This has been done before but I also wanted to visit this place as I live like 10 minutes walk from this place and have always been interested in how my local area was once was.
History:
As I want to give a bit of history of the place I explored, so everyone can see it in the context of the pictures, here it is:
The place I explored was a subway that connected the now demolished Crystal Palace High Level station to the again demolished Crystal Palace. For those interested in the Crystal Palace it was designed by the Victorian Joesph Paxton.
The subway, from what I understand, was used exclusively by Victorian and Edwardian High Class visitors to use, although now the only visitors urban explorers!
The train station is now a block of flats but the subway is now Grade 2 listed and lies empty with discussion to bring it back in to use. Although these discussions have been going on for years as have other ideas for redeveloping the Crystal Palace ideas!
Exploration:
I explored this place in early June 2011. As others had said this is one of the easiest exploration places to get so it’s easy to find your feet (no pun intended). It’s literally a case of climbing over a low wall and drop down to an embankment on one of the main roads in the area. The embankment takes you down a set of stairs that lead you to the subway. I spent about 30 minutes checking the place out. It’s only the subway and a few stairs but it seems surreal that above you is a busy main road of South London.
As you can see in the subway, it is generally a hall shape size and is Grade 2 listed with ornate mosaics. This is the entrance to one of the subway from the platform that once connected the subway to the train station.
A close-up of the pillars and the patterns inside the subway.
View attachment 335632
I think this is the lobby area for the visitors to enter the Crystal Palace. Once covered in glass, the roof is now open to the elements.
View attachment 335633
Another view from one of the stairwell.
View attachment 335634
Apologises for the poor quality of the picture. I didn’t have my SLRs with me as the explore was a last minute decision. These were all taken with my Nokia 5800. Next time I’ll bring my Canon 5D Mark 2 and my wide angle.
History:
As I want to give a bit of history of the place I explored, so everyone can see it in the context of the pictures, here it is:
The place I explored was a subway that connected the now demolished Crystal Palace High Level station to the again demolished Crystal Palace. For those interested in the Crystal Palace it was designed by the Victorian Joesph Paxton.
The subway, from what I understand, was used exclusively by Victorian and Edwardian High Class visitors to use, although now the only visitors urban explorers!
The train station is now a block of flats but the subway is now Grade 2 listed and lies empty with discussion to bring it back in to use. Although these discussions have been going on for years as have other ideas for redeveloping the Crystal Palace ideas!
Exploration:
I explored this place in early June 2011. As others had said this is one of the easiest exploration places to get so it’s easy to find your feet (no pun intended). It’s literally a case of climbing over a low wall and drop down to an embankment on one of the main roads in the area. The embankment takes you down a set of stairs that lead you to the subway. I spent about 30 minutes checking the place out. It’s only the subway and a few stairs but it seems surreal that above you is a busy main road of South London.
As you can see in the subway, it is generally a hall shape size and is Grade 2 listed with ornate mosaics. This is the entrance to one of the subway from the platform that once connected the subway to the train station.
A close-up of the pillars and the patterns inside the subway.
View attachment 335632
I think this is the lobby area for the visitors to enter the Crystal Palace. Once covered in glass, the roof is now open to the elements.
View attachment 335633
Another view from one of the stairwell.
View attachment 335634
Apologises for the poor quality of the picture. I didn’t have my SLRs with me as the explore was a last minute decision. These were all taken with my Nokia 5800. Next time I’ll bring my Canon 5D Mark 2 and my wide angle.
