Building    From 24/2/1906 

Kingsway tram tunnel / Strand underpass

Categories: Transport

The title of Wikipedia's page "Kingsway tramway subway" has way too many 'way's, but the page is very informative.

The tunnel was constructed 1906, enabled by the 'slum clearance' project in the Aldwych / Kingsway area. There were two stations in the tunnel: at Holborn and Aldwych. Trams ceased using the tunnel in 1952, after which it was mainly used for storage. It was opened for north-bound motor traffic in 1964 in an effort to reduce congestion around the Aldwych. 

You can see two northern entrances/exits to the tunnel, one in Southampton Row, just south of the junction with Theobald's Road, and another in Kingsway just north of the Aldwych. The northern one was used by the trams. The southern one was constructed in the 1960s as an exit for motor traffic.

The southern entrance/exit has changed twice. Originally the trams entered/exited from the Embankment, just to the west of Waterloo Bridge (shown in this photo). When the bridge was rebuilt during WW2 that entrance/exit was moved to be centrally below the bridge. In the 1960s that was closed off (and the space used to accommodate a business) and a new entrance created for traffic from the bridge itself.

Stories of London has many images that help to make sense of this history in words. The image on this page shows a tram exiting the tunnel when the mouth was on the Embankment to the west of the old Waterloo Bridge.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Kingsway tram tunnel / Strand underpass

Commemorated ati

Strand underpass

The Strand underpass is a one-way vehicle tunnel connecting Waterloo Bridge t...

Read More

Other Subjects

First underground passenger railway - Metropolitan

First underground passenger railway - Metropolitan

Between Paddington and Farringdon. A grand opening on the 9th preceded the opening to the public on Saturday 10 January 1863. “That afternoon Hetta trusted herself all alone to the mysteries of th...

Event, Transport

4 memorials
Highbury Corner traffic scheme

Highbury Corner traffic scheme

This scheme converted a roundabout, which was unfriendly to pedestrians and people on bikes, into two-way roads and created a plaza in front of the station. This is happening at many locations all ...

Place, Transport

1 memorial
Chelsea Bridge

Chelsea Bridge

At the same time that Battersea Park was created the first bridge at its eastern corner was built (shown in the image). This was opened in 1858, as Victoria Bridge, by Queen Victoria on her way to ...

Building, Transport

1 memorial
St Saviour’s Dock

St Saviour’s Dock

Our picture source, HSomerville provides a thorough history of this area and says "St Saviour's Dock was created in the 13th century by the Cluniac monks of Bermondsey Abbey."

Place, Commerce, Transport

1 memorial
South End Road bridge reconstruction

South End Road bridge reconstruction

Reconstructed & widened in 1969 replacing a 28 ft. wide cast iron bridge built in 1864.

Event, Engineering, Transport

1 memorial

Previously viewed

E. J. Stanley

E. J. Stanley

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial