Disused Stations: Ludgate Hill Station

[Source: Nick Catford]

Ludgate Hill Station Gallery 4: 1979 - December 2005

The north east corner of Ludgate Hill station at the junction of Waltham Street and Pilgrim Street in 1979. One of the decorative towers still displaying the 'parti-coloured brickwork' is seen. Those at the front of the station were truncated when the station was rebuilt in the first decade of the 20th century. The closest arch is Pilgrim Street with a bus passing under Ludgate Hill bridge on
the far right.
Photo by Pendar Silwood from Abandoned web site

The site of Ludgate Hill platform looking north in April 1981, eight years after the platform was demolished. The track was lifted in the early 1970s following the closure of Snow Hill tunnel in 1971.
Photo by Nick Catford

The north end of Ludgate Hill station looking north towards the closed Snow Hill tunnel (left) and Holborn Viaduct station (right) in April 1981.
Photo by Nick Catford

In December 1985 the top of the abandoned stairs down to Pilgrim Street was uncovered prior to relaying the track through Snow Hill tunnel. The tunnel was reopened in 1988 as part of the new Thameslink network which came into service in May 1990.

Photo by Nick Catford

Looking north from the north end of Ludgate Hill station site in December 1985. Ludgate Hill bridge is seen in the middle. The line through the tunnel was reopened in 1988 but this part of it would be short lived. The bridge was demolished in December 1990 and today there is no evidence that the bridge or line ever existed on Ludgate Hill.
Photo by Nick Catford

Track laying for the new Snow Hill line is underway at the site of Ludgate Hill station in 1986. The photo was taken from the roof of Export House on Ludgate Hill.
Photo by G Whitmore from his Flickr photostream

A Class 73 locomotive hauls a train of gravel wagons south over Ludgate Hill and through the site of Ludgate hill station in 1986. The photo was taken from the roof of Export House on Ludgate Hill. The third arch south of the bridge is Pilgrim Street.
Photo by G Whitmore from his Flickr photostream

Early in 1990, the shops which had stood on the forecourt for over thirty-five years were demolished, and the Ludgate Hill station frontage was revealed in its entirety. Comparison with the contemporary engraving from the Illustrated London News, shows the changes made during the rebuilding of 1907-12. It had been reduced in height and the upper storey arched windows replaced by blind circular insets. In doing so, a lot of the earlier ornate appearance had been lost, but eight towers, albeit truncated, continued to display the 'parti-coloured brickwork' noted back in June 1865. In the centre, positioned between two of the towers, a large stone plaque continued to display 'SE&CR Ludgate Hill Station' in incised sans-serif lettering, but unfortunately complete demolition followed soon after.
Photo by Robert Carroll from his Flickr photostream

In May 1990 demolition of the station was underway. The bridge carrying the City line over Union Street, by now called Apothecary Street has already been demolished.
Photo by Nick Catford

By May 1990 14 feet of the frontage above track level had been demolished including the station name.
Photo by Nick Catford

Looking south from the southern end of Ludgate Hill Station in December 2005. Trains leaving Blackfriars now immediately descended on a steep gradient into City Thameslink station. The station was originally open to the sky but has now been covered over by an office development.
Photo by Chris Fletcher

Station Name: LUDGATE HILL