Edgware tube station
Encyclopedia
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
.
Just to the right of the station, viewed from Station Road, is a road to the bus station
and bus garage.
extension of the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway
from . It was designed by architect Stanley Heaps
. There are three platforms, an island lying east of a single platform (platform 1). A trainshed covers the island platforms (2 and 3).
Despite having already had a railway station since 1867 (Edgware station
on the London and North Eastern Railway
), Edgware was, in 1924, still very much a village in character. The new Underground station was built on the north edge of the village in open fields and, as intended, the new line stimulated rapid suburban expansion along its length. By the end of the decade, what had formerly been fields was quickly being covered with new housing.
The site of the station is very close to the location intended for the unbuilt Watford and Edgware Railway
's (W&ER's) station, which was intended to be built on a branch from the existing single-track LNER branch before the terminus and run through to Watford Junction via Bushey
.
In 1935 London Underground announced its New Works Programme
. This had major implications for Edgware Underground station and the Morden-Edgware Line (as the Northern Line was then known):
The powers to build a railway on this alignment had originally been obtained by the W&ER in the 19th century. The London Electric Railway had bought the W&ER in 1922 but had not previously used the right-of-way. The Underground's scheme modified the W&ER's plan to connect to the LNER branch by starting the extension from the Morden-Edgware Line station instead. The scheme involved the closure of the LNER station 200 metres south of the Underground station and retained the W&ER's connection to the LNER's single track line from where it passed over the Underground's tracks just to the east of the station and into new platforms to be built in the Underground station.
The new link at Edgware and others between LNER and Underground tracks near station and at would have made it theoretically possible to travel south from Edgware to central London via three routes:
Works to upgrade the existing LNER lines and construction on the new line to Bushey Heath began in the late 1930s but were halted by the outbreak of the Second World War. Additional platforms were started at Edgware and the LNER station and branch line was closed to passenger traffic in 1939 in preparation for the improvements. On the new extension, some earthworks and tunnelling had been undertaken and some structures had been constructed but no further work was done during the war.
The Metropolitan Green Belt
was introduced to limit the outward expension of London into the surrounding countryside. The area through which the new Bushey Heath extension was routed was designated as green belt meaning that the planned residential developments were prevented and the need for the stations serving them was removed.
Edgware LNER station was never reopened for passengers although freight traffic used the line until the 1960s. The improvements on the branch to Finchley were completed only between Mill Hill East
and Finchley Central and only that short section was incorporated into the Northern Line (as it had been renamed in the late 1930s). The completion of the plans were formally cancelled in 1950.
of 1975.
has carried out work to modernise the station, including the fitting of lifts to enable step-free access to and from the station platforms, and installing wider CCTV coverage and more help points. The work started in the summer of 2008, and was not expected to be completed until May 2009; the lifts themselves went into service in April 2009.
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...
station in 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....
, in the London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
, in North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
. The station is the terminus of the Edgware branch of 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...
and the next station towards central London is . Edgware is in Travelcard Zone 5
Travelcard Zone 5
Fare zone 5 is an outer zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services. The zone was created in May 1983 and in January 1991 part...
.
Location
The station is in Station Road, Edgware (part of the A5100). This road runs north-east from the High Street (A5), and the station is about 500 metres from the A5 on the right (south-east) side. The building is set back from the road, and there is a circular service road between the building and the road to allow cars to pull in and pick up or set down.Just to the right of the station, viewed from Station Road, is a road to the bus station
Edgware bus station
Edgware Bus Station serves the Edgware suburb of the London Borough of Barnet, Greater London, England. The station is owned and maintained by Transport for London....
and bus garage.
History
The station was opened on 18 August 1924 as the terminus of the second phase of the Underground Group'sUnderground Electric Railways Company of London
The Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited , known operationally as The Underground for much of its existence, was established in 1902. It was the holding company for the three deep-level "tube"A "tube" railway is an underground railway constructed in a circular tunnel by the use...
extension of the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway
Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway
The Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway , also known as the Hampstead tube, was a railway company established in 1891 that constructed a deep-level underground "tube" railway in London. Construction of the CCE&HR was delayed for more than a decade whilst funding was sought...
from . It was designed by architect Stanley Heaps
Stanley Heaps
Stanley A. Heaps was an English architect responsible for the design of a number of stations on the London Underground system as well as the design of train depots and bus and trolleybus garages for London Transport.-Works:...
. There are three platforms, an island lying east of a single platform (platform 1). A trainshed covers the island platforms (2 and 3).
Despite having already had a railway station since 1867 (Edgware station
Edgware railway station
Edgware railway station was a London and North Eastern Railway 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.-History:...
on the London and North Eastern Railway
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...
), Edgware was, in 1924, still very much a village in character. The new Underground station was built on the north edge of the village in open fields and, as intended, the new line stimulated rapid suburban expansion along its length. By the end of the decade, what had formerly been fields was quickly being covered with new housing.
The site of the station is very close to the location intended for the unbuilt Watford and Edgware Railway
Watford and Edgware Railway
The Watford and Edgware Railway was a railway company established in the 1860s that intended to build a railway that would run between Edgware and Watford, via Bushey...
's (W&ER's) station, which was intended to be built on a branch from the existing single-track LNER branch before the terminus and run through to Watford Junction via Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
.
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...
. This had major implications for Edgware Underground station and the Morden-Edgware Line (as the Northern Line was then known):
- A group of LNER lines in north London (the Northern Heights lines) including the branch from FinchleyFinchleyFinchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
to Edgware would be taken over by London Underground and amalgamated with the Morden-Edgware Line. - The existing Underground line would be extended north-west from Edgware by 5 kilometres to a new terminus at Bushey Heath and a depot at AldenhamAldenhamThis article is about the village in Hertfordshire. For the London Transport Bus Overhaul Works, see Aldenham Works.Aldenham is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, approx. three miles north-east of Watford and two miles from Radlett. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book and is one of...
. The extension to Bushey Heath involved three new stations (from south-east to north-west):
The powers to build a railway on this alignment had originally been obtained by the W&ER in the 19th century. The London Electric Railway had bought the W&ER in 1922 but had not previously used the right-of-way. The Underground's scheme modified the W&ER's plan to connect to the LNER branch by starting the extension from the Morden-Edgware Line station instead. The scheme involved the closure of the LNER station 200 metres south of the Underground station and retained the W&ER's connection to the LNER's single track line from where it passed over the Underground's tracks just to the east of the station and into new platforms to be built in the Underground station.
The new link at Edgware and others between LNER and Underground tracks near station and at would have made it theoretically possible to travel south from Edgware to central London via three routes:
- the existing Underground line to Golders Green, and beyond
- the former LNER line to and , then the other branch of the Morden-Edgware Line to Camden Town and beyond
- the former LNER line to Finchley Central, Highgate and then the Northern City LineNorthern City LineThe Northern City Line is a railway line from Moorgate to Finsbury Park in London, once part of the Great Northern Electrics line. It should not be confused with the City branch of the Northern line, nor with the North London Line...
to and beyond
Postponement and cancellation
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...
was introduced to limit the outward expension of London into the surrounding countryside. The area through which the new Bushey Heath extension was routed was designated as green belt meaning that the planned residential developments were prevented and the need for the stations serving them was removed.
Edgware LNER station was never reopened for passengers although freight traffic used the line until the 1960s. The improvements on the branch to Finchley were completed only between 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...
and Finchley Central and only that short section was incorporated into the Northern Line (as it had been renamed in the late 1930s). The completion of the plans were formally cancelled in 1950.
Accident
On 27 July 1946, an accident occurred at Edgware when the driver (James Lofting) of a northbound train suffered a heart attack while entering the station. The train did not stop within the area of the platform, and struck the buffers at approximately 5 mph. No passengers were seriously injured, but Lofting died as a result of his heart failure before he could be removed from the wreckage. It appeared from the condition of the controls that Lofting had disabled the deadman's handle while the train was still moving. The circumstances of this accident were similar to those of the Moorgate tube crashMoorgate tube crash
The Moorgate tube crash was a railway disaster on the London Underground, which occurred on 28 February 1975 at 08.46 am.A southbound train on the Northern Line crashed into the tunnel end beyond the platform at Moorgate station...
of 1975.
Modernisation
Tube LinesTube Lines
Tube Lines Limited, initially known as 'Infraco JNP', has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London since May 2010. Tube Lines is an asset-management company responsible for the maintenance, renewal and upgrade of the infrastructure, including track, trains, signals, civil work and...
has carried out work to modernise the station, including the fitting of lifts to enable step-free access to and from the station platforms, and installing wider CCTV coverage and more help points. The work started in the summer of 2008, and was not expected to be completed until May 2009; the lifts themselves went into service in April 2009.
Bus Station
| Service | | Towards | tfl Transport for London Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London... | | Notes |
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| 79 | Alperton Alperton Alperton is a district in the London Borough of Brent in northwest London.There is a high incidence of Indians living in Alperton . There is also a small Sri Lankan community in Alperton , and 10% stated as others.... Sainsbury's |
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| 186 | Northwick Park Hospital Northwick Park Hospital Northwick Park Hospital is a large hospital in the northwest corner of the London Borough of Brent in Greater London, England.-Hospital role:... |
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| 288 | Queensbury Queensbury, London Queensbury is a locality in northwest London, England. It is located in the south eastern part of the London Borough of Harrow and on the boundary with the London Borough of Brent.-Geography and history:... Morrisons |
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| 340 | Harrow Bus Station | ||
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| 32 | Kilburn Park Kilburn Park tube station Kilburn Park tube station is a London Underground station at Kilburn in the London Borough of Brent. The station is on the Bakerloo Line, between Queen's Park and Maida Vale stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 2.... |
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| 142 | Brent Cross | ||
| 204 | Sudbury Town Sudbury Town tube station Sudbury Town is a London Underground station on the Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly Line. The station is between Sudbury Hill and Alperton. It is located on Station Approach in Sudbury, a short distance from the junction of Bridgewater Road and Harrow Road . The forecourt of the station is... |
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| 251 | Arnos Grove Arnos Grove tube station Arnos Grove is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly line between Bounds Green and Southgate. It is in Travelcard Zone 4 and is located in Arnos Grove, near Arnos Park on Bowes Road, London. The station and surrounding neighbourhood of Arnos Grove take their names from the Arnos Grove... |
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| 292 | Colindale Colindale -Transport:*Colindale tube station, on the Northern Line Edgware branch, is situated on the north side of the east-west Colindale Lane.-Development:... Asda |
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| 303 | Colindale Colindale -Transport:*Colindale tube station, on the Northern Line Edgware branch, is situated on the north side of the east-west Colindale Lane.-Development:... Asda |
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| 305 | Kingsbury Kingsbury Kingsbury is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London. The name Kingsbury means "The King's Manor".-History:Kingsbury was historically a small parish in the Hundred of Gore and county of Middlesex. Until the nineteenth century it was largely rural with only scattered settlements.... Circle |
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| N5 | Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of... |
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| N16 | Victoria Station | Night Bus | |
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| 113 | Marble Arch Marble Arch tube station Marble Arch is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. The station is between Lancaster Gate and Bond Street stations on the Central line, and is in Travelcard Zone 1.-History:... |
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| 186 | Brent Cross | ||
| 221 | Turnpike Lane Turnpike Lane tube station Turnpike Lane tube station is a station at Turnpike Lane on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground, between Manor House and Wood Green stations, and in Travelcard Zone 3.It is located within the London Borough of Haringey... |
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| 240 | Golders Green Golders Green tube station Golders Green tube station is a London Underground station in Golders Green, north London. The station is on the Edgware branch of the Northern Line between Hampstead and Brent Cross... |
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| 614N | Hatfield Hatfield, Hertfordshire Hatfield is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It has a population of 29,616, and is of Saxon origin. Hatfield House, the home of the Marquess of Salisbury, is the nucleus of the old town... The Forum/Business Park |
No | Wed-Fri nights only during University term time |
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| 107 | New Barnet New Barnet railway station New Barnet railway station is in the London Borough of Barnet in north London, England. It is 10¼ miles north of Moorgate and is on the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. New Barnet is in Travelcard Zone 5... |
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| 142 | Watford Junction | ||
| 288 | Broadfields Estate Broadfields Estate Broadfields Estate is a locality in the London Borough of Barnet in northwest London, UK. The area consists of 1960s and 1970s housing, mostly. At the same time, there are many regular 1930s housing.... |
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| 292 | Borehamwood Borehamwood -Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"... Rossington Avenue |
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See also
- Edgware, Highgate and London RailwayEdgware, Highgate and London RailwayThe 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...
for a history of the Northern Heights lines.
External links
- London Transport Museum Photographic Archive
- Sign advertises the site of the future station.
- Surrounded by fields. The single track line to Edgware LNER station is visible in the distance.
- Lost Lines Images of plans for Edgware station