The Knightsbridge Mysteries (3)

TOT Tells Our Tale

A short paragraph in TOT, the magazine for transport workers in the Capital, was the start of the big changes at Knightsbridge Underground station.

A committee minute confirmed progress.

The original entrances to the station on Brompton Road and Basil Street ...

... were becoming too cramped for the crowds. Lifts were also inadequate at busy times and far too slow.

The new technology was the escalator.

All Things New

The grand plan at Knightsbridge was to excavate a new booking hall under the road at the junction of Sloane Street and Knightsbridge and create three new entrances.

The old Leslie Green buildings would be taken out of use.

The new main entrance would be on the western corner of the junction ...

... (note the old bus on Sloane Street, far left) with a subway entrance opposite, also on the south side of Knightsbridge.

As is usual with London's Underground, the exit would be clearly signposted.

Exit 2, to the northern footway of Knightsbridge is similarly signed ...

... but nobody seems to have posted a picture of the original stairway entrance there. It is now all new and super-swish incorporated in a modern development.

This is now a quick way to get to Hyde Park, avoiding some of the traffic and directional horrors that greet an unwary explorer at Hyde Park Corner. Just nip up Serpentine Walk alongside the glazed exit ...

... and there you are!

Gorgeous!

This diagram shows the shape of the new set-up in a fetching pink colour.

In passing, note the two tubes striking off under the building at right angles to the twin station tunnels. These led to/from the old lifts, withdrawn in favour of the escalators. But these tunnels will re-appear in our next Knightsbridge blog.

And there's more!

The Long Walk

Partly to compensate for the closure of Brompton Road station but more to make it easier for the financially well-blessed to get to Harrods without spoiling their blue rinse, a brand new entrance was created on Brompton Road at the end of Hans Crescent and opposite entrances to the store.

Thus entrance has now become part of a branch of "Zara" ...

... rather than the original "Cecil Gee". The new entrance at this location will be revealed in Monday's blog.

The Hans Crescent entrance led to a second booking hall and a long, long corridor then escalators at the western end of the platforms.

Here is a station plan of the booking hall and corridor ...

... leafing to the escalators.

The Knightsbridge entrances and ticket hall complete the axonometric plan.

The Long Walk Illustrated:

The "colonnade" seen looking towards Harrods entrance and booking hall.

Approaching the booking hall with "passimeter" booking hut visible.

Ticket machine detail.

Obviously the above view confirms that these pictures were taken early in the life of the subway, possibly even before it opened to the public. How long has it been since you could buy a ticket for one old penny?

Nobody seems to have posted any more recent pictures of the tiled corridor; but it must have seemed very impressive indeed back in 1934, 91 years ago! Yikes, that is only 11 years older than fbb!

But we are not quite done with Knightsbridge yet.

Final episode on  Monday .

 Next Variety blog : Sat 17 May