Cricklewood railway station
Encyclopedia
Cricklewood railway station is in the London Borough of Barnet
in North London
. The station lies on the north-south Midland Main Line
where it crosses Cricklewood Lane. It is served by First Capital Connect
services as part of the Thameslink
service. It is in London Travelcard Zone 3
.
in 1868 when it built its extension (now called the Midland Main Line
) to St. Pancras
and the station acquired its present name in 1903.
To the north of the station, a motive power depot
was built with a large roundhouse
in 1882, with a second in 1893. With this was built a large marshalling yard
and, in later years, LMS Garratt
s would be seen with their massive trains of coal from Toton
in the Nottinghamshire
and Derbyshire
coalfield
s.
A loop line, no longer in existence, was built heading north on the western side of the railway yard, then turning east underneath the main line at the viaduct over the River Brent (and also now the North Circular Road), then south on the eastern side. This obviously allowed trains to reverse direction, but also conveniently joined the railway yards on the two sides of the main lines.
Between 1899 and 1926, a number of proposals were put forward to build an underground railway along the Edgware Road from Central London to Cricklewood via Kilburn, and envisaged the construction of a Tube station at Cricklewood. None of the schemes succeeded and the line was never built.
route. The typical off-peak service is four trains per hour southbound to London
, Wimbledon
and , and four trains per hour northbound, of which two terminate at and two at . First Capital Connect services to Bedford, Gatwick Airport and Brighton run through with out stopping.
East Midlands Trains
InterCity services from Sheffield
, Nottingham
and Leicester
run through at high speed on the Midland Main Line
, but do not stop. Interchange with these services can be made at Luton and St Pancras International
.
, further north on the line. The only other Thameslink stations north of the River Thames
remaining with 8-car platform lengths are and Kentish Town
. The developers of Brent Cross Thameslink are also planning to upgrade Cricklewood station by providing funding to have step free access to all platforms.
From March 2009, Southeastern
and First Capital Connect began running some peak hour trains from Sevenoaks to Luton, though in the off-peak these services turn back at Kentish Town.
Other trains from south of the River Thames
within the larger Thameslink network may call at the station from 2015, when it is likely that the existing Sutton Loop trains will terminate at Blackfriars.
The Office of Rail Regulation
has told Network Rail
the procedure (using the Railways Act 1993) to close Cricklewood station, if a new one further north is opened.
In early 2008, the London Group of the Campaign for Better Transport published a proposal for an off-road, mainly orbital North and West London Light railway
(NWLLR), sharing the orbital Dudding Hill Line
freight corridor, and taking over at least one of the two Midland Railway
freight lines which run through Cricklewood station. If the scheme were to go ahead, it would provide one or maybe two extra light-rail platforms at the station.
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 lies on the north-south Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
where it crosses Cricklewood Lane. It is served by First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
services as part of the Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
service. It is in London Travelcard Zone 3
Travelcard Zone 3
Fare zone 3 is a 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...
.
History
It was built as Childs Hill and Cricklewood by the Midland RailwayMidland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
in 1868 when it built its extension (now called the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
) to St. Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
and the station acquired its present name in 1903.
To the north of the station, a motive power depot
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
was built with a large roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
in 1882, with a second in 1893. With this was built a large marshalling yard
Brent sidings
Brent sidings was an important marshalling yard and freight facility on the Midland Railway extension to London.-History:The sidings were situated on both sides of the Midland Main Line between and stations, close to the triangle formed where the Dudding Hill Line left the main line...
and, in later years, LMS Garratt
LMS Garratt
The London Midland and Scottish Railway Garratt was a class of Garratt 2-6-0+0-6-2 steam locomotive designed for heavy freight. A total of 33 were built from 1927, making them the most numerous class of Garratt in Britain.-Overview:...
s would be seen with their massive trains of coal from Toton
Toton
Toton is a small suburb of Nottingham. It forms part of the Greater Nottingham urban area, and is in the Borough of Broxtowe. The inhabited area is contained within the electoral ward of Toton and Chilwell Meadows...
in the Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
and Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
coalfield
Coalfield
A coalfield is an area of certain uniform characteristics where coal is mined. The criteria for determining the approximate boundary of a coalfield are geographical and cultural, in addition to geological...
s.
A loop line, no longer in existence, was built heading north on the western side of the railway yard, then turning east underneath the main line at the viaduct over the River Brent (and also now the North Circular Road), then south on the eastern side. This obviously allowed trains to reverse direction, but also conveniently joined the railway yards on the two sides of the main lines.
Between 1899 and 1926, a number of proposals were put forward to build an underground railway along the Edgware Road from Central London to Cricklewood via Kilburn, and envisaged the construction of a Tube station at Cricklewood. None of the schemes succeeded and the line was never built.
Services
First Capital Connect run services on the ThameslinkThameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
route. The typical off-peak service is four trains per hour southbound to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wimbledon
Wimbledon station
Wimbledon station is a National Rail, London Underground, and Tramlink station located in Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton, and is the only London station that provides an interchange between rail, Underground, and Tramlink services...
and , and four trains per hour northbound, of which two terminate at and two at . First Capital Connect services to Bedford, Gatwick Airport and Brighton run through with out stopping.
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
InterCity services from Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
run through at high speed on the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
, but do not stop. Interchange with these services can be made at Luton and St Pancras International
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
.
Development
A new station is proposed further north, and the four platforms at Cricklewood station are not being extended from 8 to 12 carriages. This is due to a possible station at Brent CrossBrent Cross
Brent Cross is an area of north London, in the London Borough of Barnet. It is located near the A41 Brent Cross Flyover over the A406 North Circular Road. Brent Cross is best known for its shopping centre and the proposed Brent Cross Cricklewood development....
, further north on the line. The only other Thameslink stations north of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
remaining with 8-car platform lengths are and Kentish Town
Kentish Town station
Kentish Town station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Kentish Town in the London Borough of Camden. It is at the junction of Kentish Town Road and Leighton Road...
. The developers of Brent Cross Thameslink are also planning to upgrade Cricklewood station by providing funding to have step free access to all platforms.
From March 2009, Southeastern
Southeastern (train operating company)
London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
and First Capital Connect began running some peak hour trains from Sevenoaks to Luton, though in the off-peak these services turn back at Kentish Town.
Other trains from south of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
within the larger Thameslink network may call at the station from 2015, when it is likely that the existing Sutton Loop trains will terminate at Blackfriars.
The Office of Rail Regulation
Office of Rail Regulation
The Office of Rail Regulation is a statutory board which is the combined economic and safety regulatory authority for Great Britain's railway network. It was established on 5 July 2004 by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, replacing the Rail Regulator...
has told Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
the procedure (using the Railways Act 1993) to close Cricklewood station, if a new one further north is opened.
In early 2008, the London Group of the Campaign for Better Transport published a proposal for an off-road, mainly orbital North and West London Light railway
North and West London Light Railway
The North and West London Light Railway , formerly proposed-named as Brent Cross Railway, is a potential light rail service proposed by the London group of the Campaign for Better Transport, intended to serve parts of north, northwest and west London, being similar to the Docklands Light Railway...
(NWLLR), sharing the orbital Dudding Hill Line
Dudding Hill Line
The Dudding Hill Line is a railway line in north-west London running from Acton to Cricklewood. The line has no scheduled passenger service, no stations, no electrification, and a 30 mph speed limit with semaphore signalling, and is lightly used by freight and very occasional passenger charter...
freight corridor, and taking over at least one of the two Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
freight lines which run through Cricklewood station. If the scheme were to go ahead, it would provide one or maybe two extra light-rail platforms at the station.