Palace Gates Line
Encyclopedia
The Palace Gates Line was a short railway branch line in north London
running from the main line at Seven Sisters station
in Tottenham
to Palace Gates (Wood Green) station
in Wood Green
.
The line was constructed by the Great Eastern Railway
(GER) and opened on 1 January 1878 with a temporary terminus at Noel Park and Wood Green station
before being opened to Palace Gates (Wood Green) station on 7 October 1878. The line was opened in competition with the Great Northern Railway
(GNR) line from Kings Cross station to provide passenger services from the GER's London terminus at Liverpool Street station
to the recently opened Alexandra Palace
and the developing suburb of Wood Green.
After the 1921 Railways Act
amalgamated the GER, GNR and other railway companies into the London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER) in 1923, a connection to Bowes Park
on the GNR Hertford Loop Line
, which runs just north of the site of the terminus station, was made in 1929.
With the nearby GNR built stations at Alexandra Palace
and Hornsey
providing a more direct route to central London, the catchment area
s for the line's stations were always fairly small and the opening in 1932 of the first section of the Piccadilly Line
extension
to Cockfosters
with stations at Wood Green
and Turnpike Lane
diminished them further, crucially eroding the line's passenger traffic.
The 1960s rationalisation
of British Railways to reduce unprofitable lines identified the Palace Gates line as one that was surplus to requirements and the line was closed to passengers on 7 January 1963. Goods services continued to run until 5 October 1964. Tracks were removed and the stations demolished and the route of the line has been almost entirely covered by new construction including Wood Green Shopping City. The only part of the line that remains is a short section of track within Bounds Green Depot
where the line formerly connected to the Hertford Loop Line.
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...
running from the main line at Seven Sisters station
Seven Sisters station
Seven Sisters station is a National Rail and London Underground Victoria Line station in the Seven Sisters area of the London Borough of Haringey, north London.The station is in Travelcard Zone 3....
in Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
to Palace Gates (Wood Green) station
Palace Gates (Wood Green) railway station
Palace Gates railway station was a railway station on the Palace Gates Line in Wood Green, north London. It was located on the corner of Bridge Road and Dorset Road....
in Wood Green
Wood Green
Wood Green is a district in north London, England, located in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated north of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London.-History:...
.
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
(GER) and opened on 1 January 1878 with a temporary terminus at Noel Park and Wood Green station
Noel Park and Wood Green railway station
Noel Park and Wood Green is a closed railway station on the Palace Gates Line in Wood Green, north London. It was located on the north-east side of The Broadway adjacent to Pelham Road...
before being opened to Palace Gates (Wood Green) station on 7 October 1878. The line was opened in competition with 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) line from Kings Cross station to provide passenger services from the GER's London terminus at Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
to the recently opened Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
and the developing suburb of Wood Green.
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...
amalgamated the GER, GNR and other railway companies into 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...
(LNER) in 1923, a connection to Bowes Park
Bowes Park railway station
Bowes Park railway station is in the London Borough of Haringey in north London, and is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 3 and Travelcard Zone 4. The station and all trains serving it are operated by First Capital Connect, on the Hertford Loop Line...
on the GNR Hertford Loop Line
Hertford Loop Line
The Hertford Loop Line is a branch of the East Coast Main Line, providing a commuter route to London for Hertford and other Hertfordshire towns...
, which runs just north of the site of the terminus station, was made in 1929.
With the nearby GNR built stations at Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace railway station
Alexandra Palace railway station is in the London Borough of Haringey in north London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by First Capital Connect...
and Hornsey
Hornsey railway station
Hornsey railway station is a suburban railway station located in Haringey, north London. It is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station is operated by First Capital Connect on behalf of Network Rail, and is situated next to the Hornsey train depot....
providing a more direct route to central London, the catchment area
Catchment area (human geography)
In human geography, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school...
s for the line's stations were always fairly small and the opening in 1932 of the first section of the Piccadilly Line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
extension
Piccadilly Line Cockfosters extension
The Piccadilly line extension to Cockfosters added eight new stations to the northern end of London Underground's Piccadilly Line. The extension through north London from to was opened in three stages between 19 September 1932 and 31 July 1933.-Need:...
to Cockfosters
Cockfosters tube station
Cockfosters is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly Line for which it is the northern terminus. The station is located on Cockfosters Road approximately 9 miles from central London and serves Cockfosters in the London Borough of Barnet although it is actually located a short distance...
with stations at Wood Green
Wood Green tube station
Wood Green is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly Line. The station is between Turnpike Lane and Bounds Green stations and is in Travelcard Zone 3. It is located at junction of Wood Green High Road and Lordship Lane...
and 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...
diminished them further, crucially eroding the line's passenger traffic.
The 1960s rationalisation
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
of British Railways to reduce unprofitable lines identified the Palace Gates line as one that was surplus to requirements and the line was closed to passengers on 7 January 1963. Goods services continued to run until 5 October 1964. Tracks were removed and the stations demolished and the route of the line has been almost entirely covered by new construction including Wood Green Shopping City. The only part of the line that remains is a short section of track within Bounds Green Depot
Bounds Green TMD
Bounds Green TMD is situated in North London. The depot is operated by East Coast. The depot code is BN.-Allocation:*Class 08*Class 91*HSTs may also, be seen, However rarely-References:...
where the line formerly connected to the Hertford Loop Line.
Stations
The stations on the branch from south-east to north-west were:- Seven SistersSeven Sisters stationSeven Sisters station is a National Rail and London Underground Victoria Line station in the Seven Sisters area of the London Borough of Haringey, north London.The station is in Travelcard Zone 3....
- interchange station with main line - West GreenWest Green railway stationWest Green railway station was on the abandoned Palace Gates Line in North London. It was in West Green on the north side of West Green Road, west of the junction with Philip Lane, and near the Black Boy public house.The Great Eastern Railway opened it on 1 January 1878...
- Noel Park and Wood GreenNoel Park and Wood Green railway stationNoel Park and Wood Green is a closed railway station on the Palace Gates Line in Wood Green, north London. It was located on the north-east side of The Broadway adjacent to Pelham Road...
- Palace Gates
External links
- Abandoned Tube Stations - Palace Gates Line
- Subterranea Britannica - Seven Sisters Station - contains a history of the Palace Gates Branch