Underground Heritage Information
Great Portland Street station
Listed as a building of national significance
Architects: Sir John Fowler (platforms), 1863 C. W. Clark (station building), 1930
The station opened as 'Portland Road' on the 10 January 1863, as part of the new Metropolitan Railway. This line, between Paddington and Farringdon stations, is the oldest underground passenger railway in the world. The station was renamed 'Great Portland Street' in March 1917 and then changed again to 'Great Portland Street & Regents Park' in 1923. The station reverted to its current name in 1933.
The original 1863 building was similar to others built by Sir John Fowler when the railway first opened. The station was famed for its two domed towers either side of the entrance which were an added architectural feature, a requirement due to it being located on the crown estate. They were removed nine years after opening due to the high cost of maintenance.
The current building is unusually situated on a traffic island. Its construction is a steel framed cream terracotta clad exterior, with the perimeter providing shops and originally a car showroom with office space over the station. Eight internal columns dominate the ticket hall with a brown and cream patterned tiled floor which has been replicated following the necessary installation of the ticket gates. When the station was rebuilt between 1929 and 1931 the platforms were also extended to accommodate 8 car trains with the majority of the original brick arches retained from the 1863 construction.
The station was Grade II listed on 19 January 1987.
Great Portland Street is a London Underground station on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.
Site: Great Portland Street Station (1 memorial)
W1, Great Portland Street
Identical plaques appear on both of the station's platforms.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of plaquesoflondon.co.uk
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