Gospel Oak: Site of the former Haverstock Hill railway station

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 14 Feb 2010

When the Midland Railway extended their line southwards into St Pancras in 1868 they built several suburban stations close in to the centre of London. However, having so many stations slowed down commuter train speeds, and with the additional competition from other forms of transport, such as buses and the Underground railway, three of them (this one, Camden Road and Finchley Road) were closed. This one at Haverstock Hill shut in 1916 as was the Camden Road one. Finchley Road survived until 1927, leaving only the Kentish Town and West Hampstead stations surviving in the immediate area. Haverstock Hill station was built to serve the Victorian housing estate radiating out from Lismore Circus, the site of which is shown by the group of trees in the distance to the left. The station only served the slow lines on the left so the platforms would have been where the grassy areas are now. By one of those odd quirks of geography this view is looking slightly north of east although it shows the railway heading generally southwards towards St Pancras. The photo was taken from Image

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