Campaign to open Crystal Palace subway

[gaijingirl]

a friend posted this on her facebook status update. I know there are plenty of people here interested in this sort of thing so thought I'd share it. It's about the campaign to reopen to the public a Grade II listed subway which runs underneath Crystal Palace Parade in South London. It's a lovely piece of Victorian architecture going by the photos.

http://mishmashvintage.blogspot.com/2011/11/campaign-to-reopen-crystal-palace.html

http://petitionbureau.org/CrystalPalaceSubway

 

[Andrew Hertford]

I remember being shown down there many years ago, it's a fantastic place. I'll sign the petition!

 

[editor]

I'm sure I've walked through there at some point. Personally, I'd wish they's rebuild the whole Crystal Palace, but I fancy that's a tad unlikely. This lot are going for it though: http://www.newcrystalpalace.org/

 

[lang rabbie]

Wasn't the subway one of the sites that transferred to the London Development Agency as part of the ambitious plans for Crystal Palace Park that never materialised?

Who is taking over responsibility now that the LDA is being abolished?

 

[Bungle73]

Yeah they had an open day thing down there years ago....and I mean years, this was back when I was living in Nunhead which I left in 1998 and it was a long time before that. I didn't go though, something which I regret.

 

[porno thieving gypsy]

Nice article - I think it would be lovely to get access back to the subway.

 

[Ted Striker]

I went down there on a school trip (so some years ago). The 1854 pic on there is amazing really.

 

[RoyReed]

(Blunders500's photo)

 

[Blunders500]

There's some more images HERE >> http://markblundell.photoshelter.com/gallery/Crystal-Palace-High-Level-Station/G0000BmhODaITWtE/
I was quite lucky to find it open on a couple of occasions, its currently locked but you can see through the gates on the opposite side to the park.
It really is a shame to see the place go to waste, its a great space and should really be used or at least seen by more people.

 

[RaverDrew]

I'm sure I've walked through there at some point. Personally, I'd wish they's rebuild the whole Crystal Palace, but I fancy that's a tad unlikely. This lot are going for it though: http://www.newcrystalpalace.org/

Afaik this is dead in the water, and was never going to happen.

 

[TopCat]

I want my guided tour Drew!

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Looks great, I never knew about this.

Can anyone tell me where it goes from/to? I can't place where the entrance and exits are in the park....

 

[RaverDrew]

I want my guided tour Drew!

Alas, I no longer have access to the keys for these tunnels

 

[TopCat]

Alas, I no longer have access to the keys for these tunnels

I can be inventive with locks?

 

[Crispy]

Looks great, I never knew about this.

Can anyone tell me where it goes from/to? I can't place where the entrance and exits are in the park....

It's this square hole in the ground: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.422015,-0.077191&spn=0.000498,0.001743&gl=uk&vpsrc=6&t=k&z=19

It exits at "ground" level on the Northwest side of the road, which is where the "high-level" railway station used to be. It's all houses now, but the retaining wall that holds back the main road is unmistakably Victorian Train Station.

It can't really be resued as a subway just for crossing the road, as it's more inconvenient than just crossing it normally. It also can't really be used as a general right of way because it's such nice construction that would be ruined by vandals/tagging etc. It would have to be part of some larger landscaping/rebuilding at that end of the park, and be part of some staffed facility.

 

[RaverDrew]

You hop over the wall on the opposite side of the parade to that square hole, and you have access to the gates. Last time I checked they'd been secured with new locks, but you were able force the gates enough to create a small gap at the top which you can climb through. It ain't easy, and you need some balls to do it.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

aha cheers guys, yes I know where that is now...

 

[London_Calling]

You hop over the wall on the opposite side of the parade to that square hole, and you have access to the gates. Last time I checked they'd been secured with new locks, but you were able force the gates enough to create a small gap at the top which you can climb through. It ain't easy, and you need some balls to do it.

When you say you "hop over the wall" isn't there a slightly huge drop the other side there?

Anyway, we need a mission. Someone should start a (xenfora) conversation of interested parties

 

[London_Calling]

whoa, all the times I've been in CP park and I never knew there was a maze there - on google, you can also see the way through.....

 

[RaverDrew]

When you say you "hop over the wall" isn't there a slightly huge drop the other side there?

Anyway, we need a mission. Someone should start a (xenfora) conversation of interested parties

IIRC there's a small slope of brambles to contend with and then a ~10ft drop into the gate area.

 

[London_Calling]

Is there an exit strategy?

 

[TopCat]

Is there an exit strategy?

Tie string to your toe.

 

[TopCat]

I think we should all go and bring lots of K as well.

 

[London_Calling]

Hell of a place for a party.

 

[Bungle73]

The line to Crystal Palace (High Level) station uses to go right near where I used to live. The line branched off just south of Nunhead station. You can still, partly, follow the line of where it used to go. There's a load flats built on it. Up until recently you could see one of the old bridge abutments where the line used to cross Brockley Way (I used to catch a bus along there regularly), but last time I was there they had demolished it. Then it followed the line of Brenchley Gardens, and through where the blocks of flats now are. You can clearly see the embankment.

There's a good book I have with pictures: "London Suburban Railways: Crystal Palace (High Level) and Catford Loop". Living locally I find it fascinating since I knew little of the line, except that it used to be there, from the various remains.

Most of the time I remember the site of the old High Level station was derelict. It's only fairly recently that housing was constructed on it. You can see the entrance to the old tunnel too....with a suitably placed toy train in front of it (if that's still there).

Edit: Oh and there's also a footpath along the track bed in the nature reserve by Lordship Lane, with a contemporary footbridge carrying Cox's Walk above it.

 

[RoyReed]

Hell of a place for a party.

Yes - I wonder why they keep it locked.

 

[oryx]

There's a good book I have with pictures: "London Suburban Railways: Crystal Palace (High Level) and Catford Loop". Living locally I find it fascinating since I knew little of the line, except that it used to be there, from the various remains.

Oooooh, we've got that. Some great pictures of the old high level station looking very spooky before it closed for good.

There's a great story about an old railway line which pre-dated the current/relatively recent ones, which operated on a vacuum basis and which may or may not contain a broken-down coach which could not be retrieved, complete with bodies. (Not one I read in the aforementioned book).

 

[Brixton Hatter]

I went up there to have a look. The site was pretty easy to access. The vault/subway itself is a bit dirty but overall is in pretty good condition. The southern entrances which have been fenced off are falling apart and the brickwork looks decidedly dodgy. The north entrance is in good condition. Here's a few pics - apologies for the quality as I only had my phone on me. I'll probably go back better equipped next time to get some better pics...





To get in to the actual vaulted area you need to squeeze through this gap of about 6 inches....I think only the skinniest of Urbanites would get through there!


It looks like someone has been living/sleeping there, given the empty cans of superstrong cider, a sleeping bag and various other paraphenalia.

Hell of a place for a party.

It is....although unfortunately there are some flats very close by...they look like sheltered housing or an old people's home....i think the noise would be very obvious (...but where there's a will there's a way )

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Is there an exit strategy?

I think you would need a rope ladder to exit from the south side because - as Drew mentioned - it's at least a 10ft plain brick wall you need to climb up. There's nothing to hang/grab on to and the gates are really securely locked. I wouldn't go to the south side on your own as it would be really easy to get trapped. It's easier to access via the north side...

 

[Brixton Hatter]

It exits at "ground" level on the Northwest side of the road, which is where the "high-level" railway station used to be. It's all houses now, but the retaining wall that holds back the main road is unmistakably Victorian Train Station.

The "ground" level exit on the south side is actually about 15 or 20 feet above the level of the road & housing by the retaining wall. The old station must have had two levels - an 'upper' level which ran through the subway to the Crystal Palace itself, and a 'lower' level where the tracks and trains were. You can still see the bricked up end of the tunnel where the railway line must have run a bit further up opposite the bus station.

It can't really be resued as a subway just for crossing the road, as it's more inconvenient than just crossing it normally. It also can't really be used as a general right of way because it's such nice construction that would be ruined by vandals/tagging etc. It would have to be part of some larger landscaping/rebuilding at that end of the park, and be part of some staffed facility.

It's a beautiful space and could easily be restored with some bricklaying repairs and some landscaping at the south entrance. I don't even think it would cost that much....