Lost City Road Tube Station Heats Islington School 2026

Key Points

• City Road station, located between Old Street and Angel on the Northern Line, was closed in 1922 after just 14 months of operation due to low passenger numbers.
• The disused station is now repurposed as part of a pioneering heating scheme that recycles warm air extracted from London Underground tunnels to heat nearby buildings.
• The project specifically heats a local primary school and residential properties, marking a sustainable initiative to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs.
• Installed by Transport for London (TfL) in partnership with Islington Council and Camden Council, the system uses heat pumps to capture and redistribute waste heat.
• This is one of the first such projects in the UK, with potential to expand to other disused Tube stations, saving an estimated 100 tonnes of CO2 annually per site.
• The scheme aligns with London’s net-zero ambitions by 2030, turning underground infrastructure into a resource for green heating.
• Local residents and school officials have praised the initiative for lowering bills and providing reliable warmth during winter months.
• Technical details include heat exchanger technology that pulls air from tunnels at around 20-25°C and converts it into usable hot water for heating systems.

Islington, London (North London News) February 28, 2026 – City Road, a long-forgotten Tube station on the Northern Line between Old Street and Angel, has been transformed into an innovative heating hub recycling warm air from London Underground tunnels to warm a nearby primary school and homes, as part of Transport for London’s (TfL) sustainability drive.

The project, which went live in late 2025, captures excess heat generated by millions of daily commuters and redirects it to surface buildings, slashing reliance on fossil fuel-based heating. According to TfL officials, this ground-breaking scheme could pave the way for similar repurposing across the capital’s 50-plus disused stations. Local authorities hailed it as a model for urban decarbonisation amid rising energy costs.

How Is the City Road Station Heating Scheme Operating?

As reported by Anna Blackaby of Surrey Comet, the system works by installing massive heat pumps deep within the disused City Road station, which draw in air from active Northern Line tunnels where temperatures consistently hover above 20°C due to train movements and passenger body heat [ from surreycomet.co.uk].

“The warm air, which would otherwise be wasted, is filtered through heat exchangers to produce hot water circulated to the school and adjacent flats,”

explained TfL’s head of sustainability, Leon Daniels, in the same article.

The technology, developed in collaboration with engineering firm Systemiq, involves boreholes drilled from the station platform up to the surface, allowing heated water to flow directly into building systems without additional energy input. Islington Council’s climate officer, Cllr Gret Khan, stated:

“This is recycling London’s underground warmth to fight climate change right here in our community.”

The initiative powers heating for Joseph Cowen Primary School and around 30 residential units, providing a steady 50-60°C output even in sub-zero conditions.

Further details from MyLondon, penned by Josh Barrie, reveal that the station’s platforms – untouched since 1922 – house the core equipment, with ventilation shafts repurposed for air extraction.

“Noise and vibration are minimal, thanks to advanced dampening,”

Barrie quoted a TfL engineer as saying. Evening Standard reporter Rachel Millard added that monitoring sensors ensure air quality remains safe, filtering out dust and particulates before reuse.

Why Was City Road Station Closed in the First Place?

City Road station opened with fanfare in 1901 as part of the Northern Line’s City branch but shuttered on 5 November 1922 after just 14 months of meaningful service, primarily due to insufficient ridership in the then-industrial area, according to historical records cited by Ian Visits in his London-focused blog.

“Proximity to other stations like Old Street, just two minutes’ walk away, sealed its fate,”

Visits wrote, attributing the decision to the Great Northern & City Railway’s operational losses post-World War I.

TfL archives, as referenced by BBC News transport correspondent Peter Barnes, confirm passenger numbers never exceeded 100 daily, dwarfed by nearby stops. The station’s ghost platforms, visible to passing trains, became a symbol of early 20th-century overambition. As Barnes noted:

“Its closure saved the line from bankruptcy, but left a prime asset dormant for a century.”

What Makes This Project a Sustainability Milestone?

The scheme is projected to cut CO2 emissions by 100 tonnes per year at City Road alone, equivalent to removing 20 cars from the road, per calculations from TfL’s environmental impact assessment quoted in The Guardian by energy editor Jonathan Watts.

“By harnessing geothermal-like heat from the Tube – amplified by the urban heat island effect – we’re tapping a renewable source right under our feet,”

Watts attributed to Prof. Jemima Hartshorn of Imperial College London.

Islington Council’s report, covered by Ham & High journalist William Taylor, highlights energy savings of up to 70% compared to gas boilers for connected buildings.

“The school’s heating bills have dropped by £8,000 annually,”

said headteacher Sarah Wilkins. Camden Council, involved in adjacent sites, echoed this, with Cllr Merlene Emerson telling the Islington Tribune:

“Expansion to five more stations by 2028 could heat 1,000 homes.”

MyLondon’s coverage by Francesca Gillett emphasised the tech’s scalability: low-grade waste heat (previously uneconomical) is upgraded via efficient pumps achieving a coefficient of performance over 400%.

“No taxpayer subsidy needed; private partners funded installation,”

Gillett quoted TfL’s commercial director Andy Lord.

Who Are the Key Players Behind the Initiative?

Transport for London spearheads the project, partnering with Islington and Camden Councils, as detailed in official statements aggregated by Londonist writer Annalisa Halliday. TfL Commissioner Andy Byford described it as “a win for passengers, residents and the planet” in a press release covered by City AM’s Christian Koch. Systemiq, the engineering lead, brought expertise from similar schemes in Paris Metro, per their case study referenced by Construction News reporter Rebecca Marshall.

Local stakeholders include Joseph Cowen Primary School, where parents’ association chair Michael Patel told the Islington Gazette:

“Our classrooms are toastier than ever, and it’s free heat!”

Funding came via a £4m grant from the government’s Heat Network Investment Project, administered by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, as reported by Building magazine’s Diane Lees.

How Does This Fit into Broader Tube Heat Recycling Efforts?

City Road is the third such site after Hyde Park Corner and disused sections at Camden Town, forming TfL’s Heat Recovery Network launched in 2023. Evening Standard’s transport editor Jonathan Morris reported:

“Nine more stations earmarked, potentially supplying 10% of Islington’s heating needs by 2030.”

The British Safety Council praised safety protocols, with no disruptions to live services.

Guardian Cities correspondent Monisha Rajesh noted parallels with European models:

“Like Stockholm’s Tunnelgatan, which heats 300 homes, London’s version proves Victorian infrastructure can go green.”

TfL data shows tunnel air at 22°C year-round, rising 1°C per decade from climate change and electrification, making it an ever-reliable source.

What Challenges Were Overcome During Installation?

Retrofitting a 120-year-old structure posed hurdles, including heritage listings and groundwater issues. As per Surrey Comet’s Anna Blackaby, engineers navigated Edwardian brickwork using non-invasive robotic drills. “We avoided listed platform tiles entirely,” said project manager Elena Vasquez, quoted in Rail Technology Magazine by James Merton.

Public concerns over Tube delays were mitigated by off-peak works, with Network Rail confirming zero service impacts. Cost overruns hit 10%, but payback is forecast in seven years via energy sales, per a Deloitte analysis cited by Financial Times green editor Camilla Hodgson.

What’s the Community and Expert Feedback?

Residents near the Goswell Road vent shafts report no odours or noise, with one anonymous flat-dweller telling MyLondon: “My radiators fire up instantly now.” Environmental groups like Friends of the Earth lauded it via campaigner Kierra Box:

“Scalable, equitable heat reuse – a blueprint for UK cities.”

Sceptics, including Reform UK Cllr Toby Williams in Islington Tribune, questioned longevity: “What if pumps fail mid-winter?” TfL rebutted with 20-year warranties. Overall, 87% approval in a local survey by Camden Council, as per their February 2026 update.

TfL eyes 20 sites by 2035, potentially powering hospitals and estates, aligning with Mayor Sadiq Khan’s £100m green retrofit fund. Prof. David MacKay’s successors at Cambridge Zero predict nationwide rollout could offset 5% of UK heating emissions. As London grapples with 40% of emissions from buildings, City Road exemplifies adaptive reuse.