History Northern City Line

the planned 1930s northern heights extensions, showing diversion of northern city line alexandra palace, bushey heath , high barnet. sections marked in solid green taken over. line highgate finsbury park existed absorbed london transport; never happened , closed passengers in 1954. after being used transfer tube trains highgate depot northern city line, closed permanently in 1970.

after war there proposals extend northern city line north , south. london plan working party report of 1949 proposed several new lines , suburban electrification schemes london, lettered m. lower-priority routes j , k have seen northern city line extended woolwich (route j) , crystal palace (route k), retaining northern heights extensions edgware , alexandra palace. lines have run in small-diameter tube tunnels south moorgate bank , london bridge. k branch have run under peckham peckham rye, joining old crystal palace (high level) branch (which still open in 1949) near lordship lane. nothing came of these proposals, , edgware, alexandra palace , crystal palace (high level) branches closed passengers in 1954. result, northern city line remained isolated rest of network.

services cut finsbury park drayton park in 1964 make room victoria line use low-level platforms @ finsbury park. former piccadilly line platforms became northbound piccadilly , victoria lines platforms, , former northern city line platforms southbound equivalents. @ same time change made @ highbury & islington, northbound northern city line diverted new platform alongside northbound victoria line, , southbound victoria using former northbound northern city platform, both providing cross platform interchange. passengers moorgate finsbury park took northern city line highbury & islington , changed onto victoria.

in 1970 line renamed northern line (highbury branch) , following year agreement made transfer british rail , connect (as intended original promoters) mainline via surface platforms @ finsbury park part of wider plan electrify ecml suburban services. running commuter trains moorgate instead of king s cross, congestion @ king s cross relieved.

the last london underground services ran in october 1975 , british rail services commenced in august 1976, replacing services broad street via city branch of north london line. these british rail services used name great northern electrics . track , tunnels owned network rail. services provided great northern welwyn garden city and, via hertford loop line, hertford north (with extending stevenage, hitchin or letchworth). name northern city line has been revived refer underground part of route.