
As a pioneer in the world of public transport, our trusty London Underground is a certified success story. But being the oldest of its kind, a lot of what was being built beneath the streets of London in the early days of the transport network’s history was being done so with somewhat of a trial-and-error approach. A lot of it worked, and is still chugging along successfully to this day. Other parts of it weren’t quite so triumphant or long-lasting. King William Street station is – rather unfortunately – an example of the latter.
The history of King William Street station
Taking its name from the street that lay above it (which was named after King William IV), King William Street station started its life as the northern terminus of the City and South London Railway (the first successful deep-level underground railway in the world).
The station opened to the public in 1890, with a platform on either side of just one single train track. The railway originally ran between Stockwell and King William Street, so having just one track wasn’t a huge issue to begin with. But when the railway line extended further north, the alignment of the track became a bit of a problem (it was essentially pointing in the wrong direction). In 1900, a new tunnel was built that completely bypassed King William Street, leaving the poor little station abandoned, having only been up and running for a decade.
Like many other disused underground stations, King William Street served as an air raid shelter during the Blitz, becoming a nightly nook of refuge for hundreds of Londoners. Nowadays, however, the station building is occupied by a Little Waitrose, mere moments from Monument station – with many city workers popping in to grab a posh meal deal or a pack of toilet roll on their way home, unbeknownst to the fact that they’re stood inside a pivotal piece of London’s transport history.