15/16 January 1941: The London Underground on this day 75 years ago

One hundred and thirty-first day of the London Blitz.

At 03:45 on the 16th a huge SC 1,800 kg fragmentation bomb struck a hostel at 92 Westminster Bridge Road, near Lambeth North station. As well as killing a large number of people in the hostel, the explosion caused extensive damage to the southern end of the southbound platform tunnel. Concrete rendering was broken, platform coping stones were blown onto the track, and cables and current rails displaced. Around 50 segments of the tunnel were bulging dangerously. Signalling south of Charing Cross (now Embankment) was also affected. Twenty-eight shelterers on the platform were injured, one of whom died in hospital two weeks later.^{[1] [2]} There was corresponding damage to the rendering of the south end of the northbound platform tunnel, where a relay room was destroyed. To the north of the platforms, neither the scissors crossover nor the connection to London Road Depot were damaged, and the signal box frame at the bottom of the lift-shaft which controlled them was undamaged, and in fact the sleeping off-duty signalman was not woken by the explosion! The signal line tunnel to the Depot – somewhat parallel to the northbound platform tunnel – was also shaken, with some cracked segments and water ingress. Some minor damage of the Northern line tunnels, which run almost directly below the south end of the platform tunnels.^[3] From commencement of traffic on the 16th, southbound Bakerloo line trains reversed at Piccadilly Circus.^[4] From 11:00 on the same day a shuttle service was run between Waterloo and Trafalgar Square (now Charing Cross).^[5]

At 08:00 on the 16th, the following working conditions were reported:

New damage and changes

No changes except Bakerloo, bomb on tunnel Lambeth North, service suspended between Elephant and Castle and Piccadilly.
Improvements on District line which is normal except for West Ham closed.^[6]

Unexploded Bombs

Category A

Nil

Category B

1. Hyde Park Corner 11/01. Station closed but traffic passing.
2. Totteridge 15/01. 120 ft. from track and ½ mile north of Totteridge station. Speed restriction 10 m.p.h.

Category C

Nil.^[7]

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^[1] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - October 1940: Damage Summary 15-16/01/41, page 5 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/6]
^[2] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form D2, 18:00 15/01/41 to 06:00 16/01/41, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1107]
^[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] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD2, 18:00 15/01/41 to 06:00 16/01/41, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1107]
^[5] Railway Executive Committee: Files: Form RWD1, 06:00-18:00 16/01/41, sheet 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference AN 2/1107]
^[6] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - November 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 16/01/41, page 1 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/6]
^[7] Ministry of Home Security, Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers, Daily Reports - November 1940: Railway Situation Report at 08:00 16/01/41, page 2 [Kew: National Archives, reference HO 201/6]

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