23/24 October 1940: The London Underground on this day 75 years ago

Forty-seventh day of the London Blitz.

At 16:15 on Wednesday 23 October 1940, Stockwell station was closed due to a police report of an Unexploded Bomb (UXB) in the vicinity.^[1]

Services suspended between Kennington and Tooting Broadway at 05:44 on the 23rd due to another UXB over the tunnel.^[2]

Praed Street [Paddington] station reopened, with services resuming between Edgware Road and Bayswater.^[2]

At 08:00 on the 24th, the following working conditions were reported:

Bakerloo line
Restricted Queens Park to Willesden & Watford - damage to Kensal Green Tunnel (1 month).
Trafalgar Square station closed.

Piccadilly line
Suspended Wood Green to Arnos Grove (several weeks).
Suspended King's Cross to Finsbury Park (several weeks).

Northern line
Suspended Tooting Broadway to Kennignton (UXB at Stockwell).
Suspended Kennington to Mornington Crescent (via Charing Cross [now Embankment] only); shuttle service between Strand [now Charing Cross] and Warren Street.
Suspended Golders Green to Hendon.
Camden Town station open for interchange only.
Angel station closed.

District line
Suspended Whitechapel to Bromley[-by-Bow] (2 days).

Metropolitan line
Suspended Farringdon to King's Cross.
Suspended Hammersmith to Ladbroke Grove.

East London line
Closed for passengers, open for freight.^[3]

Unexploded Bombs

Category A

1. Hendon 16/10 - all lines blocked, Hendon to Golders Green.

Category B

1. Latimer Road, Arch 89 20/10.
2. Angel 15/10.
3. Stockwell 23/10, station closed at 16:15.^[4]

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^[1] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 23/10/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
^[2] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 23/10/40 to 06:00 24/10/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1105]
^[3] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 24/10/40, pages 1-2 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/4]
^[4] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 24/10/40, page 3-4 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/4]

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