Balham station facts for kids
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 Balham
Location of Balham in Greater London
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| Location | Balham |
|---|---|
| Local authority | Wandsworth |
| Managed by | Southern |
| Station code | BAL |
| Number of platforms | 4 |
| Fare zone | 3 |
| National Rail annual entry and exit | |
| 2007–08 |  5.544 million |
| 2008–09 |  5.085 million |
| 2009–10 | 5.052 million |
| 2010–11 | 5.935 million |
| 2011–12 | 6.464 million |
| Railway companies | |
| Original company | London, Brighton and South Coast Railway |
| Pre-grouping | London, Brighton and South Coast Railway |
| Post-grouping | Southern Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 1863 | Opened as Balham |
| 9 March 1927 | Renamed Balham and Upper Tooting |
| 6 October 1969 | Renamed Balham |
| Other information | |
| Lists of stations | |
| Other websites |
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Balham station is a busy transport hub in south London, England. It includes both a London Underground (Tube) station and a National Rail train station. The station is located on the A24 Balham High Road in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is in Travelcard Zone 3, which helps people figure out how much their train or Tube journey will cost.
Balham station is an important part of daily life for many people in London. It connects them to different parts of the city and beyond.
Contents
Station History
Balham station has a long and interesting history. It has been serving passengers for over 150 years!
Early Days and Names
The train station first opened its doors in 1863. It was simply called Balham back then. It was built by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway company.
Later, on March 9, 1927, the station's name was changed. It became Balham and Upper Tooting. This new name included a nearby area. However, the station's name changed back to just Balham on October 6, 1969.
The Tube Station
The London Underground part of Balham station opened later. It is on the Northern line, which is one of the deepest Tube lines. The Northern line connects many parts of London. From Balham, you can travel north towards central London or south towards Morden.
World War II Event
During World War II, Balham station experienced a very difficult event. On October 14, 1940, a bomb hit the road above the Underground station. This caused a lot of damage. Water from broken pipes flooded the station. Many people were sheltering in the station at the time. This event is remembered as a sad moment in the station's history. Memorials are in place to honor those who were affected.
Station Layout and Services
Balham station has four platforms for National Rail trains. These trains are managed by Southern. They connect Balham to places like Wandsworth Common, Streatham Hill, and Mitcham Eastfields.
The Tube station has two platforms for the Northern line. One platform is for trains going north, and the other is for trains going south.
How Many People Use Balham Station?
Millions of people use Balham station every year. The number of people entering and exiting the station changes over time. For example, in 2007-2008, about 5.5 million people used the rail station. This number went down a bit in the next few years but then increased again. In 2011-2012, over 6.4 million people used the rail station. This shows how important Balham station is for daily travel.
Gallery
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Tube station entrance, west side
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Roundel on northbound Northern line platform
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Northbound Northern line platform looking north
Images for kids
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Platforms looking west towards Wandsworth Common
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The second memorial plaque in the entrance hall, now replaced
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The memorial plaque unveiled on 16 October 2016
