Primrose Hill Station Closure 1992

[Horizon22]

If you wanted to get there, you'd use the Northern Line to Moorgate and walk, it's really not very far (and is actually shown on the Tube map as a walking interchange now)

I believe it is only shown due to the Elizabeth line connection spanning both stations. It's not a long walk either way, only about 1/2km between each major station entrance.

 

[Meerkat]

I believe it is only shown due to the Elizabeth line connection spanning both stations. It's not a long walk either way, only about 1/2km between each major station entrance.

Can you get off at Moorgate and walk through the Lizzie station to get to Liverpool Street?
Probably take longer due to the looong escalators but if it’s cold and wet enough…..

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Can you get off at Moorgate and walk through the Lizzie station to get to Liverpool Street?
Probably take longer due to the looong escalators but if it’s cold and wet enough…..

You definitely can.

 

[Horizon22]

Can you get off at Moorgate and walk through the Lizzie station to get to Liverpool Street?
Probably take longer due to the looong escalators but if it’s cold and wet enough…..

You can indeed!

 

[Class15]

Only just seen this thread!

It seems to me, from what I have heard, that BR deliberately made the service unattractive in its final years so that nobody would use it, and then closed it because nobody was using it.

IIRC the morning train was too late for peak hour but too early to be valid on a Travelcard - therefore the worst possible time to attract passengers.

Definitely looks like BR wanted to close it and wanted to artificially decrease passenger numbers by intentionally making the service unattractive. I believe they also did this elsewhere (was Ilfracombe mentioned?)

It would have been very nice if it hadn’t closed. But it has. And I don’t think it will be reopened in the near future unfortunately. I think the ‘removing a freight regulating point’ argument is very weak, but I just feel that Chalk Farm LU station covers the area well.

What might be better is the reopening of the platforms on the WCML next to the goods lines? Probably one for a speculative thread though.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Even less reason! Primrose Hill (and the North London Line as a whole had some traffic that was to stations not in central London; eg Highbury and Dalston. A station on the line out of Euston would not cover this traffic and, even more so than Primrose Hill be overshadowed by Chalk Farm.

The reality is that the station could have closed any time from 1910 and not been missed.

 

[Class15]

Even less reason! Primrose Hill (and the North London Line as a whole had some traffic that was to stations not in central London; eg Highbury and Dalston. A station on the line out of Euston would not cover this traffic and, even more so than Primrose Hill be overshadowed by Chalk Farm.

Quite. I agree with you in a sense, but also the Northern line could possibly do with some relief towards Euston.

Primrose Hill on the North London lines would serve more purpose, but needs a new service, which Primrose Hill on the WCML doesn’t.

 

[Falcon1200]

It seems to me, from what I have heard, that BR deliberately made the service unattractive in its final years so that nobody would use it, and then closed it because nobody was using it.

Maybe it was a vicious circle - Not many used the service already so BR reduced it, making it less attractive so that even fewer then used it?

 

[PeterC]

Only just seen this thread!

It seems to me, from what I have heard, that BR deliberately made the service unattractive in its final years so that nobody would use it, and then closed it because nobody was using it.

IIRC the morning train was too late for peak hour but too early to be valid on a Travelcard - therefore the worst possible time to attract passengers.

That is my recollection as well. Using the morning train would have you stepping onto the platform at about the time that you should be sitting down at your desk. Assuming that the train was on time that is.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Inner London stations closed, by the dozen, in early 20th century. Trams, tubes and buses took all the traffic. Those that survived have only relatively recently seen a revival.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Inner London stations closed, by the dozen, in early 20th century. Trams, tubes and buses took all the traffic. Those that survived have only relatively recently seen a revival.

Though it's questionable if that one would because the Tube station that's basically right next to it has a vastly superior service than it'd ever have, even if it was brought into London Overground. Even if you wanted to actually go to Watford, into Euston and back out on a fast would be quicker.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Indeed.

 

[Class15]

Though it's questionable if that one would because the Tube station that's basically right next to it has a vastly superior service than it'd ever have, even if it was brought into London Overground. Even if you wanted to actually go to Watford, into Euston and back out on a fast would be quicker.

I doubt the passengers would be going to Watford. What about places like Hackney, Highbury and Stratford?

 

[frodshamfella]

I used Primrose Hill a few times, I was working in Bishopsgate at the time, so it was handy as I had a friend in the area, and Primrose Hill was the closest station to him. I used the service after Broad Street closed, a peak service from Liverpool St to Watford.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jan 2025 ==

My Visit to Primrose Hill Snapping the 15:56 Watford Junction to London Broad Street on the 6th March 1984.View attachment 173435

Nice pic

 

[Bletchleyite]

I doubt the passengers would be going to Watford.

I used that as an example of one of the places it had direct trains to/from that isn't served by the Tube.

What about places like Hackney

Big area, but a combination of the Tube and the Overground will get you there.

Highbury

Northern Line to Euston, Victoria Line to Highbury and Islington, or walk to Camden Road (about a mile) and take the Overground.

and Stratford?

Tube to Moorgate, change for the Lizzie. Or again walk to Camden Road for direct Overground.

My point is that there are ways to reach these places are perfectly OK and typically higher frequency than Primrose Hill would ever get. I'm not saying that if they do end up doing something like routeing the Watford DC that way it shouldn't reopen, as if there are trains running through it it might as well, but Primrose Hill doesn't in itself justify the line reopening when there are perfectly good alternatives to get to any place it served, and those alternatives are probably what people would choose anyway if it had a realistic level of service which is no better than about half hourly.

 

[Magdalia]

I doubt the passengers would be going to Watford. What about places like Hackney, Highbury and Stratford?

There were no trains between Primrose Hill and Hackney or Stratford.

Dalston-Stratford had no passenger trains between 1944 and 1980. A Woolwich-Camden Road DMU service started in 1980 then the Richmond trains were diverted from Broad Street to Woolwich in 1985.

Neither served Primrose Hill.

 

[Class15]

There were no trains between Primrose Hill and Hackney or Stratford.

Dalston-Stratford had no passenger trains between 1944 and 1980. A Woolwich-Camden Road DMU service started in 1980 then the Richmond trains were diverted from Broad Street to Woolwich in 1985.

Neither served Primrose Hill.

Nowhere did I suggest that a reinstated service would go via the Graham Road Curve. They would go to Stratford.

 

[Mag_seven]

If anyone wants to discuss the possibility of Primrose Hill reopening then they are welcome to start a new thread in Speculative Ideas.

thanks

 

[Magdalia]

Nowhere did I suggest that a reinstated service would go via the Graham Road Curve. They would go to Stratford.

The discussion is about why Primrose Hill closed in 1992.

Since 1980 trains to Hackney and Stratford have been available from Camden Road, and, since 1985, from Kentish Town West. Both are only a short distance away from Primrose Hill.

 

[Mr. SW]

Primrose Hill was a zombie station.

 

[WesternLancer]

Primrose Hill was a zombie station.

Is that a different category to Ghost station by any chance?

 

[BrianW]

Camden Goods was an impressive place in it's day ! I remember meeting some old boy who had migrated to Stratford Flt , who had started his career sometime in the 1950's who used to look after horses there ! - the decline of railborne general freight and Freightliners saw it pretty well dead in the late1960's.

I recall using Primrose Hill station en route from Willesden Shed (1A) to Camden Shed (1B)- it probably included Old Oak (81A), Cricklewood (14A), Kentish Town (14B), maybe Kings Cross Top Shed (34A) ... all in a 'shed bash'.
IIRC quite a good view across to Camden Shed. The shed itself was hard to access, needing entry through a gate in the wall at the end of Dumpton Place and up and over a loco line and past the shed Foreman's office! Up close to Coronation Class locos in steam and Type 4 diesels and close by the Down line and DC electrics was both awesome and a bit scary, while watching out to avoid being seen and 'asked' to leave was a 'learning experience'. My focus on locos meant I gave little attention to Primrose Hill station! I recall it as almost devoid of any other users. Maybe the station was mainly (only?) used by anoraks in gaberdine macs (raincoats) with duffle bags before anoraks in anoraks with rucksacks. Happy daze ...

 

[Taunton]

!

It seems to me, from what I have heard, that BR deliberately made the service unattractive in its final years so that nobody would use it, and then closed it because nobody was using it.

IIRC the morning train was too late for peak hour but too early to be valid on a Travelcard - therefore the worst possible time to attract passengers.

Definitely looks like BR wanted to close it and wanted to artificially decrease passenger numbers by intentionally making the service unattractive.

I heard the timing was very handy to get from Watford Junction and environs to (via Primrose Hill) Liverpool Street, after the Graham Road curve opened, for the 10.00 Hook Continental connection to Harwich and the ship to the Hook of Holland. It was convenient for au-pairs from Germany/Netherlands etc to return home from Hertfordshire with heavy luggage, who would be seen off at the ticket barrier at Watford, being told to join the Liverpool Street train. Unfortunately this was in the DC Lines bay, accessed along the Down Main platform, just at the moment when the morning train to Liverpool Lime Street was calling there. Did the porter shout LIVERPOOL Lime STREET? In we get, on we go.

Apparently the guard, followed by the Runcorn (next stop) staff, and stationmaster, had to deal with this one more than once ...

 

[Bletchleyite]

I heard it was very handy to get from Watford Junction and environs to Liverpool Street, for the 10.00 Hook Continental connection to Harwich and the ship to the Hook of Holland. It was convenient for au-pairs from Germany/Netherlands etc to return home with heavy luggage, who would be seen off at the ticket barrier at Watford, being told to join the Liverpool Street train. Unfortunately this was in the DC Lines bay, accessed by the Down Main platform, just at the moment when the morning train to Liverpool Lime Street was calling there. Did the porter shout LIVERPOOL Lime STREET? In we get, on we go.

Apparently the guard, followed by the Runcorn (next stop) staff, and stationmaster, had to deal with this one more than once ...

That's not a new one. At one point the CIS at Norwich was set to show "Lime St Lpool" to try to reduce this.

 

[stuving]

As a family we used the station in the 1950s for trips to the zoo. Obviously the other stations near it could also be used, which worked best depended on where you came from. I'm not sure where we'd have taken the train to/from; possibly Wembley Central (reached by bus).

It has a particular significance for me as it was there that Dad pointed across the station (I guess to the yard) and said "can you see the number on that engine?" - to which I replied "what engine?". Followed by a trip to the opticians in Harrow to see Mr Mallet, an eye surgeon at Moorfields who found I was very short-sighted (I was about six). It was then common for specialists to work in opticians, dealing with difficult cases and seeing all the young myopes.

 

[Mikey C]

Inner London stations closed, by the dozen, in early 20th century. Trams, tubes and buses took all the traffic. Those that survived have only relatively recently seen a revival.

Coincidentally, the BR platforms at Westbourne Park also closed in 1992.

 

[778]

Did the Watford - Liverpool Street services change over from 3rd rail to OLE at Primrose Hill station?

 

[Cricketer8for9]

No, because the third rail (4th rail originally) extended to Broad St.

 

[Springs Branch]

Did the Watford - Liverpool Street services change over from 3rd rail to OLE at Primrose Hill station?

We had a thread on this topic about five years ago

This post confirmed the DC/AC changeover took place at Dalston Kingsland.

 

[Revilo]

This is an excellent YouTube video of the station in its last years whilst still open, thanks to City Transport Info: