Barbican tube station

Barbican is a London Underground station serving the Barbican Estate and Centre in the City of London. It is on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines between and, in Travelcard Zone 1. Thameslink trains to and from Moorgate via Barbican ceased in March 2009.

History
The station was first called "Aldersgate Street", this being the name of the street on which it stands. This changed to "Aldersgate" on 1 November 1910, then to "Aldersgate and Barbican" in 1923, and to the present name from 1 December 1968.

The station replaced an earlier building at 134 Aldersgate Street, which for many years had a sign claiming "This was Shakespeare's House". Although the building was very close to the nearby Fortune Playhouse, there is no documentary evidence that Shakespeare lived here; a subsidy roll from 1598 shows a "William Shakespeare" as owner of the property, but there is nothing to indicate that it is the playwright. On the road opposite the station, within the Golden Lane Estate, is a pub called "The Shakespeare".

On 14 April 1914, the body of seven-year-old Margaret Nally was found in the ladies' cloakroom at what was then Aldersgate Street Station; she had been sexually assaulted and suffocated with a cloth pushed down her throat.

A display on the history of the station, including text and photographs, is just inside the barriers, on the southern side of the main entrance corridor.

In late March 2009, Thameslink trains ceased to call at Barbican. This was part of the Thameslink Programme to allow to have its mainline platforms extended across Thameslink's Moorgate branch. As a result, Barbican is no longer a multimodal station.

Layout
The station lies in an east-west-aligned trench with cut-and-cover tunnels at either end. The modern entrance gives access from Aldersgate Street, through a 1990s building, to a much older footbridge leading to the eastern end of the platforms. To the north are backs of buildings that face on to Charterhouse Street and Charterhouse Square. To the south are the backs of buildings that face on to Long Lane. To the west is Hayne Street.

The station is mostly open to the elements, though there are some short canopies. The remains of the supporting structure for a glass canopy over all four platforms (removed in the 1950s) may still clearly be seen. At the west end of the central island is a disused signal box. Also from this end of the platforms may be seen the beginnings of the complex of tunnels leading under Smithfield meat market. Livestock for the market was at one time delivered by rail and there was a substantial goods yard under the market.

Platform 1 is the most northerly, serving eastbound LUL services. Platforms 2 and 3 form an island platform. Platform 2 serves westbound LUL services. Platforms 3 and 4 are out of use, since Thameslink trains no longer work the Moorgate branch.

Future
When Crossrail is built, the eastern ticket hall will be just to the west of Barbican station, and an interchange will be built here. This will involve significant changes at the western end of the station, including the demolition of the former signal box and the provision of a new footbridge spanning the tracks.

Transport links
London bus routes 4, 56, 100 and 153.