Crystal Palace Subway restored: First images revealed ahead of public Open Day
The first images of the restored Crystal Palace Subway have been revealed ahead of a public open day next weekend.
The subway is a remarkable survivor of the Crystal Palace. It originally provided a richly decorated brick vault passage for first-class passengers using the former Crystal Palace High-Level railway station to the Crystal Palace.
After the Cystal Palace closed, although used occasionally as a shelter or for filming, it remained largely untouched, and some of the structure was decaying. Fortunately, after years of planning and fundraising, restoration started in 2022, and is now nearly complete.
The £3.5m project was funded through various sources, including the City of London Strategic Investment Pot, more than £1m from Historic England, and generous donations from numerous individuals.
The repair and restoration project also benefited from significant local support spearheaded by the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway, with the group collaborating closely with Bromley Council and Historic England over the last decade to see the site brought back into public use.
Further grant funding and investment will be sought in the coming years to enable the full transformation of the Crystal Palace Subway into a venue for hire that can be opened to the public permenantly.
The historic Grade II* listed Crystal Palace Subway is set to reopen following major restoration work, in time for its 160th anniversary in 2025. A new roof over the East Courtyard and repairs to the walls, floor, steps and entrances have breathed new life into the Victorian subway. The structure dates from 1865 and is the most substantial survivor of the huge Crystal Palace complex which was dramatically lost to fire in 1936.
Crystal Palace Park Trust, the new community-led park custodian, will now run the subway.
Crystal Palace Park Trust will open the doors to the restored subway as part of the Open House Festival on Saturday 21 September from 10am to 2pm – details here.
Victoria Pinnington, Chief Executive of Crystal Palace Park Trust said: “The completion of the subway restoration project couldn’t be a better gift to mark the one-year anniversary of the Trust’s custodianship of this incredible historic landscape. We would like to extend our gratitude to the passion, dedication and hard work of those in our local community who campaigned tirelessly, under the leadership of the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway, for this restoration to happen. We can’t wait to open the doors and welcome people from our surrounding five boroughs, as well as those from further afield, to visit this beautiful space.”
Regeneration plan
Restoration of the subway is part of an effort to revive the park and celebrate its rich heritage. Crystal Palace Park is home to numerous historic features including the Dinosaur sculptures and the Italian Terraces with their Egyptian-style Sphinxes.
The next major works for the £52 million Regeneration Plan for the park includes the restoration of the Italian Terraces and the Dinosaurs, where Historic England has also been providing expert surveys and advice. Funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting this phase, with wider funding for the Regeneration Plan coming from a number of sources, including the sale of residential developments coming forward next to the park. Planning approval was recently granted for this next phase of the Regeneration Plan.
They’ve done a nice job, looks as good as new.
I wonder why they didn’t use the original roofline
Marvellous – what a coup for the Open House Festival.
Wow, it looks amazing! Can’t wait to see it, I’m local.
Moved in the area about two years ago. Crystal palace never ceases to amuse and interest. Great step to restore the history. Can’t wait to go
A great restoration. It’s a tragedy that The Crystal Palace itself didn’t survive to the present day.
My late Mum told me that she saw the glow of the fire from her home in south London.
It looks fantastic, I hope that is a way to prevent the modern blight of graffiti !
“I hope that there is a way” that should have read
I expect that they raised the roof to eliminate that central gutter, a common cause of problems, and the new design gives a more open feel.
At last! So what a pity that on the opening day, Saturday 21 September, Southern Railway has closed Crystal Palace Station all day …
I recall visiting the restored under croftfrom the high railway in around 1983. At the time much was made of Italian craftsmen redeployed from cathedral restoration in Italy that were brought over for the original construction in 1853. No big fanfares and access was obtained by walking down the narrow steps on the other side of the road. Sadly it was vandalised with spray paint “ artists “! So within a year or so that access was sealed with steel bars. One wonders with this now having limited access wether the same lack of accessibility awaits this latest restoration?
Looks stunning, great work!
Looks stunning!