North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line through northern London. It carries passenger services operated by Silverlink and freight trains.
Only the Richmond and Kew Gardens stations at the western end of the line are south of the River Thames; the eastern extremity ends further downstream on the northern bank of the Thames at North Woolwich.
The North London Line is perhaps best envisaged as a 'horse-shoe' looping across north London, bypassing central London. It traverses many of the 'arterial' routes radiating out from central London, offering a faster and more convenient way to cross sections of north London without travelling into the centre and out again.
The line is notable for being the only regional rail route shown on the London Underground map. It was added in the early 1990s following pressure from campaigners for integrated transport policies. Previous Tube maps have also shown the Thameslink line from Kentish Town to London Bridge and Elephant & Castle, and the Waterloo & City Line prior to its transfer to London Underground. The Northern City Line from Moorgate to Finsbury Park also sometimes appears on maps - this route used to be part of the Northern Line but is now operated by WAGN.
Stations and major structures
(from west to east, or 'clockwise')
- Richmond station (interchange with the District Line)
- Kew Gardens station (interchange with the District Line)
- Kew Railway Bridge
- Gunnersbury station (interchange with the District Line)
- South Acton railway station
- Acton Central railway station
- Willesden Junction station (interchange with Bakerloo Line)
- Kensal Rise railway station
- Brondesbury Park railway station
- Brondesbury railway station
- West Hampstead railway station (West Hampstead tube station, Jubilee Line) is adjacent, and West Hampstead Thameslink railway station is a short walk away.
- Finchley Road & Frognal railway station
- Hampstead Heath railway station
- Gospel Oak railway station (interchange for the Gospel Oak to Barking line).
- Kentish Town West railway station
- Camden Road railway station
- Caledonian Road & Barnsbury railway station
- Highbury & Islington station (interchange with Victoria Line)
- Canonbury railway station
- Dalston Kingsland railway station
- Hackney Central railway station
- Homerton railway station
- Hackney Wick railway station
- Stratford station (interchange with the Central Line, Jubilee Line and Docklands Light Railway)
- West Ham station (interchange with the Jubilee Line, District Line and Hammersmith and City Line)
- Canning Town station (interchange with the Jubilee Line and Docklands Light Railway)
- Custom House station (interchange with the Docklands Light Railway)
- Silvertown railway station
- North Woolwich railway station
Lost stations
A number of former stations on the line been lost from the current stations served. These include:
- Maiden Lane station - situated between Camden Road and Caledonian Road & Barnsbury stations. This station was on York Road to the north of goods yards serving Kings Cross station approximately where the tunnel portal for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link has been constructed.
- Mildmay Park station - situated between Canonbury and Dalston Kingsland stations. This station was on Mildmay Park between Newington Green and Balls Pond Road. The station was closed in 1934 probably due to its close proximity to Canonbury station. The ticket office was originally located on brick pillars over the eastbound tracks but was demolished in the 1980s. Some remnants of the platforms remain.
- Victoria Park station - situated between Homerton and Hackney Wick stations. This large station served the popular east London park and was a junction between the North London Line and the now extinct branch running to the Old Ford station (on Old Ford Road) and Bow Church station (now Bow Church DLR station). The station was completely demolished and the railway realigned when the East Cross Route was constructed. The site is now occupied by slip roads to the A12 road leading to the Blackwall Tunnel.