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View Full Version : BULL & BUSH (NORTH END) UNDERGROUND STATION Report: 25/07/09.



Tankman
02-08-2009, 05:35 PM
unofficial visit!
A bit of history of the station.

BULL AND BUSH (NORTH END)
When the Northern Line was originally constructed, there was to be an intermediate station between Golders Green and Hampstead. Work started on the construction of this station with platforms, cross-passages and lower stairways being constructed but in 1906, it was decided to cease work here before any lift shafts or stairways to the surface had been completed so the station remained inaccessable except at track level.

The official name of the station was North End but it has always been known to staff as Bull and Bush . It was to have had a surface building on Hampstead Way but the land was sold off about 1927.
By now, the platforms had been removed and in their place, small stage platforms a few feet in length were built in both directions to allow track access.

Access to the surface was finally built in the mid-1950's in the form of a spiral staircase to a concrete exit, primarily for access to an earlier built floodgate control room.

Unlike my last visit into the depths of LT's abandoned station's & tunnel's, there was nothing off old posters on the walls etc.
Instead a station that was never finished and a long abandoned flood control system.:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/007.jpg

The first signs that greet you on the way down!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/018.jpg

All right going down:thumb but coming up was a whole lot slower:thumbd

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/027.jpg

The spiral staircase leads down onto a cross passage that connects up with the North & South bound platform/running lines.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/046.jpg

A South bound train heads towards Golders Green, with the vacant space where the platform use to be:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/060.jpg

'Power On' indicators for South bound line.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/089.jpg

Flood gate controls for the whole of the LT system was controlled from here in the 1950's - 1970's. The Graff artists must have walked into the tunnel from the Golders Green Station end:eek:
Although out of use? parts of the panel were still lit, the gates at Kennington/Oval were showing open!
If I had flicked a switch would they have closed:confused:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/095.jpg

Beneath the Flood control room, was the Flood gate relay room, all circuits seemed to be still in operational use:confused: There are loads of fuse boards in here, along with some very nice knife switches!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/100.jpg

This relay appears to have last been inspected in 1967:thumb

More pics here:

http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/?start=all

KingElvis
02-08-2009, 05:36 PM
This is excellent stuff. Really good.

industry
02-08-2009, 05:45 PM
Spot on Mate!! Love stuff like this :thumb

BB
02-08-2009, 05:51 PM
Super! :thumbup
That control panel is ace :D

boxfrenzy
02-08-2009, 06:32 PM
Nice one mate, I do like old tube tuff, very impressive. How cool that there are still lights on the control panel.
Fact fans: the Bull and Bush was the nearby pub, as featured by the Lady Gaga of her day, Florrie Forde.
Why not enjoy a remix I made of it on my latest Technics deck here?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndml24OZ1Ic
P.S the moving train shot is very very impressive.

Gangeox
02-08-2009, 07:30 PM
Great find and history Tankman, good stuff on photobucket to. :thumb

Muse
02-08-2009, 10:49 PM
Fascinating stuff :thumb

converse1
03-08-2009, 11:37 AM
Love the old control gear fella. Very nice. Would love to see some of the underground stuff...

skin
03-08-2009, 12:02 PM
that staircase is awesome - interesting stuff there.

KingElvis
03-08-2009, 04:20 PM
Anymore pics of that crazy staircase?

Tankman
03-08-2009, 05:39 PM
Glad you are enjoying it:coffee Happy to oblige:)

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/008.jpg

Map to tell you the way to go:lol:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/123-1.jpg

Looking up from the bottom:)

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/124.jpg

Pipe Run Down the side of the stairs!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/BULL%20and%20BUSH%20UNDERGROUND%20STATION/128.jpg

And after walking back up the 197 steps! This nice message greets you:lol:
I retired to the 'Bull & Bush' Pub after the ascent for a well earned pint!

KingElvis
03-08-2009, 08:05 PM
I am envious of this one mate......cracking.

CitadelMonkey
31-08-2009, 04:01 PM
Just seen this one. Would love to know how you got past the alarm and the two cctv cameras on the stairwells!!!

Or was this an 'unofficial' visit with help from someone from London Underground?

superkev
31-08-2009, 04:32 PM
This is absolutely fantastic!
How unofficial is unofficial? considering terrorist control etc with regard to train stations!!!:confused:

[QUOTE]If I had flicked a switch would they have closed/QUOTE] :lol:

JEP27
31-08-2009, 04:47 PM
Well done. Great place and pics.