18/19 September 1940: The London Underground on this day 70 years ago
Twelfth day/night of the London Blitz, on which there was heavy disruption due to Delayed Action (DA) bombs on or in the vicinity of tracks, stations, or other infrastructure.
On Wednesday 18 September 1940 services were suspended between Baker Street and Edgware Road stations, while Russell Square and Great Portland stations were closed, although the latter re-opened at 11:10.[1] An unexploded Parachute Mine[2] also closed Shoreditch station on the East London Line.[1]
A suspected Unexploded bomb (UXB) - probably a Delayed Action, but possibly an unexploded anti-aircraft shell - was reported at the Metropolitan line's Neasden Depot,[3] between number 8 and 9 roads.[4]
After the disruption of the previous night, Regent's Park station re-opened at 11:15, while the Central line resumed running between Bond Street and Liverpool Street at 11:30, and a shuttle service between Wood Lane and Ealing Broadway commenced at 17:40.[1]
Marble Arch station re-opened at 19:12, having been closed since the explosion of the previous day.[5]
At 19:58 there was more disruption at Neasden Depot, when a bomb hit number 5 road, damaging five trains. Current was switched off at 21:00.[4]
The ticket hall at Ravenscourt Park station was damaged by a bomb on the track at 22:23.[4]
At 22:37 Acton Road Junction on the District line was bombed, and services to Richmond suspended. Also on the District line, a bomb hit the Cromwell Curve between Gloucester Road and High Street Kensington at 23:47, badly damaging the track and a signalbox, and severed the No. 63 feeder to Mansion House. Two signalmen were hospitalised.[4]
Piccadilly line services between Acton Town and South Ealing were suspended from 23:10 and 23:37 due to a DA, whilst another was reported at West Brompton at 00:43 on the 19th.[4] A third DA on the line, at Alperton station, suspended services between Ealing Common and South Harrow from 08:15 to 09:44.[6]
At 01:00 a bomb hit the junction of Camden Road and Kentish Town Road, almost directly over the Northern line tunnels north of Kentish Town station, but did not damage the tunnels, which are 15 yards (12 metres) below ground at this point.[7] At 01:15 the junction of Seaton Place and Hamsptead Road, directly above the Northern linebetween Warren Street and Euston stations, was also hit, but again the explosion did not damage the tunnels, 24 yards (22 metres) down.[8]
A bomb through the tunnel roof at Euston Square station at 01:20. Two permanent way men were killed, and passengers on a train were injured by flying glass. The contemporary plan below shows the point of impact of the bomb, designated "S/P4."[4][9]
At 05:30, a High Explosive bomb blocked the Piccadilly line track 100 yards (91 metres) North of Arnos Grove station; trains reversed at Wood Green.[10][4]
At 08:00, the following exceptions to normal working were reported:
[1] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 18/09/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1104]
[2] A naval mine re-purposed for use on land. Inter-service demarcation dictated that they had to be defused by Royal Navy personnel, rather than the army, who were responsible for dealing with conventional bombs.
[3] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - September 1940: Damage Appreciation 18-19/09/40, page 3 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/2]
[4] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 18/09/40 to 06:00 19/09/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1104]
[5] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 17/09/40 to 06:00 18/09/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1104]
[6] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 19/09/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1104]
[7] Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department: Registered Papers: Damage to underground railways, drawing 3 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 192/8]
[8] Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department: Registered Papers: Damage to underground railways, drawing 5 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 192/8]
[9] Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department: Registered Papers: Damage to underground railways, drawing 19 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 192/8]
[10] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - September 1940: Damage Appreciation 18-19/09/40, page 10 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/2]
[11] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - September 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 19/09/40, page 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/2]
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On Wednesday 18 September 1940 services were suspended between Baker Street and Edgware Road stations, while Russell Square and Great Portland stations were closed, although the latter re-opened at 11:10.[1] An unexploded Parachute Mine[2] also closed Shoreditch station on the East London Line.[1]
A suspected Unexploded bomb (UXB) - probably a Delayed Action, but possibly an unexploded anti-aircraft shell - was reported at the Metropolitan line's Neasden Depot,[3] between number 8 and 9 roads.[4]
After the disruption of the previous night, Regent's Park station re-opened at 11:15, while the Central line resumed running between Bond Street and Liverpool Street at 11:30, and a shuttle service between Wood Lane and Ealing Broadway commenced at 17:40.[1]
Marble Arch station re-opened at 19:12, having been closed since the explosion of the previous day.[5]
At 19:58 there was more disruption at Neasden Depot, when a bomb hit number 5 road, damaging five trains. Current was switched off at 21:00.[4]
The ticket hall at Ravenscourt Park station was damaged by a bomb on the track at 22:23.[4]
At 22:37 Acton Road Junction on the District line was bombed, and services to Richmond suspended. Also on the District line, a bomb hit the Cromwell Curve between Gloucester Road and High Street Kensington at 23:47, badly damaging the track and a signalbox, and severed the No. 63 feeder to Mansion House. Two signalmen were hospitalised.[4]
Piccadilly line services between Acton Town and South Ealing were suspended from 23:10 and 23:37 due to a DA, whilst another was reported at West Brompton at 00:43 on the 19th.[4] A third DA on the line, at Alperton station, suspended services between Ealing Common and South Harrow from 08:15 to 09:44.[6]
At 01:00 a bomb hit the junction of Camden Road and Kentish Town Road, almost directly over the Northern line tunnels north of Kentish Town station, but did not damage the tunnels, which are 15 yards (12 metres) below ground at this point.[7] At 01:15 the junction of Seaton Place and Hamsptead Road, directly above the Northern linebetween Warren Street and Euston stations, was also hit, but again the explosion did not damage the tunnels, 24 yards (22 metres) down.[8]
A bomb through the tunnel roof at Euston Square station at 01:20. Two permanent way men were killed, and passengers on a train were injured by flying glass. The contemporary plan below shows the point of impact of the bomb, designated "S/P4."[4][9]
At 05:30, a High Explosive bomb blocked the Piccadilly line track 100 yards (91 metres) North of Arnos Grove station; trains reversed at Wood Green.[10][4]
At 08:00, the following exceptions to normal working were reported:
District line
No service Parsons Green to Earls Court - UXB at West Brompton.
No service West Kensington to South Kensington - bomb damage on Cromwell Curve.
Piccadilly line
No service Wood Green to Cockfosters - crater on track between Arnos Grove and Cockfosters.
Russell Square station closed - UXB in vicinity.
Metropolitan line
No service Edgware Road to Moorgate - unsafe buildings between Kings Cross and Moorgate, and bomb damage between Esuton Square and Great Portland Street (19/09 and previously).
No service Ladbroke Grove to Addison Road - UXBs at Shepherd's Bush (17/09) and Uxbridge Road (17/09)
Central line
No service Ealing Broadway to Queen's Road (now Queensway) - bomb damage at Wood Lane, and UXBs at Ducane Road and Shepherd's Bush.
Oxford Circus interchange traffic only - debris in Oxford Street.
East London line
Line closed - damage to tunnel and track at Surrey Docks station (09/09).[11]
[1] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 18/09/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1104]
[2] A naval mine re-purposed for use on land. Inter-service demarcation dictated that they had to be defused by Royal Navy personnel, rather than the army, who were responsible for dealing with conventional bombs.
[3] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - September 1940: Damage Appreciation 18-19/09/40, page 3 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/2]
[4] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 18/09/40 to 06:00 19/09/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1104]
[5] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 17/09/40 to 06:00 18/09/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1104]
[6] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 19/09/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1104]
[7] Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department: Registered Papers: Damage to underground railways, drawing 3 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 192/8]
[8] Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department: Registered Papers: Damage to underground railways, drawing 5 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 192/8]
[9] Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department: Registered Papers: Damage to underground railways, drawing 19 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 192/8]
[10] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - September 1940: Damage Appreciation 18-19/09/40, page 10 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/2]
[11] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - September 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 19/09/40, page 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/2]
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Labels: Blitz 70, London Underground, The London Underground at War
posted by Nick Cooper at
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