North End station under Hampstead Heath controlled London Underground's flood ...

North End station under Hampstead Heath controlled London Underground's flood ...
North End station under Hampstead Heath controlled London Underground's flood ...

Controlled from a secret room beneath Hampstead Heath, they were in place during the Cold War to stop the London Underground from flooding following a nuclear attack.

The floodgate system was installed in the Second World War on parts of the Tube network to prevent water from the River Thames gushing into stations after a bomb attack.

Now, after Londoners yesterday grappled with further heavy rain which caused flash flooding at stations including Pudding Mill Lane in Stratford, a new documentary tells the incredible story of the half-built station from which the gates were controlled in the late 1950s.

During the conflict against Nazi Germany, the gates had been overseen at Leicester Square station, but less than 20 years later – in the nuclear hostilities with the Soviet Union – somewhere deeper was needed.

Tonight's episode of UKTV's Secrets of the London Underground reveals how what would have been North End station, which was built at the turn of the 20th century beneath land that is now part of Hampstead Heath in North London, became the new control centre for the flood gate network.

Controlled from a secret room beneath Hampstead Heath, they were in place during the Cold War to stop the London Underground from flooding following a nuclear attack. The floodgate system was installed in the Second World War on parts of the Tube network to prevent water from the River Thames gushing into stations after a bomb attack. Above: the gates which were installed at Waterloo station

Controlled from a secret room beneath Hampstead Heath, they were in place during the Cold War to stop the London Underground from flooding following a nuclear attack. The floodgate system was installed in the Second World War on parts of the Tube network to prevent water from the River Thames gushing into stations after a bomb attack. Above: the gates which were installed at Waterloo station

Instigated by American tycoon Charles Tyson Yerkes, North End station was built as part of a planned extension to what is now the Northern line.

The developer wanted to build a suburb near to the planned station, to create a community of commuters who would make daily use of it.

However, the land Yerkes needed was owned by the prestigious Eton College, who – in the face of local opposition to the station plans - sold it to wealthy resident Dame Henrietta Barnett.

She then turned the land over to the people of London and called it the Hampstead Heath extension. It is still enjoyed by Londoners today.

Her move made Yerkes' project unviable, and so the North End project was mothballed in 1906 – before a surface building had been built.

It means that, deep beneath the heath, tunnels and the remains of a platform lie largely forgotten.

Prior to their use in the Cold War, the tunnels and platform could only be accessed from underground.

However, when the Government opted to use the space once again, a nondescript surface building, along with an access shaft, was built. Recent images show how the building has been made to look like an electricity substation.

In tonight's show, presenter Tim Dunn is seen being guided down a metal staircase by transport historian and co-presenter Siddy Holloway.

Once at the bottom, the pair are just a few feet away from tunnels carrying Northern Line trains, which can be heard rushing past.

Now, after Londoners yesterday grappled with further heavy rain which caused flash flooding at stations including Pudding Mill Lane in Stratford, a new documentary tells the incredible story of the half-built station from which the gates were controlled in the late 1950s. Above: A recent images show how the surface structure - which was only built in the 1950s - has been made to look like an electricity substation

Now, after Londoners yesterday grappled with further heavy rain which caused flash flooding at stations including Pudding Mill Lane in Stratford, a new documentary tells the incredible story of the half-built station from which the gates were controlled in the late 1950s. Above: A recent images show how the surface structure - which was only built in the 1950s - has been made to look like an electricity substation 

Instigated by American tycoon Charles Tyson Yerkes (above), North End station was built as part of a planned extension to what is now the Northern line

The developer wanted to build a suburb near to the planned station, to create a community of commuters who would make daily use of it. However, the land Yerkes needed was owned by the prestigious Eton College, who – in the face of local opposition to the station plans - sold it to wealthy resident Dame Henrietta Barnett above left)

Instigated by American tycoon Charles Tyson Yerkes (left), North End station was built as part of a planned extension to what is now the Northern line. The developer wanted to build a suburb near to the planned station, to create a community of commuters who would make daily use of it. However, the land Yerkes needed was owned by the prestigious Eton College, who – in the face of local opposition to the station plans - sold it to wealthy resident Dame Henrietta Barnett (left, right photo)

She then turned the land over to the people of London and called it the Hampstead Heath extension. It is still enjoyed by Londoners today. Her move made Yerkes' project unviable, and so the North End project was mothballed in 1906 – before a surface building had been built. Above: One of the tunnels being built at North End

She then turned the land over to the people of London and called it the Hampstead Heath extension. It is still enjoyed by Londoners today. Her move made Yerkes' project unviable, and so the North End project was mothballed in 1906 – before a surface building had been built. Above: One of the tunnels being built at North End  

PREV Reform Party attacks on the Conservatives are RIGHT, warns leading Tory MP as ... trends now
NEXT In news vacuum, rumours and concern swirl over Catherine mogaznewsen