Blackfriars station facts for kids
| London Blackfriars | |
Northern entrance on Queen Victoria Street after renovation in 2012
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| Location | Blackfriars, Castle Baynard |
|---|---|
| Local authority | City of London |
| Managed by | Thameslink; London Underground |
| Owner | Network Rail Transport for London |
| Station code | BFR |
| DfT category | A |
| Number of platforms | 6 (4 National Rail) (2 London Underground) |
| Accessible | Yes |
| Fare zone | 1 |
| OSI | Mansion House  Temple Blackfriars Millennium Pier  Southwark |
| Railway companies | |
| Original company | London, Chatham and Dover Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 10 May 1886 | Opened as St. Paul's (LC&DR) |
| 30 May 1870 | Opened (MDR) |
| 1937 | Renamed as Blackfriars |
| 1977 | Rebuilt (British Rail) |
| 2012 | Rebuilt (Thameslink) |
| Other information | |
| Lists of stations | |
| Other websites |
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Blackfriars station is a busy train station in the City of London, England. It is a major hub for both the London Underground (the Tube) and National Rail trains. The station is located right next to Blackfriars Bridge, where New Bridge Street and Queen Victoria Street meet. It is in Travelcard Zone 1, which is the central area for public transport in London.
Blackfriars station has been rebuilt and updated as part of a big project called the Thameslink programme. This project made the station much more modern and able to handle more passengers. During the work, the office building above the station was taken down and a new one was built. The main train station stayed open for most of this time. However, the Underground part of the station was closed for a while until late 2011.
Contents
What is Blackfriars Station?
Blackfriars is a unique station because it stretches right across the River Thames. This means you can see amazing views of London from its platforms. It serves as a key connection point for people travelling across the city.
How Trains Use Blackfriars
The station has different platforms for different types of trains:
- National Rail: These trains connect London to other towns and cities. At Blackfriars, you can catch trains going south, like to Brighton or Gatwick Airport.
- London Underground: This is London's subway system, also known as the Tube. The District and Circle lines stop at Blackfriars, making it easy to get around central London.
Modern Features of the Station
The recent rebuild of Blackfriars station brought many cool new features. One of the most interesting is its roof, which is covered with solar panels. These panels help the station generate its own electricity from the sun. This makes Blackfriars one of the most eco-friendly stations in the UK.
History of Blackfriars Station
Blackfriars station has a long history, changing over many years.
Early Days
The first station here opened in 1870 for the Underground. It was originally called St. Paul's. The main line railway station opened a bit later, in 1886. Over time, the station grew and changed names. It became known as Blackfriars in 1937.
Major Upgrades
The station has been rebuilt several times to keep up with the growing number of passengers. A big rebuild happened in 1977. The most recent and largest upgrade was completed in 2012 as part of the Thameslink programme. This project made the station much bigger and more modern. It also allowed longer trains to stop there, helping more people travel.
Getting Around from Blackfriars
Blackfriars station is very well connected. You can easily switch between different types of transport:
- Tube Lines: The District line and Circle line of the London Underground stop here.
- River Boats: Right next to the station is Blackfriars Millennium Pier. From here, you can catch river boats that travel along the Thames.
- Nearby Stations: Other Tube stations like Mansion House, Temple, and Southwark are also close by.
Images for kids
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Early 20th century map showing Blackfriars station, then called St Paul's, and Blackfriars Bridge station south of the river, alongside Ludgate Hill and Holborn Viaduct
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View of the Southern Railway station in 1953 from a platform of the former Ludgate Hill
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Looking northwards at the 1977–2009 station from a departing train
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Blackfriars' roof is covered with solar panels to generate electricity.
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The stumps of the old railway bridge. The leftmost row of stumps were strengthened in 2009 to support the new station and bridge.
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Newly renovated Blackfriars station from the Thames
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Blackfriars in 1989 with a Class 319 Thameslink train run by Network SouthEast with the Class 415 EPB in the old terminating platforms
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View along the southbound platform spanning the River Thames
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Blackfriars Underground station in 2009, just before extensive refurbishment
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See also
In Spanish: Estación de Blackfriars para niños
