Talk:Bethnal Green tube station

2003

Removed from page:

In 2003 should be closed for Eastbound and Westbound at Bethnal Green Station for Central Line until Autumn 2003.

Does anyone know anything about this, or even understand what it's on about? It was accompanied by the edit comment (We want to bring the new Central Line in 2003) --rbrwr

After an underground train hit a wall near Chancery Lane station in January 2003, the whole Central Line (and accordingly Bethnal Green tube station) was shut for several weeks. See here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2786565.stm. Londonmatty20 (talk) 17:03, 17 February 2008 (UTC)

2007 derailment

I have a reference for this from the BBC website news story. Is this acceptable? Wilmot1 21:38, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

Secret weapon or Luftwaffe?

According to this 2003 BBC article, the MOD still insist that a Luftwaffe raid was what caused the panic. Has the MOD's story changed in the last four years, and if not shouldn't their version of events be mentioned? 86.132.138.205 23:42, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

The BBC article is archives here, but it's bordering on the laughable. There's never been any secret about the presence of the rocket battery in the park, and indeed it's mentioned in the official report. The incident certainly was reported at the time, although the location was not identified, but that was entirely consistent with pre-existing reporting restrictions relating to the war. Nick Cooper (talk) 22:20, 9 June 2011 (UTC)

Spiral staircase

Also, the Mornington Crescent page suggests that a spiral staircase contributed to the disaster; does anyone know any more about that? Moonraker12 11:30, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

I used the station a couple of years ago and the (straight) stairs take a single 90 degree turn from the street to the ticket barriers. Sounds like the woman who fell got stuck on the quarter landing just where the stairs enter the station building. The Central line isn't particularly deep and a spiral staircase isn't really practical if it doesn't go down very far. mh. (talk) 13:14, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

I have used that station since the 1950's and there has never been a spiral staircase there. A book is available called "Tragedy at Bethnal Green" which is the public inquiry report and which has photographs of the staircase in question, and it is still, today, as it was then. Also, where does the bit about the council being unable to afford improvements or people suing the council come from? According to the original inquiry repory, the council applied to improve the entrance but were not allowed to by the relevant government department, and the council had repeatedly complained that it was hazadous and their warnings were ignored by those who could have authorised the work.82.26.57.60 (talk) 20:47, 25 September 2010 (UTC)

This doesn't seem to have been addressed yet, but as 82.26.57.60 states, the suggestion that the council couldn't afford the crush barrier isn't reflected in the report. While studying primary documents at the National Archives, however, I have seen evidence that some families sought to sue the council, but it needs to be contextualised. There was a standard compensation amount for relatives who died due to "War Operations," and while it was recognised that the shelter disaster did not fit into the accepted definition, it was decided to treat them as such. Some families, however, attempted litigation to secure compensation in excess of that which deaths from War Operation would have merited. Nick Cooper (talk) 22:10, 9 June 2011 (UTC)