1/2 November 1940: The London Underground on this day 70 years ago

Fifty-sixth day of the London Blitz.

At 19:10 on Friday 1 November 1940, either a 250 or a 500 kg bomb landed at the junction of Drummond Street and Coburn Street, 60 feet (18 metres) above the Northern line Charing Cross branch running tunnels, and approximately 300 feet (91 metres) from the south headwall of Euston Station. Nineteen segments of the northbound tunnel were damaged, with some clay spilling onto the track, whilst three segments of the southbound tunnel were also damaged. Services were suspended between Warren Street and Euston, with single line working on both roads between Strand and Warren Street. Contractors commenced repairs on the northbound tunnel on the night of 2 November, which were completed four days later, and traffic recommenced. Repairs to the southbound tunnel were deferred to a later date.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}


Hyde Park Corner station closed between 19:20 and 19:45 due to bombs in the vicinity.^[2]

Bombs on the track between Becontree and Upney stations suspended District line services from 19:58 until 17:12 on the 2nd.^[1][2]

The front of Green Park station was damaged at 22:00.^[1] Station closed until commencement of service the next morning.^[2]

Shoreditch sub-station was damaged by a falling Anti-Aircraft shell at 00:30 on the 2nd.^[1]

At 08:00 on the 2nd, the following working conditions were reported:

District line
01/11. Bomb damage between Becontree and Upney. Service suspended Dagenham to Barking.

Northern line
19:10 01/11. Bomb damage between Euston and Warren Street. Suspended Euston to Warren STreet, and now single line working on both tracks between Strand and Warren Street.^[7]

Unexploded Bombs

Category A

Nil.

Category B

1. Latimer Road 21/10.
2. Angel station 15/10.
3. Southfields 30/10 - prevents service between Southfields and Wimbledon.^[8]

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^[1] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 01/11/40 to 06:00 02/11/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
^[2] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 01/11/40 to 06:00 02/11/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
^[3] Ministry of Transport and successors, Railway Divisions: Correspondence and Papers, Air Raid Damage - Underground Railways, 1940-1941 [Kew: National Archives, reference MT 6/2759]
^[4] Ministry of Transport and successors, Railway Divisions: Correspondence and Papers, Air Raid Damage - Underground Railways, 1941-1942 [Kew: National Archives, reference MT 6/2766]
^[5] Ministry of Home Security, Air Raid Precautions (ARP GEN) Registered files: AIR RAIDS, Incident Reports, Tube incidents statistics [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 186/2419]
^[7] Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department: Notes on damage to railway tunnels by high explosive weapons, Section 1 - Tube railways. Author Dr. EWJ Phillips, page 5 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 196/11]
^[7] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 02/11/40, page 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/3]
^[8] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 02/11/40, page 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/3]

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