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Highbury Station Parade, Highbury Corner, LONDON, N5 1RQ

In the less than three years since control of the North London line passed to Transport for London, there has been an ongoing transformation of this railway from a dingy threatening unstaffed 'Cinderella' into a modern and inviting line. The section from Gospel Oak to Stratford reopened on 1 June 2010 to reveal new platforms 7 and 8 in use at Highbury and Islington, seen here looking west, and a new footbridge at the western end of the station. Platforms 1 and 2, which had previously been in use, are at present closed and being refurbished for the extension of the East London line from Dalston Junction, which is due to be ready in 2011. The new Class 378 trains are now in service and although their 100% longitudinal seating is not to everyone's taste, they are clean, bright and air-conditioned, and the service frequency is now four trains per hour. All the stations now have staff in attendance throughout the operational day.

I went to The Famous Cock for a college party in around 1984 after graduating from North London Polytechnic in Highbury. I'd certainly recommend it. I rarely went out to a pub while I was there as we had a perfectly good one in the basement.

See Image This photograph is looking east along new platforms 7 and 8, now in use for North London line trains.

The signs are installed next to each other in such a way that one sign blocks the view of the other.

Lots of construction work was ongoing outside.

The old frontage catches the eye as one emerges from the modern station into Holloway Road. The station was one on a short line running from Finsbury Park to Moorgate and originally intended for mainline trains from the north to access central London, avoiding King's Cross. The plan never came to pass and the route was incorporated into the underground system. However the tunnels retain their 16foot diameter.

Opened in 1850 on the North London Railway's line from Dalston to Willesden Junction, the station had most recently been rebuilt in 2010 when this image was taken. View east towards Canonbury and Dalston.

See Image Looking east from the new footbridge, this gives a good overview of the platforms: New platforms 7 and 8 on the left are now in use for North London line trains, while work continues on Platforms 1 and 2, which will be electrified on third-rail only and will be used from 2011 by terminating East London line trains, these having arrived via the refurbished link between Dalston Junction and Dalston West Junction.