TfL: Disused Charing Cross Tube platform back on the Jubilee line...but just for one train

Passengers aboard a southbound Jubilee Line train made a surprise stop last weekend, ending up at a central London station removed from its route nearly 25 years ago.

The train, which Transport for London (TfL) said was sent from Green Park on Sunday afternoon (July 30), ended up pulling into sidings at Charing Cross due to a miscommunication from the control room.

On Reddit, one passenger said they boarded the train at Green Park, expecting to get off at the following Jubilee line stop, Westminster.

However, when they pulled up, the passenger was instead greeted with the roundels for Charing Cross, with the driver telling passengers he “had no idea what happened”.

The driver subsequently said he would have to change the train to a northbound service terminating at Stanmore.

The Reddit user added they were “still blown away” by the incident the following day, due to Charing Cross station being removed from the Jubilee line’s route in 1999.

A TfL spokesperson said: “A Jubilee line train was sent from Green Park station to sidings at Charing Cross on Sunday afternoon as part of a plan to restore the timetabled service after some trains ran later than scheduled.

“Due to a miscommunication, the doors closed before all customers had left the train and it continued to the sidings before returning straight back to Green Park to allow those customers to leave the train.

“We apologise for the disruption this caused to their journeys, and we can assure Londoners that this train movement was routine, entirely safe and controlled by our signalling system.”

Asked by LondonWorld whether it is common to use Charing Cross’ disused platforms to regulate the service, the spokesperson said this is only done on an ad-hoc basis.

They said since it was removed from the Jubilee line, the platform has continued to have a range of other uses, including as a filming location and as part of the Transport Museum’s Hidden London tours.

While the Jubilee line has not been stopping at Charing Cross since 1999, the station continues to service trains running on the Northern and Bakerloo lines.

London’s most central station, it also provides an interchange with Charing Cross mainline services.

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