Earl's Court disused exit/entrance to Exhibition Centre

[DavidChandler]

I was lucky to recently visit the disused area of Earl's Court station, which used to provide access to the Exhibition Centre. Here is a short video showing what we found:

https://youtu.be/QPFf47M1-90
[youtube]QPFf47M1-90[/youtube]

 

[Domh245]

I am assuming that this was closed in relation to the demolition of the exhibition centres?

 

[Mojo]

I am assuming that this was closed in relation to the demolition of the exhibition centres?

The exit and associated escalators were closed quite some time before that.

 

[DavidChandler]

I am assuming that this was closed in relation to the demolition of the exhibition centres?

Earl's Court Exhibition Centre is now being demolished, that is correct. But this subway has been out of use for quite a long time. I'm not sure exactly when it closed, but the posters in the ticket hall are dated 1997, so I guess around that period.

I do remember using it as a kid, when I visited the Ideal Homes Exhibition with my mum.

Don't know what will happen to it now the Exhibition Centre is going.

 

[Domh245]

Earl's Court Exhibition Centre is now being demolished, that is correct. But this subway has been out of use for quite a long time. I'm not sure exactly when it closed, but the posters in the ticket hall are dated 1997, so I guess around that period.

I do remember using it as a kid, when I visited the Ideal Homes Exhibition with my mum.

Don't know what will happen to it now the Exhibition Centre is going.

Cheers for that info. I imagine that the developers may want to try and get it reopened, depending on where the other side pops out. It'd be good for both the residential and commercial aspects of the new development to have a tube station within their area.

 

[nuts & bolts]

Certainly of use to a new development, due to crossing the 'Warwick Road' whilst exiting E C Stn!

 

[swt_passenger]

I found an extant planning report about re-using the subway as part of the new development here:

https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Images/Earls Court Design Report_tcm21-169935.pdf

Far too much to summarise I'm afraid, but one of the proposals would include remodelling the western entrance so that the escalators were extended to the surface.

 

[gottago]

Some Oyster readers there so presumably it closed after 2003? Unless they were installed for testing purposes. Also what's with that sign pointing to the Victoria line?

 

[Hophead]

Earl's Court Exhibition Centre is now being demolished, that is correct. But this subway has been out of use for quite a long time. I'm not sure exactly when it closed, but the posters in the ticket hall are dated 1997, so I guess around that period.

Although the ticket barriers towards the exit clearly have Oyster readers on them so, if memory serves, must have been installed in the early 21st Century (perhaps you are correct with your closure theory and there was an expectation of re-opening).

Curiously, also, you've filmed a notice showing "<--- Victoria Line" (something like that, anyway), which was not something I expected to see.

 

[Mojo]

I'm not sure when those signs were installed, but the disused area of the station was used during 2013/2014 for "Every Journey Matters" workshops for station staff, part of this was looking at different ways of interacting with customers, and there were various installations to gain feedback from staff. I wonder if this was part of that?

 

[DavidChandler]

I'm not sure when those signs were installed, but the disused area of the station was used during 2013/2014 for "Every Journey Matters" workshops for station staff, part of this was looking at different ways of interacting with customers, and there were various installations to gain feedback from staff. I wonder if this was part of that?

That is possible. Or it could be a sign from filming. Quite a few of the posters in the subway are 'fakes' that were put up when filming took place there.