Mill Hill East tube station
Encyclopedia
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
. It is in Travelcard Zone 4
and the least used station on the Northern Line with 1 million passengers in 2008.
(EH&LR) and was opened as Mill Hill on 22 August 1867 by the Great Northern Railway
(GNR) (which had taken over the EH&LR) in rural Middlesex
. The station was on a line from Finsbury Park
to Edgware
via Highgate
.
The EH&LR was built as a double track formation, but only a single track was laid, with the intention of doubling the track when business developed. However, when the GNR opened a branch from Finchley Central to High Barnet in April 1872 traffic on that section was greater, and the second track was never laid from Finchley Central to Edgware. For most of its history the service between those two stations was operated as a shuttle.
The station has had a number of names, including London Mill Hill and Mill Hill for Mill Hill Barracks. It was given its present name in 1928.
After the 1921 Railways Act
created the Big Four companies, the line was, from 1923, part of the London & North Eastern Railway
(LNER). The section of the High Barnet branch north of East Finchley
was incorporated into the London Underground through the "Northern Heights" project begun in the late 1930s.
Mill Hill East is one of very few London Underground stations not to have ticket barriers.
In preparation for transfer to London Underground operation, track laying and electrification had begun on the whole of the line from Finsbury Park when Second World War
caused postponement of improvements. Passenger shuttle services on the Finchley Central to Edgware section ended on 11 September 1939 but, to provide quick rail access to Mill Hill Barracks, electrification of the short section between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East was completed although the track remained a single line. The station reopened on 18 May 1941. The work on the line from Mill Hill East to Edgware was left incomplete and after the war the proposal to electrify the line and incorporate it into the Underground system was abandoned.
Regular passenger services never used the line beyond Mill Hill East again although it was operated by steam for freight until 1964 when it closed. The track and most of the infrastructure have been removed or destroyed but the alignment can be followed for most of its length.
Today, Mill Hill East station retains its Victorian
architectural character and, as one of the two remaining original stations on the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway (along with Finchley Central), it is one of the oldest parts of the Underground, pre-dating the first tunnelled section of the Northern Line (the City & South London Railway
) by more than 20 years.
As of October 2006, the Northern line service is a shuttle on the single track between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East, with the exception of peak-hour services. Direct weekend trains were discontinued on 20 May 2007. There is a local desire to retain the direct peak-hour trains, particularly in the mornings, since these provide seats for passengers into central London, instead of having to change on to crowded trains from High Barnet
at Finchley Central.
services serve the area (times are off-peak Mon to Friday):
File:Mill Hill East buffer stops-Edgware no more.JPG|The buffer stops at Mill Hill East station as seen in October 2005. Note that part of the former trackbed has been built over.
File:Leaving Mill Hill East.jpg|Southbound train leaving the station. Note provision for second track which never came to fruition due to the cancellation of the electrification to Edgware
.
File:Mill Hill East stn look south.JPG|View looking south
File:Mill Hill East stn look north.JPG|View looking north
File:Mill Hill East stn look north2.JPG|Close up of the end of the line
File:Mill Hill East roundel.JPG|Roundel on platform
Abandoned Works
Former Services
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 Mill Hill
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
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 on the High Barnet 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 is the terminus, and only station, of a branch from Finchley Central station
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...
. It is in Travelcard Zone 4
Travelcard Zone 4
Fare zone 4 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...
and the least used station on the Northern Line with 1 million passengers in 2008.
History
Mill Hill East station was built by 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...
(EH&LR) and was opened as Mill Hill 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 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 station was on a line 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
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....
via Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
.
The EH&LR was built as a double track formation, but only a single track was laid, with the intention of doubling the track when business developed. However, when the GNR opened a branch from Finchley Central to High Barnet in April 1872 traffic on that section was greater, and the second track was never laid from Finchley Central to Edgware. For most of its history the service between those two stations was operated as a shuttle.
The station has had a number of names, including London Mill Hill and Mill Hill for Mill Hill Barracks. It was given its present name in 1928.
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 companies, the line was, from 1923, part of the London & 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...
(LNER). The section of the High Barnet branch north of East Finchley
East Finchley tube station
East Finchley is a London Underground station in East Finchley in north London. The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Highgate and Finchley Central stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-History:...
was incorporated into the London Underground through the "Northern Heights" project begun in the late 1930s.
Mill Hill East is one of very few London Underground stations not to have ticket barriers.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
caused postponement of improvements. Passenger shuttle services on the Finchley Central to Edgware section ended on 11 September 1939 but, to provide quick rail access to Mill Hill Barracks, electrification of the short section between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East was completed although the track remained a single line. The station reopened on 18 May 1941. The work on the line from Mill Hill East to Edgware was left incomplete and after the war the proposal to electrify the line and incorporate it into the Underground system was abandoned.
Today, Mill Hill East station retains its Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
architectural character and, as one of the two remaining original stations on the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway (along with Finchley Central), it is one of the oldest parts of the Underground, pre-dating the first tunnelled section of the Northern Line (the City & South London Railway
City & South London Railway
The City and South London Railway was the first deep-level underground "tube" railway in the world, and the first major railway to use electric traction...
) by more than 20 years.
As of October 2006, the Northern line service is a shuttle on the single track between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East, with the exception of peak-hour services. Direct weekend trains were discontinued on 20 May 2007. There is a local desire to retain the direct peak-hour trains, particularly in the mornings, since these provide seats for passengers into central London, instead of having to change on to crowded trains from 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...
at Finchley Central.
Onward Transport
The following London BusesLondon Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
services serve the area (times are off-peak Mon to Friday):
- 221 (Edgware Bus Station-Turnpike Lane station) every 12 minutes
- 240London Buses route 240London Buses route 240 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
(Edgware Bus Station-Golders Green station) every 12 minutes - 382 (Southgate station-Mill Hill East station) every 15 minutes
External links
Mill Hill station in 1944.Gallery
File:Mill Hill East buffer stops-Edgware no more.JPG|The buffer stops at Mill Hill East station as seen in October 2005. Note that part of the former trackbed has been built over.
File:Leaving Mill Hill East.jpg|Southbound train leaving the station. Note provision for second track which never came to fruition due to the cancellation of the electrification to Edgware
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...
.
File:Mill Hill East stn look south.JPG|View looking south
File:Mill Hill East stn look north.JPG|View looking north
File:Mill Hill East stn look north2.JPG|Close up of the end of the line
File:Mill Hill East roundel.JPG|Roundel on platform