Edgware railway station
Encyclopedia
Edgware railway station was a London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER) station in Station Road, Edgware
, Greater London
. It is not to be confused with the London Underground
Northern line
Edgware station
approximately 200 metres to the north east.
(E&HLR) and was opened on 22 August 1867 by the Great Northern Railway
(GNR) (which had taken over the EH&LR) in what was then rural Middlesex
. The line ran from Finsbury Park
to Edgware via Highgate with branches to Alexandra Palace
and High Barnet
. The previous station on the line (actually it was only a Halt) was Mill Hill (The Hale)
.
The line became part of the LNER in 1923 after the 1921 Railways Act
created the Big Four railway companies.
In 1935, London Underground planned to take over the line from LNER as part of the "Northern Heights" part of the "New Works Programme
". The track would be modernised for use with electric trains and amalgamated with the Northern Line. The integration of the line would have meant the closure of Edgware railway station and the diversion of its tracks into the Underground station which would have been expanded to take the additional traffic. The Northern Line was also to be extended from Edgware to Bushey Heath in Hertfordshire
with three new stations at Brockley Hill
, Elstree South
and Bushey Heath
.
Works began in the late 1930s and were at an advanced stage when they were interrupted and halted by the Second World War. The section of line between Finchley Central station
and Edgware was closed to passenger services on 10 September 1939. On the Edgware branch of the line, only the works on the section from Finchley Central to Mill Hill East
were completed. That section reopened with Underground services in 1941 as a one-station spur.
After the war a shortage of funds and the introduction of the Metropolitan Green Belt
lead to the cancellation of the unfinished Northern line elements of the "New Works Programme" in 1950. The extension of the line to Bushey Heath was no longer viable as the new housing developments that it would have stimulated and served could no longer be constructed on land designated as Green Belt. Additionally, without the extended line, the completion of the work between Edgware and Mill Hill East was no longer needed. The only station on that section of the line was Mill Hill (The Hale) and passengers from Mill Hill could easily use the nearby Mill Hill Broadway station
on the London Midland and Scottish Railway to travel into London.
Edgware railway station and the tracks to Mill Hill East continued to be used for goods services until 1964 when it was completely closed. Today, the track has been removed and the platforms and station buildings have been demolished. The site of Edgware railway station is now occupied by a shopping centre, alongside part of whose car park runs a small stretch of the former trackbed, leading to the still-standing bridge over the Northern line
tracks into Edgware Underground station.
Former Services
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER) station in Station Road, Edgware
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. It is not to be confused with the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
Northern line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
Edgware station
Edgware tube station
Edgware tube station is a London Underground station in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet, in North London. The station is the terminus of the Edgware branch of the Northern Line and the next station towards central London is . Edgware is in Travelcard Zone 5.-Location:The station is in...
approximately 200 metres to the north east.
History
The station was built as the northern terminus of the Edgware, Highgate and London RailwayEdgware, Highgate and London Railway
The Edgware, Highgate and London Railway was a railway in north London. The railway was a precursor of parts of London Underground's Northern Line and was, in the 1930s the core of an ambitious expansion plan for that line which was thwarted by the Second World War...
(E&HLR) and was opened on 22 August 1867 by the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
(GNR) (which had taken over the EH&LR) in what was then rural Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. The line ran from Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park station
Finsbury Park Station is a busy transport interchange in North London. The interchange consists of an interconnected National Rail station, London Underground station and two bus stations. The main entrances are by the eastern bus station on Station Place...
to Edgware via Highgate with branches to Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace railway station (Muswell Hill branch)
Alexandra Palace railway station is a former station in the grounds of Alexandra Palace in the Muswell Hill area of north London...
and High Barnet
High Barnet tube station
High Barnet tube station is a London Underground station located in High Barnet in North London. The station is the terminus of the High Barnet branch of the Northern line and is in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the northernmost station on the Northern line and is situated 10.2 miles north north-west...
. The previous station on the line (actually it was only a Halt) was Mill Hill (The Hale)
Mill Hill (The Hale) railway station
Mill Hill railway station was a station in Mill Hill, London NW7 on the now-removed railway between Mill Hill East station and Edgware railway station...
.
The line became part of the LNER in 1923 after the 1921 Railways Act
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
created the Big Four railway companies.
In 1935, London Underground planned to take over the line from LNER as part of the "Northern Heights" part of the "New Works Programme
New Works Programme
The "New Works Programme, 1935 - 1940" was the major investment programme delivered by the London Passenger Transport Board , commonly known as London Transport, which had been created in 1933 to coordinate underground train, tram, trolleybus and bus services in the capital and the surrounding areas...
". The track would be modernised for use with electric trains and amalgamated with the Northern Line. The integration of the line would have meant the closure of Edgware railway station and the diversion of its tracks into the Underground station which would have been expanded to take the additional traffic. The Northern Line was also to be extended from Edgware to Bushey Heath in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
with three new stations at Brockley Hill
Brockley Hill tube station
Brockley Hill tube station is an unbuilt London Underground station in the Brockley Hill area of north London. The planned location was close to Edgwarebury Park and the north side of the junction of the A41 and the A410 roads.-History:...
, Elstree South
Elstree South tube station
Elstree South tube station was an unbuilt London Underground station in Elstree, Hertfordshire. It was designed by Charles Holden...
and Bushey Heath
Bushey Heath tube station
Bushey Heath tube station was an unbuilt London Underground station in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire. The planned location of the station was at the junction of the A41 and A411 roads.-History:...
.
Finchley Central tube station
Finchley Central tube station is a London Underground station in the Church End area of Finchley, North London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between West Finchley and East Finchley stations and is the junction for the short branch to Mill Hill East station...
and Edgware was closed to passenger services on 10 September 1939. On the Edgware branch of the line, only the works on the section from Finchley Central to Mill Hill East
Mill Hill East tube station
Mill Hill East tube station is a London Underground station in Mill Hill in North London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, and is the terminus, and only station, of a branch from Finchley Central station...
were completed. That section reopened with Underground services in 1941 as a one-station spur.
After the war a shortage of funds and the introduction of the Metropolitan Green Belt
Metropolitan Green Belt
The Metropolitan Green Belt is a statutory green belt around London, England. It includes designated parts of Greater London and the surrounding counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey in the South East and East of England regions.-History:The...
lead to the cancellation of the unfinished Northern line elements of the "New Works Programme" in 1950. The extension of the line to Bushey Heath was no longer viable as the new housing developments that it would have stimulated and served could no longer be constructed on land designated as Green Belt. Additionally, without the extended line, the completion of the work between Edgware and Mill Hill East was no longer needed. The only station on that section of the line was Mill Hill (The Hale) and passengers from Mill Hill could easily use the nearby Mill Hill Broadway station
Mill Hill Broadway railway station
Mill Hill Broadway railway station is in the London Borough of Barnet in North London.The station lies on the Midland Main Line and is served by First Capital Connect trains as part of the Thameslink Line service. It is in Travelcard Zone 4...
on the London Midland and Scottish Railway to travel into London.
Edgware railway station and the tracks to Mill Hill East continued to be used for goods services until 1964 when it was completely closed. Today, the track has been removed and the platforms and station buildings have been demolished. The site of Edgware railway station is now occupied by a shopping centre, alongside part of whose car park runs a small stretch of the former trackbed, leading to the still-standing bridge over the Northern line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
tracks into Edgware Underground station.