Branch AGM, followed by ‘THE NORTHERN LINE EXTENSIONS OF THE 1935-40 NEW WORKS PROGRAMME’, by Brian Hardy, 1st April 2025
1st April 2025 Meeting.
All Fools' Day saw our Branch AGM before we welcomed Brian Hardy for his fifth visit, this time with 'THE NORTHERN LINE EXTENSIONS OF THE 1935-40 NEW WORKS PROGRAMME'.
On 5th June 1935 the planning was started for the extension from Edgware to Brockley Hill, Elstree and Bushey Heath. Work was eventually started and then abandoned on the outset of WW2. There are still a few remains left, but less and less as the years go by. The Depot was planned at Aldenham and this site was eventually turned into the London Transport Bus Overhaul Works.
Edgware was reached in 1924 after extensions to Brent and Hendon Central. New stock, classified as 1938 Tube Stock was ordered, 1,121 cars for the Northern and Bakerloo lines. 644 Driving Motor Cars, 206 Non-driving and 271 trailers. There were also 24 cars for the experimental 1935 stock.
The extension was going to run from Highgate and Finchley Central via Mill Hill. In preparation for the completion of the scheme, the whole line (including the GN&CR line) was renamed Northern Line in 1937, and the planned routes began to appear as dotted lines on existing tube maps. Progress was relatively swift, and the plan to have the whole system opened by 1941 looked achievable. In July 1939 services began on the new tube line linking Archway (formerly Highgate) with East Finchley via the new station at Highgate (opened later in 1941). The line between Edgware and Mill Hill East was used for freight by BR until 1964 and then lifted with the track bed abandoned to nature or covered by housing developments.
The GNR line from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Place was going to be converted to the Northern Line with an extension from the Moorgate Branch and some sub stations were built and cabling installed along the line. Highgate [Park Junction] to Ally Pally was closed in 1954 but from the northern portals of Highgate tunnels to East Finchley was a stabling point with car sheds.
The Moorgate Branch trains were isolated form the rest of LT so when they needed to go to Acton Works for overhaul they used to go beyond the terminus of Drayton Park, through Finsbury Park, Stroud Green, Crouch End and Highgate to reach the Northern Line being top and tailed by Battery Locomotives, then join the Piccadilly Line at King’s Cross. This line closed in October 1970, and the transfers were done by leaving the Circle and Met Line at Farringdon to run into the City Widened Lines and reverse to Finsbury Park then drop down onto the Moorgate Branch.
Drayton Park to Finsbury Park was closed to passengers so the platforms at Finsbury park could be used by the new Victoria Line and the whole Moorgate Branch closed to LT finally in 1976 the line achieved the purpose for which it had been intended back in 1904: it was transferred to British Rail, a connection from Drayton Park to the main Finsbury Park station was finally made and trains began running to Hertford North and Welwyn Garden City. This pattern has continued until today.
The attendance of forty was the highest figure for some time, despite the AGM, reflecting Brian’s expertise with his subject matter.
Rob Davidson, Branch Secretary