Do these stone blocks at an end of the Neville Street 'tunnel' have a purpose?

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Wed 31 Aug, 2011 9:33 pm

I wonder if anyone knows if these large stone/concrete blocks at the end of Neville Street 'tunnel' near Bishopgate Street have a purpose? From the front (as this photo) they look as if they would have a major supporting function, but in a sideways view (in my following post) they just seem to be decorative as they seem to overlie brickwork. I did not measure them but from a simple measurement using strides the bottom stone is very approximately 140cm (55 inch) in length so it is quite long. I took the photo on August 30 2011.I have posted this under 'Transport' as it may be more railway related than 'General Chat' but please accept my apologies if I have posted it in the wrong section.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Wed 31 Aug, 2011 9:36 pm

This is the side view of the stone/concrete blocks that shows they may serve a decorative rather than a structural purpose.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 31 Aug, 2011 9:55 pm

I think if you take a good look at the structure under the Neville Street tunnel you will see it's a real hotpotch of different construction over the years. At one time the station, and the viaduct above will have been a few tracks wide above here. The station expanded, and so did the track approach above. Looking at old maps should show this I think. Also I do believe around this point two different railway companies merged, and the different building materials they used will blend in together. I'll see what railway company built the brick viaduct, and who built the station, I'm pretty sure they were different railway companies. The stonework will have been altered much with access into the expanding arches e.t.c.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 31 Aug, 2011 9:55 pm

Google street view herehttp://tinyurl.com/4yq7du2

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 31 Aug, 2011 9:59 pm

This map shows the North Eastern railway built the brick viaduct on the approach to the station from the East, and the station was built by the London & North Western Railway. The track above here was a joint line between the two. http://tinyurl.com/43ouekk

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Wed 31 Aug, 2011 10:08 pm

Cheers Phill. It was the shear size of the blocks that caught my attention. As I was taking the photos a passing couple stopped and clearly wondered what on earth I was doing so I explained that the blocks looked interesting enough to photograph. I suspect they still thought I was a bit of a nutter!

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 31 Aug, 2011 10:14 pm

Hefty stones for sure. If you see above the blocks they are holding some weighty looking girders. I'm not sure if they are original?? Or a later addition, alteration? In those days they built well oversize.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 01 Sep, 2011 12:55 am

Looking again at the end of Neville street tunnel where you photographed, you can see the stonework doesn't actually carry the station above. It carries New Station Street as can be seen on Google Street view herehttp://tinyurl.com/3fosqc7New Station Street can be seen on old maps as far back as 1893. This gap in the tunnel roof marks the station, and New Station street structureshttp://tinyurl.com/4y8lhkcCity House above must have some good foundations deep into those arches too. From this aerial image you can see your large stones carry girders, that in turn carry three larger span blue girders supporting New Station Street across Neville Street.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Thu 01 Sep, 2011 1:34 am

Cheers again Phill for your great help. I'm amazed (though probably not surprised as I'm not the most observant person) that I never saw the gap in the roof. PS. There are a lot of rucksack carrying folk in the view brought up through the http://tinyurl.com/4y8lhkc link. I wonder if that was taken around the time of a Leeds Festival (not this year though as the tunnel looks different now with the lights etc).

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 01 Sep, 2011 1:42 am

Leodian wrote: Cheers again Phill for your great help. I'm amazed (though probably not surprised as I'm not the most observant person) that I never saw the gap in the roof. PS. There are a lot of rucksack carrying folk in the view brought up through the http://tinyurl.com/4y8lhkc link. I wonder if that was taken around the time of a Leeds Festival (not this year though as the tunnel looks different now with the lights etc). Not the most observant perhaps, but good deductions non the less my good man. Yes I would have said it was the Leeds festival two years ago myself I believe this is where buses drop them off, the sleeping bags and wellies being a good cluehttp://tinyurl.com/3tnqdab