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A hidden tram tunnel has been used to help build the Crossrail line 100ft beneath the West End.

The disused, Grade II listed Kingsway Tram Subway once carried Edwardian commuters from the old Holborn station to stops en route to Highbury, Tower Bridge and Kennington.

Now it is being cleaned up after Crossrail engineers used it to pump cement-like grouting into the ground to make it stable enough for 1,000-tonne boring machines to cut through the London clay.

During the works, a shaft 26ft deep and 16ft wide was excavated and other bore holes were dug to pass concrete, water, air and electricity cables down to the Crossrail line, six storeys below street level.

First glimpse inside the new Crossrail stations 14 show all First glimpse inside the new Crossrail stations 1/14 Glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels at Bond Street Crossrail 2/14 Soho street map detail at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 3/14 Escalators and acoustic ceiling drums being installed at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 4/14 Glass panels featuring a Soho street map at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 5/14 Acoustic ceiling drums being installed at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 6/14 Bespoke brickwork at Paddington station Crossrail 7/14 Glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels Crossrail 8/14 Bespoke brickwork at Woolwich station Crossrail 9/14 Soho street map detail at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 10/14 Soho street map detail at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 11/14 Curved glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels line the platform tunnels at Farringdon Crossrail 12/14 Curved glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels line the platform tunnels at Farringdon Crossrail 13/14 Glass-fibre reinfoirced concrete panels line cross passage and terrazzo flooring at Farringdon station Crossrail 14/14 Glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 1/14 Glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels at Bond Street Crossrail 2/14 Soho street map detail at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 3/14 Escalators and acoustic ceiling drums being installed at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 4/14 Glass panels featuring a Soho street map at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 5/14 Acoustic ceiling drums being installed at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 6/14 Bespoke brickwork at Paddington station Crossrail 7/14 Glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels Crossrail 8/14 Bespoke brickwork at Woolwich station Crossrail 9/14 Soho street map detail at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 10/14 Soho street map detail at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail 11/14 Curved glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels line the platform tunnels at Farringdon Crossrail 12/14 Curved glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels line the platform tunnels at Farringdon Crossrail 13/14 Glass-fibre reinfoirced concrete panels line cross passage and terrazzo flooring at Farringdon station Crossrail 14/14 Glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail

The former stop in Southampton Row was brought into service for the works in 2012 because it is directly above the Elizabeth line section linking Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon stations.

The old station opened in 1906, connecting London’s old north and south tramway networks, and by the late Twenties double-decker trams were running through the tunnel. It closed in 1952.

The southern end of the subway tunnel opened to road traffic as the Strand Underpass in 1964, which links to Waterloo Bridge.

Original white wall tiles are still visible beneath the concrete dust, while hints of the old Holborn tram station include piles of gas lamps stacked on the floor, which once lit the platforms.

The iron tram lines are still visible among the granite cobbles, with space underneath for the power supply, and escape holes remain along the tunnel walls for workers to avoid oncoming trams.

Before being put into service by Crossrail, the dark and damp site was used as storage by Camden council, which owns the northern section.

It was also used as a film location, including for The Escapist in 2008 starring Joseph Fiennes, when it became the fictional Union Street station. The blue and red roundels from the movie are still visible on the walls.

Richard Storer, Crossrail community relations manager, said: “This was the prime location for getting access down to the works below so we could pump in grout and take electricity and water down. It was a golden opportunity to use the existing infrastructure without the complication of going in at street level.

“When the trams were running through they connected the north and south of London through the tunnel. It’s a piece of history, which unfortunately is just used a storage dump. It would be nice to see it used as something which is open to the public because it’s a fantastic space.”

The central section of the £14.8 billion Elizabeth line, between Paddington and Abbey Wood via two new tunnels, is due to open in December. The full route should open 12 months later.