81-2570: (Redirected from Victoria Station ) Victoria station may refer to: Railway and tram stations [ edit ] Operational [ edit ] London Victoria station , in England Llandudno Victoria tram stop , in Wales Manchester Victoria station , in England Southend Victoria railway station , in England Square-Victoria–OACI station , in Montreal, Canada Victoria metro station, Athens , in Greece Victoria metro station, Kolkata , in India Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus , formerly Victoria Terminus, in Mumbai, India Closed [ edit ] Norwich Victoria railway station , in England Nottingham Victoria railway station , in England Sheffield Victoria railway station , in England Swansea Victoria railway station , in Wales Victoria railway station (Ireland) , in County Cork Victoria (Blaenau Gwent) railway station , in Wales Victoria Dock railway station , also known as Victoria station, in Hull, England Victoria Station (British Columbia) , in Victoria, Canada Other uses [ edit ] Victoria Coach Station , in London, England Victoria bus station , in London, England Nottingham Victoria bus station , in England Victoria Station (restaurant) ,
162-652: A "split" feel of being two separate stations. The Brighton station opened in 1860 with the Chatham station following two years later. It replaced a temporary terminus at Pimlico , and construction involved building the Grosvenor Bridge over the River Thames . It became immediately popular as a London terminus, causing delays and requiring upgrades and rebuilding. It was well known for luxury Pullman train services and continental boat-train trips, and became
243-603: A flat fare of 1/- (£4.29 as of 2023). These were suspended during World War II . All stations except Fenchurch Street and Blackfriars provided integrated taxi services on opening. These originally had dedicated access roads to the station platforms when cabs were horse-drawn, while later purpose-built roads were built for road traffic. In the early 20th century, stations were expanded and upgraded to fit demand. Six terminal stations (Victoria, Waterloo, Euston, Cannon Street, Blackfriars and London Bridge) have been completely rebuilt and London Bridge has seen multiple rebuilds. Although
324-586: A focal point for soldiers during World War I . Like other London termini, steam trains were phased out of Victoria by the 1960s, to be replaced by suburban electric and diesel multiple-unit services; all services from the station are currently operated using electric multiple units. Despite the end of international services following the opening of the Channel Tunnel , Victoria still remains an important London terminal station. The connected Underground station, in particular, suffered from overcrowding, until
405-601: A journey from Brighton cannot use a "London Terminals" ticket to travel to Euston or Paddington, as there is no permitted route to them using National Rail services alone. The concept of permitted routes did not exist until the National Routeing Guide was introduced: British Rail used the term "reasonable route", and in respect of the London station group merely stated that journeys between the origin station and London were "subject to normal route availabilities". The first London terminal stations were built in
486-457: A less imposing wooden-fronted building with an entrance on Wilton Road. The Chatham line station had eight platforms, five of which were of mixed gauge, shared by broad-gauge trains of the GWR from Windsor via Southall . Victoria station proved to be unexpectedly popular for both the main companies, and by 1862 there were frequent delays due to congestion at Stewarts Lane Junction. In March 1863
567-488: A main central station at Farringdon , which would connect out to all branch lines. In 1846, the Royal Commission on Metropolitan Railway Termini was established to see if it was appropriate to bring the terminal stations any further and possibly connect with each other, as per Pearson's plans. The report concluded this was unnecessary, a single terminal was undesirable as it would create too much congestion and it
648-607: A major upgrade was completed in the late 2010s. The Gatwick Express service provides easy access between Central London and Gatwick Airport for international travellers. The station complex is in Victoria in the City of Westminster , immediately south of the London Inner Ring Road . It is located south of Victoria Street, east of Buckingham Palace Road and west of Vauxhall Bridge Road . Several railways lead into
729-489: A restaurant chain Victoria Station (play) , by Harold Pinter See also [ edit ] Victoria Park station (disambiguation) Victoria Street station (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Victoria station . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to
810-464: A result, services from its station at Victoria began to be rationalised and integrated with those from the other SECR termini. The LC&DR station began to be reconstructed in the late 19th century after several properties on Buckingham Palace Road, and the hotel, were bought by the company. Work began in 1899 with the removal of the old roof. The rebuilt station was partially opened on 10 June 1906, with additional platforms and cab exit on 10 February
891-905: A terminus in Westminster: the Great Western (GWR), the London & North Western (LNWR), and the East Kent Railway (EKR). The first two already had rail access to Battersea through their joint ownership of the West London Line with the LB&;SCR. In 1858, the EKR leased the remaining lines of the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway from Shortlands railway station , and also negotiated temporary running powers over
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#1732780892870972-477: A ticket to take a train to several different London terminals, including London Bridge , London Charing Cross , London Cannon Street , Victoria , Blackfriars , City Thameslink or Waterloo via Clapham Junction . The ticket cannot be used to travel to any station using any non-National Rail modes of transport, including the London Underground , Docklands Light Railway or London Buses . Therefore,
1053-544: Is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Victoria , in the City of Westminster , managed by Network Rail . Named after the nearby Victoria Street , the main line station is a terminus of the Brighton Main Line to Gatwick Airport and Brighton and the Chatham Main Line to Ramsgate and Dover via Chatham . From the main lines, trains can connect to
1134-513: Is a group of 18 railway stations served by the National Rail network in central London , England. The group contains all 14 terminal stations in central London, either serving major national services or local commuter routes, and 4 other through-stations that are considered terminals for ticketing purposes. All current stations in the group fall within London fare zone 1 . A ticket marked "London Terminals" allows travel to any station in
1215-584: Is on the Circle and District lines between Sloane Square and St James's Park stations, and on the Victoria line between Pimlico and Green Park stations. The area around the station is an important interchange for other forms of transport: a local bus station is in the forecourt and Victoria Coach Station is nearby. Victoria was built to serve both the Brighton and Chatham Main Lines, and has always had
1296-401: Is served by a mixture of metro and long distance (mainline) services. Metro services are operated using Class 465 and 466 EMUs whilst mainline services are operated using Class 375 and 377 EMUs. As of December 2022, the typical off-peak service run by Southeastern in trains per hour (tph) is: Southern services at Victoria use platforms 9-12 and 15-19 as of August 2022. The station
1377-552: Is served by a mixture of metro and long distance (mainline) services. Southern Metro and Mainline services are both operated by Class 377 EMUs and Gatwick Express is serviced by Class 387 EMUs. From 4 September, the typical off-peak service run by Southern in trains per hour (tph) is: During the Suspension of the Gatwick Express , Southern Services at Victoria began to use Platforms 13 and 14 as well as operating
1458-592: The Catford Loop Line , the Dartford Loop Line , and the Oxted line to East Grinstead and Uckfield . Southern operates most commuter and regional services to south London, Sussex and parts of east Surrey, while Southeastern operates trains to south-east London and Kent, alongside limited services operated by Thameslink . Gatwick Express trains run direct to Gatwick. The Underground station
1539-596: The City of London , the West End and Westminster . Victoria Station was designed in a piecemeal fashion to help address this problem for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) and the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LC&DR). It consisted of two adjacent main line railway stations which, from the viewpoint of passengers, were unconnected. The London and Brighton Railway terminus at London Bridge provided reasonable access to
1620-513: The Department for Transport and Govia respectively. All services at Victoria use electric multiple unit trains. To help passengers choose the correct service, the floor of the main concourse at Victoria was marked with different coloured lines. Passengers could then follow the line marked with the specific colour for that service to arrive at their intended departure point. Southeastern services at Victoria use platforms 1–8. The station
1701-505: The Great Eastern Railway and North London Railway with Liverpool Street and Broad Street respectively. The only main railway line built across Central London was the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) line connecting Blackfriars to Farringdon via Snow Hill Tunnel in 1866. Railway construction in London reached a peak between the mid-1850s and 1870s, where an estimated £40 million (£4,691 million as of 2023)
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#17327808928701782-550: The London Chatham and Dover Railway . The new line followed part of the route of the Grosvenor Canal with Victoria station on the former canal basin. It required the construction of a new bridge over the Thames, originally known as Victoria Bridge and later as Grosvenor Bridge. The bridge was 930 feet (280 m) long, which was required so that it could clear all river traffic. It was designed by John Fowler . The line
1863-466: The funeral of Edward VII , seven kings, over 20 princes and five archdukes were greeted here. In the early 20th century, the development and improvement of the London Underground , meant that Victoria could not compete as a cross-London service. GNR trains stopped running on 1 October 1907, with Midland ones following on June the next year. The GWR ceased to use the station for scheduled services on 21 March 1915, partly due to World War I in addition to
1944-586: The 'Chatham' portion of the station for 999 years from 28 June 1860, with the GWR responsible for 6.67%. The LC&DR completed its main line as far as Canterbury on 3 December 1860 and began to use the LB&SCR station on that day. From 1899 the LC&;DR entered a working union with its rival, the South Eastern Railway , to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). As
2025-428: The 1870s. In 1898 the LB&SCR decided to demolish its station and replace it with an enlarged red-brick Renaissance-style building, designed by Charles Langbridge Morgan . Since widening of the station was prevented by the LC&DR station and Buckingham Palace Road, increased capacity was achieved by lengthening the platforms and building crossovers to allow two trains to use each platform simultaneously. Work
2106-544: The BR era. The Brighton Belle ' s final service was on 30 April 1972, followed by the last Golden Arrow on 30 September. The Night Ferry lasted until 31 October 1980, though the Venice-Simplon Orient Express , a luxury Pullman service, has been running intermittently since 1982. In 1984 the non-stop Gatwick Express service was started, aiming for a 30-minute journey time. This was coupled with
2187-586: The City of London but was inconvenient for travellers to and from Westminster. As early as 1842 John Urpeth Rastrick had proposed that the railway should build a branch to serve the West End, but his proposal was unsuccessful. However, the transfer of the Crystal Palace from Hyde Park to Sydenham Hill between 1851 and 1854 created a major tourist attraction in the then rural area south of London, and
2268-557: The Gatwick Express fleet of Class 387 units. However this has now ended as Gatwick Express Services were reinstated in March of 2022. Gatwick Express , formerly a separate franchise but now operated by Southern, run services from platforms 13 and 14. Ticket barriers were installed on these platforms in 2011. As of September 2022, the typical off-peak service run by Gatwick Express in trains per hour (tph) is: However, within
2349-726: The Golden Arrow, in 1924, and the Night Ferry in 1936. The station had a news cinema (later a cartoon cinema) that showed a continuous programme. The cinema was designed by Alister MacDonald, son of the Prime Minister Ramsay , and was in operation from 1933 until it was demolished in 1981. The GWR remained part-owner of the station until 1932 thereafter retaining running powers, although it does not appear to have used them. Night-train services stopped running from Victoria on 4 September 1939 after World War II
2430-494: The LB&SCR and the LC&DR jointly funded a new high-level route into Victoria, avoiding Stewarts Lane and requiring the widening of Grosvenor Bridge, including the replacement of the broad-gauge rails with a third LB&SCR line. The work was completed during 1867/8. The South Eastern Railway (SER) wanted to use Victoria as a London terminus as it was more convenient than London Bridge, but were advised they would need to pay extensive tolls and expenses to do so. Consequently,
2511-408: The LB&SCR opened a branch line from the Brighton Main Line at Sydenham to the site in 1854. While this was under construction the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway also planned a line from Crystal Palace, to a new station at Battersea Wharf, at the southern end of the new Chelsea Bridge . Despite its location, the new station was called Pimlico. It opened on 27 March 1858, but
Victoria station - Misplaced Pages Continue
2592-612: The LB&SCR was permitted to lease Victoria station from the VS&;PR, but agreed to accommodate the other railways until a terminus could be built for them on an adjoining site. The LB&SCR side of Victoria station opened on 1 October 1860, the temporary terminus in Battersea having closed the day before. The station was designed by Robert Jacomb Hood . It consisted of six platforms and ten tracks, with an entrance on Victoria Street. The site then covered 8.5 acres (3.4 ha) and
2673-488: The LCDR's line via Blackfriars and Farringdon almost bankrupted the company and left it in financial ruin for the rest of its existence. The 1864 Joint Committee on Railway Schemes (Metropolis) decided that, following the success of the underground Metropolitan Railway , that a circular railway should be built to connect the terminals, which eventually became the Circle line , though it was not completed until 1884. By 1870,
2754-548: The SER constructed a station at Charing Cross instead. The GWR began services on 1 April 1863, connecting Victoria to Southall, and later some services to Uxbridge , Reading , Slough and Windsor. From 13 August 1866 the LB&SCR ran services from Victoria to London Bridge along the newly completed South London Line . The Great Northern Railway began a service from Victoria to Barnet (via Ludgate Hill ) on 1 March 1868, with other cross-London services running via Victoria in
2835-404: The areas around them. Both Kings Cross and St Pancras stations have been modernised in the 21st century, and are now better regarded. Many goods sheds have been removed, and the area surrounding the stations includes a natural swimming pool, and numerous new apartments. The four former London and North Eastern Railway terminals (King's Cross, Marylebone, Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street) are
2916-542: The boom in building London terminals had finished. The final one to open was the Great Central Railway 's Marylebone , in 1899. By this time, around 776 acres (1.21 square miles; 3.14 square kilometres), or 5.4% of land in the central zone of London was owned by railway companies, more than the Corporation of London . The problem of connecting the various London terminals was ultimately resolved by
2997-472: The development of the Underground. The Metropolitan Railway, which opened in 1863, was designed to connect Paddington with King's Cross. The Circle Line was designed specifically to connect the London terminals together. All terminal stations had at least one underground connection by 1913, except Fenchurch Street , Ludgate Hill and Holborn Viaduct . As an alternative to the tube, buses have connected
3078-739: The first Pullman first-class service to Brighton on 1 November 1875, followed by the first all-Pullman train in the UK on 1 December 1881. Another all-Pullman service was introduced in 1908 under the name of the Southern Belle, then described as "... the most luxurious train in the world...". The SECR began Pullman continental services on 21 April 1910 and on domestic services to the Kent coast on 16 June 1919. The Golden Arrow , another all-Pullman train began services in 1924, and remained in service until 30 September 1972. The LC&DR and GWR jointly leased
3159-491: The following year, along with a new annexe to the hotel. It was formally re-opened on 1 July 1908. As a consequence of the rebuilding, boat trains become more popular from Victoria compared to Charing Cross and Cannon Street. Services increased to serve Ostend and Calais via Dover and Rotterdam via Gravesend. The LB&SCR part of the station also served Dieppe via Newhaven. Victoria has since seen more visits from royalty and heads of state than any other London station. During
3240-632: The group includes four stations ( City Thameslink , Old Street , Vauxhall and Waterloo East ) that are not technically terminals but are used enough as a destination by National Rail to be considered appropriate as a "London Terminal" for ticketing purposes. The composition of the group has changed several times since 1983, when 18 stations were included: Blackfriars, Broad Street, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Euston, Fenchurch Street, Holborn Viaduct, Kings Cross, Kings Cross Midland City, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Marylebone, Moorgate, Paddington, St Pancras, Vauxhall, Victoria and Waterloo. Waterloo East
3321-481: The group via any permitted route, as determined by the National Routeing Guide . Most London terminal stations were developed in the mid-19th century during the initial boom of rail transport. Many stations were built around the edge of central London, stopping at what is now the London Inner Ring Road , because it was prohibitively expensive to build right into the centre, and because each railway
Victoria station - Misplaced Pages Continue
3402-440: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Victoria_station&oldid=1163366151 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Station disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages London Victoria station Victoria station , also known as London Victoria ,
3483-740: The introduction of Eurostar in 1994, which did not serve Victoria, and the International Travel Centre closed. In 2019/20, Victoria was the second-busiest station in the UK, with an estimated 73.6 million passenger entries/exits. However, as with other stations, patronage dropped dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . The estimated usage figure fell 81% in 2020/21 to 13.8 million, although Victoria retained its rank in second place, behind Stratford . Operationally, there are two separate main line termini : Services are operated by Southeastern and Southern, owned by
3564-427: The late 1830s (starting with London Bridge in 1836) and the early to mid 1840s. Those north of the Thames came up to the edge of richly-developed property that was too expensive to demolish, while property south of the river contained slums and cheap property, making it easier to have terminal stations close to the City and West End, both the main desired areas. The solicitor and railway planner Charles Pearson proposed
3645-492: The lines recently acquired by the LB&SCR, pending the construction of its own line into west London. On 23 July 1859 these four companies together formed the Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway (VS&PR) company, with the object of extending the railway from Stewarts Lane Junction, Battersea across the river to a more convenient location nearer the West End, and the following month the EKR changed its name to
3726-479: The main terminals has been well-received and attracted occupants and businesses. Until 1970, railway tickets to London were issued to a specific named terminal. From April of that year, Southern Region terminals were grouped together as a "notional common station" called "LONDON S.R."; tickets issued to this destination were valid to Blackfriars, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Holborn Viaduct, London Bridge, Vauxhall, Victoria, Waterloo and Waterloo East. The concept
3807-417: The major 19th century terminals, only Broad Street and Holborn Viaduct have closed. The latter was replaced by the nearby City Thameslink . The London terminals had a significant impact on the local area. Originally, the demolition of poor properties, particularly south of the River Thames , caused blight and deprived areas around the station. This has changed in the 21st century, where development around
3888-488: The modern concept of listed buildings had been introduced with the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act 1947 , stations were not high priority to be listed. While some had impressive facades and entrances, Victorian stations were not looked upon favourably in the 1960s and had become gradually neglected. One of the most significant examples was the demolition of the Euston Arch in 1962 as part of modernisation works to
3969-517: The name "LONDON BRIT RAIL" was adopted. After the privatisation of British Rail , the name "LONDON" on its own was used from the end of 1997 until April 1998, when the present designation "LONDON TERMINALS" was introduced. All stations in the London group are in London fare zone 1 and most are at the end of a railway line. This includes major national terminals such as Waterloo , Paddington , Euston and King's Cross , and local commuter terminals such as Cannon Street and Moorgate . In addition,
4050-447: The new Underground lines. Victoria was used as the main station for drafted soldiers, and those returning from action in the war. By the middle of the war, the station served twelve trains a day running between Victoria and Folkestone, with additional trains serving Dover. The station was regularly served with a voluntary buffet for departing soldiers, who served up to 4,000 men a day. Victoria itself did not suffer significant damage during
4131-673: The peak hours, Gatwick Express services stop at intermediate stations between Haywards Heath and Brighton such as Preston Park , Hassocks and Burgess Hill . Thameslink operate limited services from London Victoria to Sevenoaks in Kent, usually on Sundays or early mornings. On 26 February 1884, an explosion occurred in the cloakroom of the Brighton side injuring seven staff, as part of the Fenian dynamite campaign . On 27 August 1910, an empty LB&SCR stock train derailed due to inadequate signalling arrangements, leading to four injuries. London station group The London station group
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#17327808928704212-525: The provision of an airport lounge and check-in facilities at first-floor level, with dedicated escalators down to the Gatwick Express platforms. British Airways and other major airlines had their own check-in desks there. British Rail operated an International Travel Centre within the main station, separate from the domestic travel centre. At the time, Victoria was still a major departure point for international travel, with boat trains to Dover and Folkestone for France and Belgium and beyond. This ceased with
4293-441: The remaining services from the station were electrified, including boat trains. Some minor services were withdrawn, and the few remaining steam services, to Oxted and beyond, were replaced by diesel-electric multiple units . Various plans were proposed at this time to redevelop Victoria, including new offices, hotels and a helicopter station. The last steam service left Victoria on 8 January 1964 to East Grinstead , after which it
4374-532: The same day. The two stations at Victoria came largely under single ownership in 1923 with the formation of the Southern Railway (SR) as part of the Big Four grouping. The following year steps were taken to integrate the two stations. The platforms were renumbered in a single sequence, openings were made in the wall separating them to allow passengers to pass from one to the other without going into
4455-399: The station at Victoria bus station or neighbouring streets. By 1850, railways serving destinations to the south of London had three termini available – London Bridge , Bricklayers' Arms and Waterloo . All three were inconvenient for Central London as they terminated south of the river Thames , whereas the main centres of population, business and government were north of the river in
4536-667: The station line by way of Grosvenor Bridge from the south west, south and south east. It is in Travelcard Zone 1 and is one of 19 stations managed by Network Rail . It has been a Grade II listed building since 1970. Victoria Coach Station is about 300 metres south-west of the railway stations. It is the main London coach terminal and serves all parts of the UK and mainland Europe. London Buses routes 2 , 3 , 6 , 11 , 13 , 24 , 26 , 36 , 38 , 44 , 52 , 148 , 170 , 185 , 390 , C1 , C10 and night routes N2 , N11 , N26 , N32 , N38 , N44 and N136 serve
4617-499: The station, while the area around Kings Cross became run-down. An important exception was the Victorian Gothic structure of St Pancras , which became a Grade I listed building in 1967 after being threatened with demolition. Similarly, King's Cross and Paddington became Grade I listed in 1954 and 1961 respectively. In 1986, Broad Street, which had been a major London terminal for local and commuter services, closed. It
4698-499: The street, and alterations were made to the tracks to allow for interchangeable working. The work was completed in 1925, and all platforms were renumbered in a contiguous sequence. Electric suburban services to Herne Hill and Orpington first ran on 12 July that year, followed by South London line services on 17 June 1928, and electric services to Crystal Palace and Epsom (via Mitcham Junction ) on 3 March 1929. The SR also concentrated continental steamer traffic at Victoria, introducing
4779-532: The time the station was built, which was eventually cleared away in 1867 when the London and South Western Railway made a compulsory purchase order for the properties and demolished them, to accommodate an expanded station. A significant exception was the later-constructed Marylebone, while Charing Cross was less affected by slum building than neighbouring stations. Around Battersea and New Cross , railway lines and interchanges occupied about 300 acres (120 ha) of available space. The low-income property that
4860-599: The various terminals. In 1928, the Southern Railway , London and North Eastern Railway and Great Western Railway began to provide dedicated buses between their terminals for Pullman and Continental trains. These were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) upon its formation in 1933, and replaced with regular bus services. From 1936, the LPTB supplied purpose-build 20-seater coaches for this services, with large luggage boots and
4941-424: The war, but a section of Grosvenor Bridge was destroyed after an anti-aircraft shell struck a gas main underneath it. Following the war, memorials were built on both parts of the station. The Southern Railway side marks 626 soldiers killed or missing, while the Chatham side marks 556. A plaque marks the arrival of the body of The Unknown Warrior at Victoria on 10 November 1920. The service to Ostend via Dover
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#17327808928705022-399: The works. The station was managed by Network SouthEast also under British Rail. The other major change to the station under BR was the gradual development of services to Gatwick Airport station after its opening on 28 May 1958. A dedicated rail-air terminal opened on top of platform 15 on 1 May 1962, designed by Clive Pascall. Several long-standing services from Victoria ended during
5103-454: Was 800 feet (240 m) long and 230 feet (70 m) wide. The roof was built on a set of wrought iron girders, with an additional safety row that would allow the main girders to withstand a train strike. On the northwest corner of the station was the 300-bedroom Grosvenor Hotel. It was designed by J. T. Knowles, and run independently of the station itself. It opened in 1861. The LCDR and GWR opened their own station on 25 August 1862, occupying
5184-530: Was applied to all these services. The Brighton Belle , the first electric all-Pullman service in the world, ran from Victoria from 29 June 1934 until its withdrawal in 1972. British Railways (BR) took over the station on 1 January 1948. A new set of offices for Continental trains opened on 14 June, while the eastern booking hall was renovated, opening on 5 February 1951. During the 1950s and early 1960s British Railways (Southern Region) completed its Kent Coast Electrification schemes, which meant that most of
5265-440: Was available, creating slums, and the immediate area around the stations were filled with cheap souvenir shops and prostitutes. Conversely, the middle class moved out into suburbs which now had easy access to Central London via train, and railway traffic increased. Around 76,000 people lost their homes between 1853 and 1901 as a direct result of rail expansion. The area around Waterloo had already become notorious for prostitution by
5346-462: Was built as mixed gauge from Longhedge Junction, Battersea, to cater for GWR trains. It required a 1-in-50 climb and a 15 chains (990 ft; 300 m) turn from the LSWR main line to reach the bridge. The LB&SCR had hoped to amalgamate with the VS&PR, and introduced a parliamentary bill to allow it to do so in 1860. This was opposed by the GWR and LC&DR and rejected. By way of compromise
5427-511: Was completed in 1908, and included the rebuilding of the Grosvenor Hotel at the same time. The site then covered 16 acres (6.5 ha) with 2.25 miles (3.62 km) of platforms. Overhead electric trains began to run into Victoria on 1 December 1909, to London Bridge. The line to Crystal Palace was electrified on 12 May 1911. Victoria became well known for its Pullman services during the late 19th century. The LB&SCR introduced
5508-512: Was declared, and other services were terminated following the German invasion of France in May 1940. Though the station was bombed several times in 1940 and 1941, there was not enough damage to prevent operations. A plane crashed into the eastern side of the station on 15 September 1940 and a flying bomb caused partial damage on 27 June 1944. The greatest change to the station during the 1920s and 1930s
5589-401: Was destroyed by building the stations was generally not replaced, and consequently the remaining accommodation became overcrowded. The proliferation of railway lines south of the Thames is why the Underground has more lines north of the river, as it did not have alternative overground services. In contrast to the 19th century impact of stations, newer developments have seen gentrification of
5670-418: Was extended to the rest of London's terminals with effect from British Rail 's fares update of May 1983, when the London station group was created: "as part of the progress towards simplification of routes and a reduction of [separate fares] ... a common origin/destination of LONDON BR has been adopted for most London fares". Tickets to the London station group were issued to "LONDON BR" until January 1989, when
5751-428: Was feared that Marylebone and St Pancras would follow, but both have been revitalised; the former became an alternative terminal for services to Oxford and Birmingham while the latter is now the main entry point for Eurostar services via the Channel Tunnel . The various terminal stations began to affect their surrounding area once built. Those displaced by the railways crammed into whatever existing accommodation
5832-405: Was included separately from January 1984. Two years later, Moorgate was dropped from the group in favour of Old Street, and Kensington Olympia was included; this was in connection with its upgrade in early 1986 to an InterCity station with regular British Rail services from northwest England to the south coast. Moorgate was reinstated as a member of the group in May 1988, and Kensington Olympia
5913-431: Was owned by a private company competing with the others. The creation of the London Underground provided a practical connection to the various terminals, which continues to be the case as of the 21st century. Many of the stations have been upgraded and modernised to provide a greater capacity and connections to the network; the first London terminal, London Bridge has been rebuilt and expanded on numerous occasions, and of
5994-429: Was re-introduced on 18 January 1919. Civilian trains to Boulogne via Folkestone restarted on 3 February. Boat train services to Newhaven started on 1 June, and a connection with Paris started on 15 July. On 8 January 1920, Victoria replaced Charing Cross as the main station for continental services, as it had more facilities and closer locomotive and carriage facilities. The service to Paris via Calais and Dover began on
6075-566: Was recognised that a terminus would be needed on the north side of the river. During the summer of 1857 a scheme for an independent "Grosvenor Basin Terminus" in the West End of London, "for the use of the Southern Railways of England" was mooted. The station was originally referred to as the "Grosvenor Terminus" but later renamed Victoria as it was sited at the end of Victoria Street. Three other railway companies were also seeking
6156-416: Was removed from the list in May 1994 as British Rail decided to make fares to and from the station identical to those of neighbouring station Willesden Junction . Tickets issued to "LONDON TERMINALS" can be used to travel from the station of origin to any London terminal that can be reached via a permitted route as defined by the National Routeing Guide . For example, a journey from Brighton can use such
6237-420: Was replaced by diesel-electric multiple units. The station was redeveloped internally in the 1980s, with the addition of shops within the concourse, and above the western platforms as the "Victoria Place" shopping centre and 220,000 square feet (20,000 m ) of office space. Platforms 16 and 17 opened on the site of the former taxi rank on 21 December 1987. A major re-signalling scheme was carried out during
6318-490: Was spent constructing routes around the capital. The competition between terminals led to increased costs and financial overruns. Around £2 million (£235 million as of 2023) was spent constructing the final approach of the GER main line from the original terminal at Bishopsgate to Liverpool Street, while the extension from London Bridge to Cannon Street and Charing Cross cost £4 million (£469 million as of 2023). The construction of
6399-576: Was the introduction of third-rail electrification for all suburban and many main-line services, replacing the original LB&SCR overhead scheme by 1929 and largely replacing steam traction, except on Chatham Section main-line and Oxted line trains. Services to Orpington were electrified in 1925 and to Epsom the following year. By 1932 the Brighton Main Line was electrified, quickly followed by those to other Sussex coastal towns and Portsmouth by 1938. The brand name "Southern Electric"
6480-472: Was too expensive to demolish remaining property in the way. The Royal Commission recommended that no new stations should be built in the West End of London or the city, and that the New Road should be the northern boundary of railway development. This created competition between the individual railway companies, who could promote new terminals with individual financial backers. Exemptions were made for
6561-408: Was very much regarded as a temporary terminus, composed of a small number of wooden huts, and positioned immediately next to a proposed bridge over the Thames. Shortly afterwards the LB&SCR leased most of the lines of the new railway, and built a further connection from Crystal Palace to the Brighton Main Line at Norwood Junction , thereby providing itself with a route into west London, although it
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