Northern Line Extension Scandal

Sutent

This was in the Gazette last week. Jim is doing a tour in July which looks really interesting. I am booked to go. If anyone wants more information I have a copy of the flyer or you can contact Jim directly (his e mail is in the article). I will try and copy the flyer into the next discussion box.

http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/heritage/scandal_of_the_unfinished_3m_northern_line_extension_from_finsbury_park_1_4896143

Sutent

EXPOSED! THE SCANDAL OF THE
UNCOMPLETED NORTHERN LINE EXTENSIONS WALK AND STUDY TOUR
SUNDAY, 2nd JULY 2017
THIS UNUSUAL TOUR examines the former Great Northern and L.N.E.R. branch lines from Finsbury Park to Highgate and Alexandra Palace, which should have become part of the UndergrounD’s Northern Line in 1940. Despite much of the work in electrifying these branches and linking them to the existing Northern Line at Drayton Park and East Finchley being completed, the scheme was postponed during World War Two, and despite London Transport’s intention to complete it during the period 1948-1950, all unfinished parts of the extensions, including also the branch from Mill Hill East to Edgware, and new construction beyond to Bushey Heath, were abandoned in the early 1950s by Churchill’s Tory government. Its last section, from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace was closed to passengers in July 1954. Thus some £3,000,000’s worth of work (at 1939 values!) was wasted, including new bridges, viaducts, signalboxes, electricity substations and even the fully reconstructed Highgate (High Level) Station. This is without doubt one of the greatest blots on this history of London Transport! Our walk and study tour will be led by transport historian and author Jim Blake, who will show participants surviving infrastructure, etc. and explain how the route could still be reinstated today, giving much-needed improved public transport to areas like Crouch End and Muswell Hill. The tour begins at Finsbury Park at 10.30 and will end at about 17.00, with refreshment breaks at Highgate and Muswell Hill. Those attending will also be able to buy Jim’s best-selling exposure of this scandalous waste, his book Northern Wastes. If you wish to attend this unusual and fascinating tour, please complete the form below. A booking fee of £10 per person attending is required. Please add £2.00 for postage and packing if you only wish to order the book.

NAME______________ADDRESS____________________

___________PHONE____________E-MAIL___________

Number of places required_____@£10. I would like a copy of Northern Wastes @ £9.95. YES/NO. TOTAL ENCLOSED: £______
Remittance payable to J.H. BLAKE please. Please send with SSAE* for acknowledgement to: Jim Blake, 8, The Rowans, London N13 5AD
*You may, if you wish, have your acknowledgement sent by e-mail
EXPOSED!
THE SCANDAL OF
THE UNCOMPLETED NORTHERN LINE EXTENSIONS
Come and join us on Sunday, 2nd July!

Highgate High Level Station, June 1969 – built but never used for tube trains in 1940!
. Photograph Copyright – Jim Blake
Author and transport historian Jim Blake is leading the Walk and Study Tour of the lines from Finsbury Park to Highgate & Alexandra Palace.
Booking form overleaf
ADVANCE BOOKING ESSENTIAL!

Ali

Is this the Muswell Hill metro crowd?

I quite like Parkland Walk and am not sure I would want to share it with tram like vehicles going IP and down to Muswell Hill.

Sutent

@Ali its a talk about the history of the northern line. No one is suggesting that they should put tracks back in

trainspotter

@Sutent This suggestion is in the blurb: "Our walk and study tour will be led by transport historian and author Jim Blake, who will show participants surviving infrastructure, etc. and explain how the route could still be reinstated today, giving much-needed improved public transport to areas like Crouch End and Muswell Hill" but I don't think that's the main focus of the talk or a realistic prospect.

trainspotter

Oh there are people who are suggesting exactly this:

http://muswellhillmetrogroup.com/

Had not heard of them before.

Sutent

@Ali -apologies. I have never heard of the metro group.
Wow I never thought that there would be a campaign to reinstate the line again. It will be highly controversial.

Arkady

The former Chair of that group received death threats from Muswell Hill residents. Had a long email exchange with him years ago.

Ali

That's okay Student. I had lot to do with stopping government proposals to build a motorway from Highgate down Parkland Walk across Finsbury Park and down to Holloway Road. That is how Friends of Parkland Walk got formed. That was back in the late 1980s when there were proposals for similar roads in other parts of London. I think the only one that got built was the M11 extension. Can you imagine having something like the West Way running through SG.?

The Muswell Hill mob turn up occasionally especially when the local unity plan gets updated.

trainspotter

Thanks for your work back then @Ali! Though death threats is a bit much ;-)

Ali

Wasn't me