Highgate tube station

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| image1 = Highgate station circa 1870.jpg

| alt1 = A steam train pushes a train through a station. A footbridge spans across the tracks from the station buildings at each side and tunnels are visible in the distance

| caption1 = View looking north-west

| image2 = Highgate station 1870 - coloured.png

| alt2 = A coloured historic map showing the houses roads and woods around Highgate station, which is located in a cutting

| caption2 = Ordnance survey map

| footer = Highgate station around 1870
(before 1880s reconstruction)

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Highgate station was originally constructed by the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway in the 1860s on its line from Finsbury Park station to Edgware station. Before the line was opened, it was purchased in July 1867 by the larger Great Northern Railway (GNR),{{sfn|Beard|2002|p=6}} whose main line from King's Cross ran through Finsbury Park on its way to Potters Bar and the north. The station opened along with the railway to Edgware on 22 August 1867.{{cite web |url=http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/northern.html#dates |title=Clive's Underground Line Guides – Northern Line |access-date=11 February 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/highgate/ |title=Highgate Station |publisher=Disused stations |access-date=11 February 2015}}{{#tag:ref|A branch from Finchley Central to High Barnet opened on 1 April 1872.|group="n"}}

Due to the hilly terrain, the station was built in a deep cutting excavated from Highgate Hill, adjacent to Archway Road. Tunnels penetrated the hillside at each end of the station, leading towards East Finchley to the north and Crouch End to the south. When built, the station had two side platforms, with three tracks between them, and a station building on the south side. A footbridge linked the two platforms.

A branch line was constructed from Highgate to Alexandra Palace by the Muswell Hill Railway (MHR) and was opened on 24 May 1873. The new branch split from the original route north of the station in a wide arc around Highgate Wood. The next station on the branch line, when it opened, was Muswell Hill and an intermediate station was built later at Cranley Gardens in 1902.

In the 1880s, the station was rebuilt, with two tracks flanking a central island platform instead of the two side platforms. The island platform was accessed from a ticket office in the middle of the footbridge. In 1911, the MHR branch was taken over by the GNR. After the Railways Act 1921 created the Big Four railway companies, the GNR became part of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923.{{sfn|Wolmar|2005|p=227}}

At the start of the 1930s, the station had around 54 trains daily from High Barnet, 43 from Alexandra Palace and a few through trains from Edgware. Services ran to Finsbury Park and then either King's Cross, Moorgate or Broad Street.{{sfn|Horne|2009|p=41}}{{#tag:ref|Trains to Moorgate ran to King's Cross York Road then used the City Widened Lines. Trains to Broad Street ran via the Canonbury curve and the North London Railway.|group="n"}}

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File:Extract of 1900 Map showing Edgware Highgate and London Railway.png

In 1935, the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) announced a proposal, which became known as the Northern Heights project. This was to take over the LNER lines from Finsbury Park to Edgware, High Barnet and Alexandra Palace, then link them to both the Northern line at East Finchley and the Northern City line at Finsbury Park.{{#tag:ref|At Edgware, the LNER's station was to be closed with the end of the line diverted into the Northern line's own Edgware station.{{sfn|Beard|2002|p=59}}|group="n"}} The construction of the first phase of this project involved extending tube train services from the Northern line's existing terminus at Archway station (then also called Highgate), through a new section of paired tunnels under Highgate station to emerge south of East Finchley station, where track connections to the LNER line were made.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=116}}

To provide an interchange between the new deep-level platforms and the existing surface platforms, a subterranean concourse was constructed immediately beneath the existing station. The concourse was connected to the deep-level platforms with escalators and to the existing platforms by stairs. Street entrances to the concourse were provided from the south (Archway Road) and the north (Priory Gardens). At the same time, the buildings on the surface platforms were partly reconstructed and the footbridge was removed. Northern line services through the new tunnels to East Finchley started operating on 3 July 1939, although they did not stop at Highgate until later.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=131}}{{sfn|Rose|1999}}

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File:Highgate station southbound look north.JPG

Following the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, works to complete the electrification of the LNER lines were slowed or halted. The line from Finchley Central to Edgware closed for reconstruction on 11 September 1939.{{sfn|Beard|2002|p=92}}{{#tag:ref|The section from Finchley Central to Mill Hill East was completed and reopened on 18 May 1941 to serve the nearby Inglis Barracks.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=140}}|group="n"}} Northern line services were extended from East Finchley to High Barnet on 14 April 1940{{sfn|Rose|1999}} and started serving the deep level platforms at Highgate on 19 January 1941, though not all of the new station buildings had been completed.{{sfn|Rose|1999}}{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=137}} The surface platforms at Highgate continued to be served by LNER steam trains.

The deep-level platforms were constructed {{convert|490|ft|m}} long to accommodate extra-long nine-car trains, which were planned for services on the Northern line but never served Highgate, having been withdrawn at the start of the war.{{sfn|Badsey-Ellis|2016|p=222}}{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|pp=126 & 137}}{{#tag:ref|Tube trains at this time were typically six or seven cars long. A nine-car train began operating as an experiment on 8 November 1937 between Colindale and Kennington. By the end of February 1938, four nine-car trains were operating between Edgware and Kennington. Platforms at Edgware, Burnt Oak, Colindale, Hendon Central, Brent Cross and Golders Green were extended to accommodate the longer trains. At other stations on the Charing Cross branch, the last two or first two cars remained in the tunnel.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=123}} The platforms at Highgate were the only deep-level platforms constructed, though longer platforms were provided on some surface stations.{{sfn|Badsey-Ellis|2016|pp=222–23}}|group="n"}} With the interchange between LNER and Northern line services available at Highgate from January 1941, LNER trains to East Finchley ended on 2 March 1941, after which they operated between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace only.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=140}}{{#tag:ref|As the connection between the LNER tracks and the new Northern line tracks was to the north-west of the junction for the Alexandra Palace branch, the branch could only be served by trains running to and from Finsbury Park.|group="n"}} In 1942, LNER services through Highgate were reduced to rush hour only operations.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=140}} During the war, the deep-level platforms at Highgate were used, as many were, as a shelter from the bombing of London by the Luftwaffe and, later, V-1 and V-2 missiles.{{sfn|Wolmar|2005|p=286}}{{#tag:ref|The entertainer Jerry Springer was born whilst his mother was sheltering at the station in 1944.{{cite news|last=Nathan|first=John|title=Interview: Jerry Springer|url=http://www.thejc.com/arts/arts-interviews/15740/interview-jerry-springer|newspaper=The Jewish Chronicle Online|date=2 July 2009}}|group="n"}}

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| image1 = Highgate Underground station abandoned high level platforms.jpg

| alt1 = A brick building missing windows, projecting canopy and graffiti. Tree saplings and vegetation grow from the platform surface.

| caption1 = Platform building constructed for the Northern line

| image2 = Mouth of disused tunnels, Highgate Underground station (geograph 3312676).jpg

| alt2 = A buttressed brick retaining wall holds up the side of a railway cutting with the openings to a pair of tunnels on the right.

| caption2 = North end of the station cutting with tunnel portals. The red brick building in the background houses the exit at the top of the cutting.

| footer = Disused surface station

| footer_align = center

}}

After the war, plans to complete the Northern Heights project were reviewed. In early 1946, the conversion of the LNER line from Mill Hill East to Edgware was scheduled by the LPTB for completion between January 1947 and June 1948.{{sfn|Beard|2002|p=118}} No work was carried out as maintenance works and reconstruction of war damage on the existing network had the greatest call on London Underground funds. Funds for new works were severely limited and priority was given to the completion of the western and eastern extensions of the Central line to West Ruislip, Epping and Hainault.{{sfn|Bownes|Green|Mullins|2012|p=173}} Despite being shown as under construction on Underground maps as late as 1950,{{#tag:ref|Shown as "under construction", the Northern Heights extensions appeared for the first time on Underground poster maps in 1937 and pocket maps in 1938.{{sfn|Beard|2002|pp=56–57}}{{cite web |url=http://www.eplates.info/maps/LU1938-1945.html |title=London Transport Underground Maps 1938–1945 |access-date=29 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924001524/http://www.eplates.info/maps/LU1938-1945.html |archive-date=24 September 2015}} After the opening of the tube platforms at Highgate and the extensions to High Barnet and Mill Hill East, the uncompleted remainder of the works were removed from the map between 1943 and 1945. The Mill Hill East to Edgware and Edgware to Bushey Heath sections appeared on the map again from 1946 to 1949 and the Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace section appeared from 1946 to 1950.{{cite web |url=http://www.eplates.info/maps/LU1946-1947.html |title=London Transport Underground Maps 1946–1947 |access-date=29 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924001525/http://www.eplates.info/maps/LU1946-1947.html |archive-date=24 September 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.eplates.info/maps/LU1948-1956.html |title=London Transport Underground Maps 1948–1956 |access-date=29 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924001526/http://www.eplates.info/maps/LU1948-1956.html |archive-date=24 September 2015}}|group="n"}} work never restarted on the unimplemented parts of the Northern Heights project.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=152}}{{#tag:ref|The section of the extension between Brockley Hill and Bushey Heath was cancelled in October 1950,{{sfn|Beard|2002|p=126}} leaving the section between Edgware and Brockley Hill and the conversion of the line from Mill Hill East to Edgware to be decided. The announcement of its cancellation was finally made in February 1954.{{sfn|Beard|2002|p=127}}|group="n"}}

After a temporary closure between October 1951 and January 1952, British Railways (the successor to the LNER) ran the last passenger services between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace on 3 July 1954. British Railways freight traffic continued to pass through the station until 1964.{{#tag:ref|Freight services continued on the Alexandra Palace branch until 1957, the High Barnet branch until 1962 and the Edgware branch until 1964.|group="n"}} After freight traffic ceased, the line continued to be used for occasional London Underground rolling stock transfers between Highgate depot and the Northern City line, with the stock being pulled over the unelectrified lines by battery locomotives. This ceased in 1970, due to the poor condition of some of the intermediate bridges, and the track was lifted through the surface platforms in 1972.

Completion of the station buildings was delayed for many years. Designed by the architect Charles Holden,{{PastScape |num=509354 |desc=Highgate High Level Station |access-date=5 September 2015}} the pre-war plans included a large entrance building at the top of the hill next to The Woodman public house with a pair of escalators between the entrance and the sub-surface concourse. These were to be enclosed in an inclined structure down the side of the cutting parallel with the surface tracks. Taking inspiration from the local legend, the building would have been topped by a statue of Dick Whittington and his cat.Contemporary artist's illustration of the proposed station buildings. {{harvnb|Day|Reed|2010|p=138}}.{{#tag:ref|Taking inspiration from local history, Charles Holden commissioned the sculptor Eric Aumonier to provide the Archer sculpture at East Finchley station,{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=131}} and planned a sculpture of a Roman centurion at the unbuilt Elstree South station.{{sfn|Beard|2002|p=82}}|group="n"}} When works were finished in 1957, a single and upwards only escalator was provided to take passengers from the sub-surface ticket hall up to a simple exit at the top of the cutting.{{cite web |url=http://www.ltmcollection.org/photos/photo/photo.html?_IXSR_=Cg7EkVROUwX&_IXMAXHITS_=1&IXinv=1998/86922&IXsummary=results/results&IXsearch=1529/5&_IXFIRST_=1 |title=Photograph details: 1998/86922 |publisher=London Transport Museum |date=September 1957 |access-date=30 August 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/step-free-tube-guide-map.pdf |title=Step-free Tube Guide |publisher= Transport for London |date=December 2023 |access-date=8 February 2024}}

One of the GNR's station buildings remains on the north side of the surface platforms: it is used as a private residence.{{sfn|Pedroche|2011|p=99}} Much of the route between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace now forms part of the Parkland Walk, although this bypasses the station site for safety reasons.{{cite web |url=https://www.islington.gov.uk/sports-parks-and-trees/nature-reserves/parkland-walk |title=Parkland Walk |publisher=London Borough of Islington |access-date=5 November 2017 |archive-date=31 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031052326/https://www.islington.gov.uk/sports-parks-and-trees/nature-reserves/parkland-walk |url-status=dead }}

On 2 May 2023, a fire broke out in the ground-level station.{{cite web | last=Raffray | first=Nathalie | title=Fire crews tackle blaze between Highgate and Archway | website=Ham & High | date=2 May 2023 | url=https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/23495530.fire-crews-tackle-blaze-highgate-archway/ | access-date=11 July 2023}}

The current station consists of a central subterranean ticket hall, with escalators leading down to 2 separate 9-car long platforms. The stairs to the closed surface platforms have been blocked off from the public areas of the station by a staff room. There are 2 entrances to the station: one leading to Priory Gardens on the east and the Archway Road to the south. This entrance is directly opposite the Jacksons Lane Arts Centre. There is also a one-way escalator leading to a simple exit north of the station.

Highgate station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line between East Finchley to the north and Archway to the south.{{cite map/Standard Tube Map}} Train frequencies vary throughout the day, but generally operate every 3–7 minutes between 06:01 and 01:01 northbound and 05:37 and 00:18 southbound (as of 2015).{{cite web |url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/timetable/northern?FromId=940GZZLUHGT&ToId=940GZZLUEFY&SelectedTime=6 | title=Northern line timetable: From Highgate Underground Station to East Finchley Underground Station | publisher= Transport for London |access-date=30 August 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/timetable/northern?FromId=940GZZLUHGT&ToId=940GZZLUACY&SelectedTime=5 | title=Northern line timetable: From Highgate Underground Station to Archway Underground Station | publisher= Transport for London |access-date=30 August 2015}}

{{Adjacent stations|noclear=y

|header1=Current services

|system2=London Underground

|line2=Northern|type2=High Barnet|left2=East Finchley|right2=Archway

|header3=Former services

{{rail line|col={{BR(E) colour}} |route=British Railways (Eastern Region)
Edgware, Highgate and London Railway |next=Crouch End
Line and station closed |previous=Cranley Gardens
Line and station closed }}

{{rail line |next=Crouch End
Line and station closed |previous=East Finchley
Line closed, station open |route=British Railways (Eastern Region)
Edgware, Highgate and London Railway |col={{BR(E) colour}} }}

|header6=Abandoned Northern Heights extension

|system7=London Underground

|line7=Northern|left7=Cranley Gardens|right7=Crouch End|to-left7=Alexandra Palace|to-right7=Moorgate|note-right7=via Northern City Line

}}

As of 2024, London Bus routes 43, 134, 234 and night bus route N20 serve the station.{{cite web |url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/bus-route-maps/highgate-station-260714.pdf |title=Buses from Highgate Station (Highgate Wood) |publisher= Transport for London |date=26 July 2014 |access-date=28 February 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/bus/stop/940GZZLUHGT/highgate-underground-station |title=Highgate Underground Station – Bus |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=11 February 2015}}

The disused platforms and tunnels have sometimes been used for filming. They have appeared in several productions, including the feature film Paperhouse{{cite web |url=http://www.reelstreets.com/index.php/component/films/?task=view&id=1520&film_ref=paperhouse |title=Paperhouse |publisher=Reel Streets: World Film Locations |access-date=30 August 2015}} and the television series Waking the Dead.{{cite web |url=http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/Northern_Heights_3.html |title=Northern Heights: Crouch End – Highgate |publisher=Abandoned Tube Stations |access-date=30 August 2015}}

Jerry Springer, mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, and later a TV host, was born at Highgate tube station in 1944 during a World War II bombing raid by the Luftwaffe.{{cite news |last=Nathan |first=John |date=July 2, 2009 |title=Interview tube stat: Jerry Springer |url=http://www.thejc.com/arts/arts-interviews/15740/interview-jerry-springer |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204123730/http://www.thejc.com/arts/arts-interviews/15740/interview-jerry-springer |archive-date=4 February 2012 |access-date=2 August 2010 |newspaper=The JC}}

{{reflist|group=n}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{ref begin}}

• {{cite book |last=Badsey-Ellis |first=Antony |title=Building London's Underground: From Cut-and Cover to Crossrail |year=2016 |publisher=Capital Transport |isbn=978-1-8541-4397-6 }}
• {{cite book |last=Beard |first=Tony |title=By Tube Beyond Edgware |publisher=Capital Transport |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-85414-246-7 }}
• {{cite book |last=Bownes |first=David |last2=Green |first2=Oliver |last3=Mullins |first3=Sam |year=2012 |title=Underground: How the Tube Shaped London |publisher=Allen Lane |isbn=978-1-846-14462-2 }}
• {{cite book |last=Day |first=John R |last2=Reed |first2=John |orig-year=1963 |year=2010 |edition=11th |title=The Story of London's Underground |publisher=Capital Transport |isbn=978-1-85414-341-9 }}
• {{cite book |last=Horne |first=Mike |title=The Northern Line: An Illustrated History |orig-year=1990 |year=2009 |edition=3rd |publisher=Capital Transport |isbn=978-1-85414-326-6 }}
• {{cite book |last=Pedroche |first=Ben |year=2011 |title=Do Not Alight Here: Walking London's Lost Underground and Railway Stations |publisher=Capital History |isbn=978-1-85414-352-5 }}
• {{cite book |last=Rose |first=Douglas |title=The London Underground, A Diagrammatic History |year=1999 |orig-year=1980 |edition=7th |publisher=Douglas Rose/Capital Transport |isbn=978-1-85414-219-1}}
• {{cite book |last=Wolmar |first=Christian |author-link = Christian Wolmar |title = The Subterranean Railway: How the London Underground Was Built and How It Changed the City Forever |publisher = Atlantic Books |orig-year=2004 |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-84354-023-6}}

{{ref end}}

{{commons category|Highgate tube station}}

• [https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/photographs London Transport Museum Photographic Archive]
• {{LTM archive|1998-86822|Entrance to LNER station in 1935}}
• {{LTM archive|1998-56412|Shepherd's Hill entrance in 1955}}
• {{LTM archive|1998-54479|Priory Gardens entrance in 1955}} Buildings on Archway Road are visible beyond, showing depth of cutting in which the surface station was built.

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