Aldgate East tube station

The original Aldgate East station

The name "Commercial Road" had been proposed for the original Aldgate East station, which opened on 6 October 1884 as part of an eastern extension to the District Railway (now the District line),[6] some 500 feet (150 m) to the west of the current station, close to the Metropolitan Railway's Aldgate station. However, when the link to the Metropolitan Railway at Liverpool Street was built, the curve had to be particularly sharp owing to the location of Aldgate East station, at which the track needed to be straight.

The resited Aldgate East station, showing its modernist, simple appearance

As part of the London Passenger Transport Board's 1935–1940 New Works Programme the triangular junction at Aldgate was enlarged, to allow for a much gentler curve and to ensure trains that were held on any leg of the triangle did not foul any signals or points elsewhere.[7] The new Aldgate East platforms were sited almost immediately to the east of their predecessors, with one exit facing west toward the original location, and another at the eastern end of the new platforms.

The new eastern exit was now close enough to the next station along the line, St Mary's (Whitechapel Road), that this station could also be closed,[note 1] reducing operational overheads and journey times, because the new Aldgate East had effectively replaced two earlier stations.

The new station, which opened on 31 October 1938,[6] (the earlier station closing permanently the previous night[8][9]) was designed to be completely subterranean, providing a much-needed pedestrian underpass for the road above.

The reconstruction of Aldgate East station in progress. To lower the track level, the trackbed has been excavated with an interim support of timber trestles. With the tracks attached to chains from the ceiling, the trestle was then dismantled and the tracks lowered to the new lower track level.

However, in order to accommodate the space needed for this, and the platforms below, the existing track required lowering by more than seven feet (2 m). To achieve this task whilst still keeping the track open during the day, the bed underneath the track was excavated, and the track held up by a timber trestle framework. Then, once excavation was complete and the new station constructed around the site, an army of over 900 workmen lowered the whole track simultaneously in one night, using overhead hooks to suspend the track when necessary.[10] The hooks still remain.

A second view of reconstruction under the tracks, showing them ready to be lowered to their new level

A campaign was launched by a local councillor in a bid to change the name of the station to Brick Lane tube station by 2012,[11] but this had no official support and was not successful. The same councillor has also campaigned to have Shoreditch High Street railway station renamed "Banglatown".[12]

The station was Metronet's first refurbished (and show-piece) station, refurbished in 'heritage' style.[14] Work actually began at platform level earlier in 2007.[14] On 9 March 2007 it was noted that every other platform bullseye and its associated blue enamel "Way Out" plate below had been removed on both platforms, marking the end of the only sub-surface 'New Works' station.[14] By 14 March all the roundels had been removed and temporary signs substituted.[14] The north-east entrance was also closed from 10 March 2007 until 2009.[14] As of 23 May 2007, the tiling was removed on the eastbound platform and the walls were rough cemented but the tiles remained on the westbound one, although it only took a few days.[14] The new framework for lighting and cabling had been installed.[14]

This is the general off-peak frequency. During peak times trains also operate to Wimbledon. During off-peak times, 3 trains per hour from Wimbledon terminate at Barking (as of December 2014).

• 12 tph eastbound to Upminster (On Sundays alternate trains run to Barking only)
• 3 tph eastbound to Barking
• 6 tph westbound to Ealing Broadway
• 6 tph westbound to Richmond
• 3 tph westbound to Wimbledon

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour (tph) is:

• 6 tph eastbound to Barking[15][16]
• 6 tph westbound to Hammersmith[15][17]

There is no regular service, however there are two Circle line trains per day that run from Barking to Edgware Road via Victoria before 6 a.m. (as of February 2015).[18]

London Buses routes 15, 25, 115, 135, 205, 242, 254, D3 and night routes N15, N25, N205, N253 and N550 serve the station.[19][20]

• Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199.
• Jowett, Alan (2000). Jowett's Nationalised Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Penryn, Cornwall: Atlantic Transport Publishers. ISBN 978-0-906899-99-1. OCLC 228266687.