Underground Heritage feature
Elephant & Castle station (Northern line platforms)
Architect: Thomas Phillips Figgis 1890
(original buildings now demolished)
The station originally opened on 18 December 1890 as part of the City & South London Railway (C&SLR), the world's first electric underground . The multi-coloured platform tiles are typical of Northern line platforms that were reconstructed as part of the original line south to Morden in 1924/26. In 2006 the tiles were carefully replicated due to the poor condition of the originals. This resulted in the high level timber framed roundels being repositioned due to modern day requirements for services and systems.
The original C&SLR white tiles that remain from 1890 are still in situ on the tunnel roof over the Northern line tracks, although they are now covered over by the new cable management system. Rarer still are the last surviving patterned tiles that can be found in the Northern line's spiral staircase.
The station was linked to the Bakerloo line and its separate surface buildings when it opened in 1906 by low-level subways. On the surface the original C&SLR buildings were demolished in the 1960s as part of the comprehensive redevelopment of the area.
Identical plaques are on both northbound and southbound platforms of the Northern line.
Site: Elephant and Castle Underground Station (2 memorials)
SE1, London Road
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of plaquesoflondon.co.uk
