Vertical alignment at East Finchley

[Basil Jet]

At East Finchley, the tracks to and from the open air sidings occupy the centre platforms with the tracks from the nearby tunnels on the outside. Looking at the underside of the bridge by the station, both of the (outside) bridges that carry tracks to and from the tunnels appear to be a few inches *higher* than the (central) bridge that carries tracks to and from the open air sidings. As far as I can tell from cab ride videos, the tracks to and from the tunnels also appear to be higher than the open air siding tracks as they go over the road. Why would this be the case? Flood prevention seems unlikely so high above the adjacent road.

 

[starlight73]

Not sure why exactly the bridges are like this…

however, in terms of history, the centre tracks to Highgate Depot/Sidings were presumably built first? As they would have been built by the Edgware, Highgate & London railway. They originally built a surface line from Finsbury Park along this route. Then, this line was converted into the Northern line later on and the outside tracks were added later…

but having typed all that, I had a look on street view and maybe the entire bridge was rebuilt when the Northern line came. All of the bridge looks similar in design. I’ve attached a screenshot of Apple maps street view that shows the difference in height, which I hope is OK to post.

(image description - screenshot shows underside of the bridge south of East Finchley station. The bridge for the central tracks is on the left and the northern line southbound bridge is on the right. There’s a horizontal girder between them and there is between the girder and the bridge underside on the right)

 

[Chris125]

Outer platforms tube height, middle platforms compromise height? That would mean the middle tracks were slightly lower to allow conventional rolling stock. Just a thought.

 

[swt_passenger]

Outer platforms tube height, middle platforms compromise height? That would mean the middle tracks were slightly lower to allow conventional rolling stock. Just a thought.

It’s not so odd for that possible explanation to come to mind. I was thinking, (probably while you posted), that the central tracks and platforms when built would have been originally designed for mainline stock, coming north from the now abandoned Highgate high level station? Did that route stay operational as a mainline goods route after the passenger service closed?

 

[Chris125]

It’s not so odd for that possible explanation to come to mind. I was thinking, (probably while you posted), that the central tracks and platforms when built would have been originally designed for mainline stock, coming north from the now abandoned Highgate high level station? Did that route stay operational as a mainline goods route after the passenger service closed?

I think goods ran until the 60s? Also LNER passenger services served the middle platforms between 1939-41, after rebuilding, so a difference in platform/track height seems the likeliest explanation.

 

[Tom B]

Certainly today the centre platforms are of tube height.

 

[Gloster]

Freight on the High Barnet line ceased 1 October 1962 and to Edgware via Mill Hill East 4 May 1964.

Source: Freight on the Underground by Eric Stuart, article in Underground News (LURS), January 2017. (On internet.)

 

[Snow1964]

When the station was rebuilt 1937-40 and the outer tracks added, there were trolleybus wires under the original bridge. Possibly it was found easier to have the new outer single line bridges slightly higher than alter the wiring

Some photos of the works probably help

B/W print; East Finchley LNER/Underground works by LNER, 16 Apr 1940 | London Transport Museum

b/w print

www.ltmuseum.co.uk

B/W print; East Finchley LNER/Underground works by LNER, 2 Nov 1938 | London Transport Museum

b/w print

www.ltmuseum.co.uk