[14] Angel station was originally built by the City & South London Railway (C&SLR), and opened on 17 November 1901[note 1] as the northern terminus of a new extension from Moorgate.

When the C&SLR line was closed for tunnel reconstruction in the early 1920s to accommodate larger trains,[17] the station façade was reclad with tiling and the lifts were replaced by new ones from Otis.

[19] For years since its opening, the station regularly suffered from overcrowding and had a very narrow island platform (12 feet (3.7 m) in width), which was considered a major safety issue and caused justified fear among passengers.

[note 2] The lifts and the original surface building at the corner of Torrens Street and City Road were closed, while the escalator shafts of the remodelled station were constructed in conjunction with the Angel Square office complex, the ground floor of which included the ticket hall and relocated entrance on Islington High Street.

[22] In 2006, a Norwegian national skied down the station's escalator, hitting a top speed of approximately 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), while recording the stunt with a helmet-mounted camera.

[23] While the video went viral on sites such as YouTube, it was condemned by London Underground, with a press statement issued stating 'this is a dangerous, stupid and irresponsible act that could have resulted in serious injury or death to not only the individual concerned but also other passengers'.

[25] In September 2022, planning approval was granted to reconstruct the Angel Square office complex which also incorporates the station's surface entrance.

[26] The scheme involves stripping the building back to its concrete frame, adding two new storeys and replacing the original brick and stone façade with a glass curtain wall.

When Angel was first opened, a long dead-end siding was provided for train stabling, converging from the left onto the northbound line just south of the station.

The programme depicted the staff's daily struggles with overcrowding, frequent lift breakdowns and dealing with constant complaints from passengers.