Charing Cross — Local services in London

Charing Cross is not just a single station; it is a complex architectural assembly featuring a major National Rail terminus and an interconnected Underground (Tube) station, each with distinct historical layers. From an architectural perspective, it presents a fascinating study in Victorian grandeur, structural engineering, and late 20th-century postmodern adaptation.

Charing Cross Railway Station (The Mainline Terminus) The mainline station, which serves as the ultimate terminus for services from the South East, is a hallmark of Victorian railway architecture.

Original Structure (1864): Designed by Sir John Hawkshaw, the original station featured a vast single-span wrought iron roof over the platforms. This grand, arching train shed was characteristic of the industrial confidence of the era, showcasing the strength and lightness achievable with iron. The station itself was constructed on a massive brick arched viaduct, a necessary piece of civil engineering to bring the railway line across the River Thames via the Hungerford Bridge.

The Frontage: Charing Cross Hotel: The station's most prominent architectural feature on The Strand is the Charing Cross Hotel (now Amba Hotel), designed by Edward Middleton Barry. It presents an elegant French Renaissance style facade, which essentially acts as the grand entrance to the station. This practice of integrating a luxurious hotel with the station entrance was common for major Victorian terminuses, giving them a stately, non-industrial face to the city.

The Eleanor Cross Replica: In the forecourt, you find a highly ornate Victorian Gothic Revival monument: a replica of the original Eleanor Cross. Also designed by E.M. Barry, it's a dramatic, towering stone sculpture that anchors the space and references the site's historical significance as the notional "centre of London."

Post-1905 Roof and Embankment Place: After a tragic roof collapse in 1905, the original arch was replaced with a flat ridge-and-furrow roof. Then, in a significant late-20th-century development, the air space above the platforms was utilized. The office and shopping complex known as Embankment Place, designed by Terry Farrell and Partners, was completed in 1991. This Postmodern building, resting on a concrete raft above the tracks, dramatically altered the station's silhouette. Farrell’s design cleverly references the old train shed roof, giving the river-facing side a series of stepped, arched roof forms that echo the Victorian tradition beneath a modern structure.

Charing Cross Underground (Tube) Station The Tube station is a convergence of lines with a complex, evolving history, reflecting the constant subterranean growth of London's transport network.

Architectural Heritage: The Northern and Bakerloo Line platforms are part of the early deep-level tube network. While the various lines were initially separate stations (Trafalgar Square and Strand), they were later merged. The older sections show the characteristic tiled tunnel aesthetic, which was both functional for cleanliness and decorative, a style commonly associated with architect Leslie Green for the Bakerloo Line in its early days.

Interchange Design: The station is a functional marvel of underground passageways, escalators, and concourses connecting the Bakerloo and Northern Lines. This design prioritizes passenger flow through a cramped underground space, an ongoing challenge for engineers and architects in central London.

The Disused Jubilee Line Platforms: A notable architectural feature that is now hidden is the set of disused Jubilee Line platforms (closed in 1999). These areas are often used as film sets, valued for their distinct late-20th-century tube design and the sense of forgotten urban...

The primary commuter terminus for people from Kent to London. Station has six platforms and is connected to a Tube station which links to Bakerloo, Jubilee, and Northern Lines. It is also a very short walk from Embankment Pier for those needing London River Services. Fare zone 1. This is also the closest station to Trafalgar Square and London's nominal centre. True, Charring Cross used to be an important port-station with maritime connections in Victorian times, those days are long gone; the present building dates to 1951. Like most central London terminals, restaurants and coffeehouses abound; these are all common chains at regular London prices. Ticket purchases and waiting rooms are available. There are places to catch pint too. A 1980s office block towers above the station, but this is more tastefully done than at most modern UK stations. Some bad news: there is no bike parking and toilets are not free. Transport fans might want to check the station out, but otherwise this is not a worthwhile tourist destination. Some have commented on the frequency of visible homelessness at Charring Cross Station, but this hardly the fault of Network Rail or staff. In fact, the staff at Charring Cross are very helpful, and - like most London terminals - the station...

Very disappointed with the member of staff at Charing Cross Underground. My train to St. Pancras was cancelled due to flooding at the Thames tunnel. I ended up arriving in London at Charing Cross, 1 and half hours late. I was assured by staff on the train that staff knew of the St Pancras problems and would allow me to travel to St. Pancras by the Tube. No one seemed to inform the little guy that I I spoke to at the Underground gate. He was about 45-50 years old with a receding hairline. He took great pleasure in telling me that my ticket would not be sufficient. When I protested, he found it amusing. Not very professional. I was even more disappointed when the staff at St.Pancras made it clear that it should have been at no extra cost. There is no doubt that the guy at Charing Cross was very poor , but was there the correct communication? I realised later that local and national media made it clear that it should have been free travel to those that had trains cancelled, maybe the guy at Charing Cross...