Primrose Hill railway station
Encyclopedia
Primrose Hill was a railway station at Primrose Hill
, in the London Borough of Camden
, London
, England
.
It was opened on 5 May 1855 as Hampstead Road, replacing an earlier station of that name (opened 9 June 1851). It was renamed Chalk Farm on 1 December 1862 and became Primrose Hill on 25 September 1950. The station closed on 28 September 1992.
The station was at the junction of the line west from on the North London Line
and the West Coast Main Line
. There were platforms on both lines; they could be seen from trains using . The platforms serving Euston closed in 1915. The remaining passenger service was, usually peak hours only, between Broad Street and . After Broad Street closed in 1986 the service ran to , and by the time Primrose Hill station closed only one passenger train a day was using the line.
When the sweep of the North London Line through Hampstead Heath is closed for emergencies or engineering work, the route through Primrose Hill is a viable diversion for North London Line services to access (Low Level).
The area is served by the nearby station on the Northern Line
of the London Underground
.
The station building still exists, and is occupied by a shop. It is on Bridge Approach at one end of the pedestrianised bridge over the railway tracks. Nearby is The Roundhouse
, an 1847 turntable
engine shed
, now used as an entertainment venue.
It has been proposed to re-open Primrose Hill station by bringing the short stretch of line between and stations back into the regular passenger service by incorporating it into the London Overground
network.
Transport for London
have suggested that the Bakerloo Line
might take over the Watford DC Line
entirely (currently a National Rail route which is shared with the Bakerloo line for part of the route). This would leave the and stations with no service. Thus it is suggested new services run on the North London Line
between and via Primrose Hill and ..
The platform canopies and the buildings supporting them were demolished by Network Rail in December 2008.
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill is a hill of located on the north side of Regent's Park in London, England, and also the name for the surrounding district. The hill has a clear view of central London to the south-east, as well as Belsize Park and Hampstead to the north...
, in the London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
, 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It was opened on 5 May 1855 as Hampstead Road, replacing an earlier station of that name (opened 9 June 1851). It was renamed Chalk Farm on 1 December 1862 and became Primrose Hill on 25 September 1950. The station closed on 28 September 1992.
History
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
and the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
. There were platforms on both lines; they could be seen from trains using . The platforms serving Euston closed in 1915. The remaining passenger service was, usually peak hours only, between Broad Street and . After Broad Street closed in 1986 the service ran to , and by the time Primrose Hill station closed only one passenger train a day was using the line.
When the sweep of the North London Line through Hampstead Heath is closed for emergencies or engineering work, the route through Primrose Hill is a viable diversion for North London Line services to access (Low Level).
The area is served by the nearby station on 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...
of the London Underground
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...
.
The station building still exists, and is occupied by a shop. It is on Bridge Approach at one end of the pedestrianised bridge over the railway tracks. Nearby is The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...
, an 1847 turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
engine shed
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...
, now used as an entertainment venue.
Future plans
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
network.
Transport for London
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...
have suggested that the Bakerloo Line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
might take over the Watford DC Line
Watford DC Line
The Watford DC Line is a commuter railway line from London Euston to Watford Junction. Services on the line are operated by London Overground....
entirely (currently a National Rail route which is shared with the Bakerloo line for part of the route). This would leave the and stations with no service. Thus it is suggested new services run on the North London Line
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
between and via Primrose Hill and ..
The platform canopies and the buildings supporting them were demolished by Network Rail in December 2008.
Sources
- London's Abandoned Stations - Primrose Hill BR - photos of the station
See also
- List of closed railway stations in London
- North London RailwayNorth London RailwayThe North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
- West Coast Main LineWest Coast Main LineThe West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
- London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...