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Cricklewood Lane, LONDON, NW2 1HL

View NW, towards Bedford and the North: ex-Midland main line from St Pancras, recently (July 1983) electrified as far as Bedford. (Cf. Steam Days 23 years earlier at Image]).

View northward, towards Bedford and the North: ex-Midland Main Line from St Pancras. The 07.25 from Manchester Central is headed by Rebuilt 'Patriot' 7P 4-6-0 No. 45536 'Private W. Wood, V.C.' (built 5/33, rebuilt 11/48, withdrawn 12/62). The major Cricklewood Locomotive Depot and extensive Brent (Empty) Sidings were on the left, the Loaded Sidings and the Carriage Sidings being on the right behind the express. This station and the parallel A5, which passed the Yards on the west side, were favourite spots for train-watching.

Cricklewood station was opened as Childs Hill and Cricklewood by the Midland Railway in 1868 on its extension to St. Pancras. The station acquired its present name in 1903. This view is from the down platform. The next station in this direction is Hendon. East Midlands Trains InterCity services from Leeds, Sheffield and Leicester to and from St Pancras International run through on the high speed lines, which are to the left here. John Betjeman actually wrote a poem about Cricklewood and its trains: "...Midland, bound for Cricklewood. Puffed its sulphur to the sunset where that Land of Laundries stood." Apart from agriculture, laundering was the chief occupation as the local water was unusually pure and soft. There were also brickworks in this area, but brickmaking was a seasonal occupation, so brickmakers married laundresses who earned money for the family in the idle months of winter.

Opened in 1868 by the Midland Railway on the line from London St Pancras to Bedford. View south east towards West End and London St Pancras.

The view from the station at Cricklewood looking north towards Hendon. Empty coaching stock for an evening St Pancras service is leaving the sidings and depot. This was at the time that the Bedford to St Pancras line was being re-signalled and electrified. Today this view is much changed, the old signalling is long gone along with the locomotive hauled stock and the track has been rationalised.

View SE, towards London St Pancras: ex-Midland Main Line. An Up parcels is headed by No. 34, built 1931 as No. 15534 (one of the first 40 fitted with condensing apparatus for working in the tunnels of the Metropolitan Widened Lines), withdrawn 8/61 after 30 years all spent at Kentish Town Depot.

The view from platform 1.

Cricklewood station was opened as Childs Hill and Cricklewood by the Midland Railway in 1868 on its extension to St. Pancras. The station acquired its present name in 1903. This view is from the down platform. The next station in this direction is Hendon. East Midlands Trains InterCity services from Leeds, Sheffield and Leicester to and from St Pancras International run through on the high speed lines, which are to the left here. John Betjeman actually wrote a poem about Cricklewood and its trains: "...Midland, bound for Cricklewood. Puffed its sulphur to the sunset where that Land of Laundries stood." Apart from agriculture, laundering was the chief occupation as the local water was unusually pure and soft. There were also brickworks in this area, but brickmaking was a seasonal occupation, so brickmakers married laundresses who earned money for the family in the idle months of winter.

The reclamation business is located in the old station house, Cricklewood Lane, outside Cricklewood railway station.