The Rebuild of Mansion House

[Deleted]

www.pendar.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Tube/Misc/4_MansionHouse.jpg

is a photo of a disused platform at Mansion House, lost during the 1980s reconstruction of the station.

What did the station platforms originally look like before said reconstruction? I know that it was the original City terminus of the District Railway for nearly twenty years, before the completion of the Inner Circle; did the original low-level layout reflect this?

[Dstock7080]

TheOneKEA said:

www.pendar.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Tube/Misc/4_MansionHouse.jpg
is a photo of a disused platform at Mansion House, lost during the 1980s reconstruction of the station.

The photo shows the disused EB bay platform- part of which is still in existance, hidden behind a door on the current EB. The small footbridge linked the WB & EB islands- it was mainly for use by passengers crossing from bay platform2 to EB platform3 to continue thier journey (but not the other way round!- hence the sign).

The layout at Mansion House, the alignment of the platforms etc, are exactly as the were (presumably since opening?). The sub-station located next to the EB line, is on the site of the locomotive sidings that existed there. Also, the WB platform enamel hoardings hide a locomotive siding there.

The station closed for it's refurbishment from Monday 30 October 1989, reopening for use on Monday 11 February 1991.

[Deleted]

I'm having trouble visualising the layout from your description - was Mansion House laid out in a similar fashion to Aldgate?

[Deleted]

Hehehehe, I can imagine a modern T/Op spinning in circles on EC w/b with a tea kettle in his hand ;D ;D ;D

Interesting to see that Mansion House had a facing crossover on the east side of the station; did it have a scissors crossover on the west, to access the bays?

[solidbond]

TheOneKEA said:

I'm having trouble visualising the layout from your description - was Mansion House laid out in a similar fashion to Aldgate?

Apologies for answering this one late, but I had been expecting a diagram from Harsig by now ;D ;D
I believe, but stand to be corrected, that the layout was slightly different from Aldgate, in that, while the basic layout was as now, there was an additional bay road, to the north of the E/B platform, rather than 2 bay platforms between the through lines. Thus, as you approach Mansion House E/B the routes from left to right would be, bay road (now removed), E/B through, bay road, W/B through. This at least is how I understand it, although, as I say, I stand to be corrected. (Even better if someone has a diagram of it - Harsig? )

[Deleted]

solidbond said:

Apologies for answering this one late, but I had been expecting a diagram from Harsig by now ;D ;D
I believe, but stand to be corrected, that the layout was slightly different from Aldgate, in that, while the basic layout was as now, there was an additional bay road, to the north of the E/B platform, rather than 2 bay platforms between the through lines. Thus, as you approach Mansion House E/B the routes from left to right would be, bay road (now removed), E/B through, bay road, W/B through. This at least is how I understand it, although, as I say, I stand to be corrected. (Even better if someone has a diagram of it - Harsig? )

Yup, that sounds right to me from what I've been told and photos I've seen. And the place itself.
But a diagram would sure help a lot here.... and who do we know who can 'do the business'(?!)

[Harsig]

solidbond said:

Apologies for answering this one late, but I had been expecting a diagram from Harsig by now ;D ;D

It's touching the faith people have that I've got diagrams of everything on the Underground. ;D This unfortunately is not the case and in fact anything that I've got on lines other than the Met has been acquired by chance rather than design. Mansion House is one of those areas where I don't have any detailed diagrams although THIS is copied from a diagram I do have. I can't vouch for its accuracy but it shows the general arrangment of tracks both before and after electrification.
A couple of details that are noted on the diagram are firstly for the 1888 layout the northern (eastbound side) bay is noted as being generally used by GW Middle Circle trains to Aldgate while the other bay is noted as being used by LNW Outer Circle trains to Broad St.
Secondly the diagram notes that the northern bay was taken out of use on 22nd January 1966 and was soon removed.

[Deleted]

Oh come now Harsig, isn't it obvious that everyone is convinced that you know where to find almost any sort of signal and track information on the Underground? ;D

The layout is quite interesting though - there are quite a few short sidings presumably used for loco storage and the like. What sort of loco servicing facilities did Mansion House have?

I'm also curious as to why the EB bay was taken OOU instead of rebuilding it as the EB through line; did LT feel that having a pair of centered east-facing terminal roads at Mansion House wasn't necessary?

[q8]

I can answer TheOneKEA's question as to why the wall bay was taken out. I beleive the reason it could no be used as through road was threefold.

Firstly to extend it eastwards would have netailed a lot of rebuilding work up top shifting the booking hall/stairs and so forth.

Secondly. The platform would have been very awkward to access and depart from owing to curvature.

Thirdly the Lord Mayor objected as it may have rattled his bone china as trains went underneath.

The bay was, however used after de-commissioning in that a building was put up at the east end of it which was the LT Bus controllers room.

By the way the the northern bay was NOT taken out in 1966 but only after the new Tower Hill station was opened later on. Therefore Harsig was misinformed

[DWS]

Coal & Water supplies, may be a ash pit, Steam Loco's dont need that much servicing.

One EB bay at Mansion House was removed, when trains were extended to reverse at the new Tower Hill station.

[Deleted]

TheOneKEA said:

The layout is quite interesting though - there are quite a few short sidings presumably used for loco storage and the like.

Short sidings (shunting necks) like that were needed at all locations where loco-hauled trains reversed in bay platform roads. At the start of traffic a loco needed to be ready in the neck to couple onto the first arriving train and take it back in the opposite direction. Then the loco that had hauled it in would shunt into the neck ready for the next arrival, and so on.

I'm not trying to claim practical experience of this (not THAT old honestly!!) but have heard from old-time Met drivers how it was done in Liverpool St bay road with trains to/from Aylesbury when they were loco-hauled.