There may have been other locations, but now, only the one at Embankment remains.
2:47 You know it’s a long time ago when the Central line map is showing Ongar!
Thanks :-)
Because of work taking up so much time the website has not been updated since last year. I hope to find the time to update it 'soon'.
Oh wow.. this is incredible to see! 1990 being a key year for me as I was brought into this world and its interesting yet so hard to believe Bank looked like how it did back then. During this video, was it in the middle of or about to commence refurbishment or something? Or did a large amount of LU stations in the 80s 90s look as dusty with dim lighting etc? Great videos :)
Nope, that's what the tube looked like in those days. Really grungy and well worn. I think it's lost a lot of its character. Of course things need to be repaired, but what they did at Knightsbridge, for example, is nothing short of vandalism.
@kinkisharyocoasters Yes, I've seen photos of this.
Probably similar cannot be done here because it was not thought of & would be too expensive to install. Plus that the time taken for the extensions would delay services - even 2 second delays per train (1 second out, 1 second retract) would result in overall train services reductions (number of trains per hour).
The few seconds it takes passengers to open the train doors using the buttons explains why the buttons are not used anymore.
Here in NYC, two of the stations with large gaps on the platforms due to curves have moving structures on the platform edges than extend when a train stops (aligned with the doors) to bridge the gap. After the doors close, they retract back onto the platform. Why can't they have those on the Central line? That arrangement looks awfully dangerous, especially on the eastbound platform. I wonder if there have been any lawsuits over it.
Love the clanking and hissing sounds of the 1962 tube stock. In 1990 they were looking rather worse for wear.
Bank station has changed. I do remember riding on the Waterloo & City Line when it was part of Network Southeast.
On the old 1940's trains (replaced around 1994) or the current ones?
5:53 What is that pop sound? I'm pretty sure I hear a similar sound with 72/73 stock but I haven't noticed it on modern tube stock.
Thats a good question, I think the sound was either when the driver stopped accelerating and put the train into coast mode or reduced the rate of acceleration from full to half.
left the UK in 1995 worked in London for 3 years the underground had something about it don't know what but mabey just me.
no not just you - there are many others who also have a feeling for the system.
loved the old stations like the smell and all that just not the same anymore :(
its something thats rubbing off on a lot of people today - how the underground has changed
and in some cases its people who at one time despised the old underground - now they want it back
Man, the train at 5:13 was so long!!!! Very surreal to watch!
I've loved your website and didn't know you a UA-cam Channel!
Of course, the Northern line platforms have an even bigger contrast today, with the resighting of the Southbound platform amongst others
Thanks to the new southbound platform plus associated new interchange passageways the whole ambience of the Northern line has changed dramatically - its a real shame that this was not done decades ago, for instance when the DLR Bank platforms were built
Brilliant video. Thanks for sharing.
yes I heard about his voice being reintroduced - because of a reversing loop which was flooded during WW2 this platforn is curved... the southbound platform is straight
I need to go and film there, before the looming war sees such activity banned.
Was that a plastic roof on the northern line platform back in 1990
I thought that it was corrugated metal
Do you have any other central london tube videos from the 1980s-1990s besides the ones you've uploaded?
great vid!
3:29 oops wrong station
Lol
xd
@astralwarrior8 sorry no, as I never got around to filming at Dalston Junction.
But... now that you mention it, when LO trains from Dalston Junction reach Highbury & Islington I might be able to do something there... might be a mix of silent super 8 film and video.
Simon
@zigwey
Stations such as this probably had a member of staff on the platform helping the guard.
It was very very rare but I have heard of guards being killed when they did not bring their heads in before the train reached the tunnel wall at the end of the platform.
Please do a follow-up to this video in 2020!
while I love the new upgraded southbound platform I wish they'd kept the corrugated (?) design on the northbound. looking forward to the contrast of both of these with next year!
The corrugated metal walls which I filmed in 1990 were only like that during DLR and other station building works. Prior to then the walls were tiled.
Yes, the corrugated iron was removed after the DLR work was finished, and revealed the tiling underneath, and the ceiling was in an awful state, until the refurbishment of the platforms was completed. Further changes have occurred at Bank since then, including the diversion of the southbound track into a brand new platform (The old southbound platform has become a concourse). Similar work was done at London Bridge a few years earlier.
@@ianmcclavin yes, now a regular user of said new southbound platform and new exit. even though it's so much easier to use and nicer now, I miss the dingy vibe of the deep level lines during the latter part of the 20th century.
I personally don't think that curved platforms is that of a problem for passengers in terms of safety, as contact rail is usually on the other side anyways, in terms of accessibility, yeah it might be a problem, but nothing that can't be done with a ramp. The bigger problem in my opinion is that it's almost impossible to control boarding, because you can't see the whole length of the train in a mirror, or even if you look out the window
I don't know if they still do but last time I was on the tube at a curved platform there were a couple of station assistants signalling to each other and then to the driver, might be done by CCTV cameras on modern trains, it's been a long time since I used the underground.
Yes, he closes the passenger doors and then would normally oversee the start of the station departure (make sure that no-one is in danger from trapped clothing, etc) before closing his door. Especially when underground he has to make sure he is fully inside the train before reaching the tunnel wall, as otherwise he risks being decapitated. This has happened - thankfully only very very rarely.
Pleased you like the films... plenty more to come, including many from overseas.
Yeah there's a reason it's called the Headwall ! Almost happened to me at Camden Town southbound. That's what happens when you get pretty girls hanging about on the platforms. It gave me a reality check though, big time!
Has there ever been a scarier "mind the gap" announcement than the 1990 one? I was shit-scared of 'the gap' for years, pardon my french.
Apart from Highbury & Islington plus a few Northern Line views at Moorgate, I am not sure. I know that I have not yet digitised everything, especially not the DLR. Although its not 'tube' trains I am holding back on Circle & District Line views, eg: Westminster, Embankment, Gloucester Road until I have some S stock views - as yet the new trains do not pass through these stations. (Dateline early July 2013).
I need to 'take stock' and see whats remaining!
I hope this helps,
Simon
very good video, i enjoy it. It remind me in Tomb Raider 3 Aldych tunnels
1990 while the Epping Ongar railway still open.
indeed so... although its still open today, albeit in a different way.
There's no interchange between LT Epping and Heritage Epping Ongar heritage railways yet.
Shame they didn't preserve electric traction beyond LT Epping.
@@colinvespa4709 it would have been very expensive for a preserved line. Especially when you bear in mind that the route from Epping to Ongar, although it was electrified in 1957, it didn't have enough power to run more than one train at a time on the route (to enable this, it would have had to have a substation built at Blake Hall, but was denied due to insufficient traffic)
A fair point, any electric unit would have have its power provided by a mobile generator.
I remember travelling on the East Lancashire railway and rode on one of the two class 504 carriages with a diesel electric train in the middle to provide electricity.
Quite an unique experience, unfortunately both units are now scrapped as it deteriorated a lot since then.
@@colinvespa4709 one of the class 504 units is still there, it is getting restored as I write this
Bank Station is being Maintain for the old Escalators and Lifts to DLR ( Docklands Light Railway ) and also being upgrade for the old Central Line and Northern Line Platforms and the Waterloo and City is being not affected by the platforms Works
@TheBottledair
I know what you mean, but just wait until you hear the pa announcements in the film I'm currently working on... its not just a visual matter! (Harlesden station)
Simon
Why did the train to Hainault via Newbury Park not stop at the station? Is it because tube strike?
Part of this footage was filmed on a Sunday during an emergency training exercise, During thus staff training event the station was closed and trains did not stop.
What I like on this video is the famous "Mind the gap" and "Stand clear of the doors please." announcements by Oswald Lawrence. TFL have brought back his famous announcement on the northbound Northern Line platform at Embankment. I hope they introduce hus voice at other stations in the near future.
They should.
is the man at 3:43 the train guard? Why doesn't he just close the doors and move down inside? Excellent videos btw, I really appreciate the effort you put into them.
its so weird hearing central line sound like that its weird im so used to hearing that futuristic sound but when i hear the central line sound like a bakerloo line when its departing i think wow the central line used to look and sound like that.
Did you record these 1990s films or did your father film them? not trying to be offensive or anything just curious.
I understand your question, you are not the first person to have asked this and I expect more people to ask in years to come, so please do not feel bad about asking! I bought the camcorder in the Christmas sales in December 1989 and set about filming future memories. So yes, I filmed it. I was in my early 30s at the time and hope to be filming more for decades to come!
@@CitytransportInfoplus There`s something for me to look forward to! Nice!
Why did the 1990s central line train travel through without stopping may I ask?
there was a Sunday morning emergency exercise underway, the station was closed to passengers / trains were non-stopping.
@@CitytransportInfoplus So how were you there?
despite the neglect... somehow the 1962 stock trains had so much more character to them than the bland modern stuff (if you can call the 92 stock modern now!). They were still my favourite tube trains. (guess i'm biased coz I'm as old as they would have been :0) )
1992 stock has character in my opinion.
@@Mgameing123 The 1992 stock has become neglected lately. I remember how much shinier and brighter they used to feel back in the 90s and 00s
3:13 Did you see that piece of paper go onto the tracks? Comment immediately if you did or didn't.
+TheBoshMeister99
yes, I saw it.
I am so glad you looked very carefully at the platform!
This is so cool
At 1:27 you put that bank station is a cirve because it is to mirror the streets above it is actually because when it was being construcred they accidemntally broke in to the bank of England.
I have never heard that being said before!
Who is it announcing mind the gap at 4:28
The 1992 stock destination bar is also modern, it's just it lags abit when it tries to show the longer words
it might be modern but I often find them hard to read
mind the gap has been there for approx, 40 years
Quiet rare now to here the male voice of 'Mind the gap' heard in this clip. I think I've only heard it like only once or twice last year.
Joe Ross Oswerd Laurents was everywhere in London Underground system but then they all got replaced except embankment got replaced by new ones.
I wanted to be a train guard when I was younger...
Its videos like this that remind me why I like London today compared to the 1990s dear lord it looked terrible..
the changes are night and day good lord. everything seems so grimey back in the day
Yes it was very grimey back then.
Many years ago I attended a presentation given by a former Lord Mayor of London (ie: the square mile). One of the things he said was that the City Corporation wanted to spend some money and make this a showpiece station that people would want to use but the Westminster (British) government did not want local governments to invest in urban transport and they warned that if the City Corporation invested in the station it would find some of its special (financial) privileges within the UK being removed.
what about 3:20? the door is already open when the train comes and it doesnt close. Isnt that a bit dangerous?
Am I seeing things or is that one man [starting at about 3:21] riding with the train door still open?! Though it does look like he's wearing some sort of uniform so I'm assuming he works for the LU
on clip 1 present day - when the train opens its doors I can faintly hear "This is Bank. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform." not really impossible to hear :P
5:04 Why did the train skipped the station?
Some of the footage dates from a Sunday when the station was closed and there was an 'emergency exercise' .... the trains were passing through without stopping. In those days this part of London was much quieter on Sundays.
My god.. the DLR escalators were squeaking then! Do they ever stop!?
I do love the design of the Northern Line platforms however, even if it was under refurb, bold platform number sign (which you just dont see anymore)
I love the old rickety trains. They're simple and made for the purpose of transporting people on rail. Everything is purely mechanical controlled by physical switches, contacts, relays and linkages. Simple and pure mechanical engineering. No computers or indeed a single silicon chip is was used to control these trains, unlike trains built nowadays, where the driver if they were manually driving, is only moving a glorified computer joystick to send inputs to a computer telling it how to drive the train. Why can't we go by using simple technology nowadays?
yes, clockwork technology .. maybe less reliable and with more parts that need frequent maintenance / replacing to keep everything working well, but it had a charm that high-tech does not
ooh i miss the cHaRm and simple technology of horse-pulled carriages, none of this newfangled concepts like rails or safety for me thanks
Good lord!!! The tube was so filthy back then!! The mind the gap announcements from 1990 were also terrible
andrewhurricane the announcements were good but the stations were dirty and paint chipping
3:05 I'm pretty sure they've reduced the speed limit of trains coming into the southbound platform today, can't remember the last time I saw a Central Line train enter that platform that quickly lol
DezzaManezza154 have u seen the Victoria line
Why were there no northern line trains in 1990 at bank?
2:10 - mind THE gap. Inflection on the wrong word dear!
Testing on the Circle Line has just begun so you should be able to get something done sometime soon
The phrase was originated by Peter Lodge in 1968. He also read the message.
Why the train is going through the station?
Thanks, I think the plan is to first complete the conversion of the H&C and only then introduce passenger workings on the Circle.
citytransportinfo back in the 90s it look terrible they were graffiti
How come there aren’t any northern line trains in 1990?
probably I just did not wait for them... something that I now regret, as I know that many people would have liked to have been able to see them!
btw, at that time the Northern Line probably used a mix of 1959 and 1972 Mk1 tube stocks.
Yes, the Northern Line has had a fair share of "mixed stock" over the years. At one point in the 70's, it was 1938 Stock, 1972 mk1 Stock (unpainted) and 1972 mk2 Stock (with painted red doors). In time, the 1938 Stock was withdrawn (although five units were brought back in peak hours only between 1985 and 1988), replaced by 1959 Stock from the Piccadilly Line, the '72 Mk2 Stock was transferred to the Bakerloo, and eventually the Jubilee Line (though it's back on the Bakerloo now), and the '72 Mk1 Stock soldiered on alongside the '59 Stock, until replaced by the 1995 Stock. Of the '72 Mk1 Stock and the '59 Stock, the '72 Stock disappeared first (they didn't want 3 types on the line again!!), then the '59 Stock was phased out as the '95's were phased in. Only then did we have just one type on the line again, (a situation that hadn't occurred since the line was 100% 1938 Stock in the early seventies).
@yosmosonic yes, the station really was that bad! Thefate of the map is unknown to me, but I have seen similar era maps as the London Transport Museum Acton Depot,which I have visited on several of its recent open days. (Near Acton Town station).
Cool stuff! I am doing this sort of video too! After I figured out there is no ressources on the web for certain German transportation facilities, I started to collect material myself. Let's see how they will bei in 2035..^^
By the way, was it necessary to buy one of those passes for filming on the tube?
3:38 how does the guard see around the train
at stations with curved platforms it was not always easy - especially in the days before TV displays at busy times a member of staff would help by standing half way along the platform and telling the guard when its safe to close the doors
At 5:20, Why didn't the train stop?
@citytransportinfo yeh i could imagine had they not timed the distance from one end of the platform to the other it would be gruesome...
zigwey When you work a line day in day out you know at what point on each platform that you need to be in by, often after closing and giving the driver the bell, guards would hit the “Guards Close” button and hold the door open with the heel, then as you bring your head in - move the foot away and door closes... it just becomes automatic...
Wait the mind the gap from Oswald Lawrence that's in embankment is also In bank in the 1990s?
redphone243 I guess it used to be in all stations with large gaps
@@S404_44 not only that there used to be a additional announcement from Oswald Lawrence that said “Stand Clear of the Doors Please”. That was removed I believe in the 2000s so only Mind the Gap remains at Embankment.
2020 contrasts much less busy lol
The 1962 stock is very slow when entering at Bank
Maario Ambel I liked it that way though
It’s difficult to avoid curves as stations are located on streets and street corners and streets aren’t straight. If you had a straight underground line it would mean having long passages to walk along to reach the platform where the radius from street station to line is greatest.
@metadyneman Both trains were in poor condition at the time with their dirty seats
Its worse than that. At a social group meeting where a former Lord mayor of the City was the guest speaker I was told that the City Corporation wanted to fund making the station nice but not only was Whitehall prohibiting this but if the City 'went public' and tried to garner support for their desire to become involved then Whitehall wouldrejig favourable tax concessions in a way which would be financially disadvantageous. In the end (several years later) however the City did get its way.
I wish population was like it was back then