Clapham South tube station
London Underground station
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clapham South (/ˈklæpəm ˈsaʊθ/) is a London Underground station. It is on the Morden branch of the Northern line, between Clapham Common and Balham stations. The station is in both London fare zone 2 and 3. It is located at the corner of Balham Hill (A24) and Nightingale Lane, at the southern edge of Clapham Common.
| Clapham South | |
|---|---|
Station entrance | |
Interactive map of Clapham South | |
| General information | |
| Location | Clapham, Balham |
| Local authority | London Borough of Wandsworth |
| Managed by | London Underground |
| Owner | |
| Number of platforms | 2 |
| Fare zone | 2 and 3 |
| Key dates | |
| 13 September 1926 | Opened (C&SLR) |
| Listed status | |
| Listing grade | II |
| Entry number | 1266140[1] |
| Added to list | 16 June 1987 |
| Other information | |
| Coordinates | 51.452778°N 0.147°W |
History
The station was designed by Charles Holden and was opened on 13 September 1926 as the first station of the Morden extension of the City and South London Railway, which is now part of the Northern line. Other proposed names for the station prior to opening were "Balham North" and "Nightingale Lane".
The apartments above the station, named Westbury Court, were a later addition, built in the mid-1930s. The parade of shops along Balham Hill was extended as part of the same development using the same style as the original three closest to the station.
The station was refurbished in the 1990s, with new flooring, tiling and CCTV – albeit ensuring that original Charles Holden features were restored or reproduced. The restoration work was awarded a National Railway Heritage Award.[2]
It is one of eight London Underground stations with a deep-level air-raid shelter underneath it.[3] In 1948, the deep shelter was used as temporary accommodation for immigrants from the West Indies. The HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury in 1948 carrying 492 immigrants. London had a severe labour shortage after the war and the Colonial Office had sought to recruit a labour force from Jamaica. An advertisement had appeared in Jamaica's Daily Gleaner on 13 April 1948 offering transport to the UK. The Windrush was quickly filled. As there was no accommodation for all of the new arrivals, the Colonial Office housed many of them temporarily in the deep-level shelter at Clapham South.[4]
The underground shelter has been available to visit through London Transport Museum's Hidden London programme of guided tours since 2016.[5]
