First opened on the 24th September 1900 by the then-coined Central London Railway, Bond Street has been a crucial station in many a Londoner’s journey for over 120 years. Yesterday, on the 24th October, ironically the same number date as its first inauguration, the newly-renovated station was opened to commuters on the Elizabeth Line for the first time.
The last station to be opened on the Elizabeth Line, entrances to the public are available at both Hanover Square and Davies Street. Despite the Elizabeth Line’s official opening being on the 24th May- yet again, another remarkably congruous date- Bond Street station would not be part of the operating system until later in the year, due to delays in the project’s construction.
On of the few step-free stations in London, trains tend to run every five minutes, with passengers whose destination is the West End coming from places such as Heathrow or Reading being able to take a train directly to Bond Street without the inconvenience of having to change at, for example, Liverpool Street, or Paddington.
Efficient, spacious, dynamically lit, and stylishly constructed, many have commented on the uplift the station has provided for the retail community surrounding the stop, and the boost it has given hospitality and commercial services throughout Kensington, and indeed the entire of London.
The station’s focus on modern technology, scarce advertising, warm and cold lighting, white walls and the high ceilings of the rounded foot tunnels give it a futuristic, generous and durable feel, designed to be accessible to all and lacking in the sweltering, slightly cramped feel of many other, older stations along the Underground.
“The station feels so light and airy compared to some other stuffier stations on the Underground,” a local commuter, Yat Lei, commented when asked about the station’s opening, “clearly a lot of effort has gone into the design and execution of the platform’s construction, as well as the tunnels down from the ground level above. It has a unique and generous feel.”
“I’ve been using Bond Street Station for over twenty years now,” her husband, Jonathan Lei, added, “and this is by far the most impressive and beneficial change the station has undergone.”
The Elizabeth Line, part of the Crossrail project, is considered by many to be a token of a new generation- in Paddington, for example, despite being 20 metres submerged underground, the station maintains natural lighting, thanks to the 120 metre long glass and steel canopy, printed with an artwork belonging to American artist Spencer Finch.
Modern, minimalist and mounted from naturally sourced materials, the Elizabeth Line sets out to improve the efficiency, capacity and reliability of London’s infrastructure, and to lead the city’s development into the new, rapidly evolving future.
