15/16 November 1940
Seventieth day of the London Blitz.
On Friday 15 November 1940, Trafalgar Square station fully re-opened, while Hammersmith & City line services resumed between Ladbroke Grove and Latimer Road, following the removal of the Unexploded bomb at the latter, although damage to a viaduct arch at Wood Lane station prevented service to Hammersmith.
[1] Services resumed at commencement of traffic on 21 November.
[2] [3]
At 10:10 a train derailed whilst being shunted to Edgware Depot on the Northern line. Services reversed at Colindale until resumed at 11:25.
[1]
St James's Park to Charing Cross (now Embankment) suspended 13:00 to 15:00 - line in Engineer's possession.
[1]
Piccadilly line services suspended 17:40 to 18:20 between Wood Green and Arnos Grove due to the failure of the special signalling in place for single-line working as a result of the bombing of Bounds Green on 13 October.
[1]
Bombs in the vicinity of Edgware station at 20:00 damaged the signal box Northern line services suspended between Edgware and Colindale.
[4]
At 20:10 trains arrived at East Ham station with broken windows due to bombs in the vicinity.
[5]
West Hampstead down fast line blocked at 23:15 due to damaged rail.
[6] Services suspended between Finchley Road and West Hampstead 23:17 due to bomb on tracks. Resumed on all lines bar northbound fast at 23:40.
[4]
Bomb on the track at West Finchley at 23:37,
[5] and three UXBs at Finchley Central. No service between Finchley Central and High Barnet.
[7] [4] Resumed at 07:35 on the 16th.
[8]
At 23:44 an Incendiary Bomb went through the roof of Bakerloo car 70564, between Harlesden and Stonebridge Park.
[5]
During the night, an High Explosive (HE) bomb through the roof of the garage adjacent to the recently disused
[9] Lords station on the Metropolitan line north of Baker Street, damaging the station building, southbound platform, and track, which was blocked with debris and motor cars. The High-Tension feeder was damaged, but no casualties reported.
[5][10] No services between Wembley Park and Baker Street.
[7]
Richmond line suspended between 00:00 and 01:20 due to Incendiary Bombs on the track.
[4]
At 00:40 bombs in the vicinity broke glass in Manor House station.
[5]
At 01:02 on the 16th late passenger services between Kings Cross and Moorgate were suspended due to an HE on the Widened Lines at Aldersgate.
[5] Station damaged, track cratered and blocked with debris.
[10] Services resumed at 11:48.
[8]
A bomb outside Parson's Green station at 01:14 brought down signal wires, broke station windows, and threw debris across the track.
[5]
Also at 02:00, the front of Covent Garden station was blown in, damaging the ticket hall and retail unit, and sending debris down the lift shaft,.but the station was not evacuated.
[5] [6] Station reopened from commencement of traffic on 21 November.
[11]
Ballast in the Central line tunnel between Bound Street and Marble Arch was disturbed by bombs in the vicinity at 02:15, but the tunnel was not damaged.
[5]
All current off on the Stanmore line at 02:38 due to damage to the high-tension feeder from Preston Road sub-station.
[5]
A bomb near Ladbroke Grove station at 02:45 damaged a train in a siding.
[12]
At 03:10 a bomb in the car park broke glass at Arnos Grove station.
[12]
A small bomb hit Lambeth North station between the ticket hall and training school at 04:45. Lavatory and glass broken.
[12]
A bomb over the track between Blackfriars and Temple at 05:00. Track in order at 05:35.
[4]
Services between Canons Park and Kingsbury suspended at 05:42 for track examination.
[12] Services resumed at 06:17.
[8]
At 08:00 on the 16th, the following working conditions were reported:
Northern
Damage West Finchley – No service between Finchley Central and High Barnet.
Metropolitan
Damage to tunnel at Lords. No services by this route between Wembley Park and Baker Street.
Piccadilly
Damage at Covent Garden, closing station.[7]
Unexploded Bombs
Category A
Nil.
Category B
Nil.
Category C
Nil.[13]
[1] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 15/11/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1106]
[2] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 21/11/40 to 06:00 22/11/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1106]
[3] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - November 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 22/11/40, page 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/4]
[4] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 15/11/40 to 06:00 16/11/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1106]
[5] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 15/11/40 to 06:00 16/11/40, sheet 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1106]
[6] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - November 1940: Damage Appreciation 15-16/11/40, page 8 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/4]
[7] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - November 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 16/11/40, page 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/4]
[8] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 16/11/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1106]
[9] Last served 19 November 1939, after which Metropolitan lines services between Baker Street and Finchley Road – and between Finchley Road and Wembley – were superseded by new Bakerloo line stations on the same route.
[10] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - November 1940: Damage Appreciation 16-17/11/40, page 9 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/4]
[11] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 21/11/40, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1106]
[12] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 15/11/40 to 06:00 16/11/40, sheet 3 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1106]
[13] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - November 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 16/11/40, page 3 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/4]
ShareLabels: Blitz 75, London Underground, The London Underground at War
