Four Tube stations in North London—Crouch End, Cranley Gardens, Muswell Hill, and Alexandra Palace—were nearly added to the Northern line network. These stations were even included on Tube maps before the outbreak of the Second World War, which ultimately shelved the ambitious expansion plans.
Planned Northern Line Extension in the 1930s
The proposed stations were part of the 1935 to 1940 London Passenger Transport Board New Works Programme. This programme aimed to extend the Northern line and connect its two branches via Mill Hill. The plans also included a new route linking the City of London and Moorgate station with Alexandra Palace.
According to the programme, the route would have run from Moorgate via Finsbury Park, with stops at Crouch End, Highgate, Cranley Gardens, and Muswell Hill, before reaching Alexandra Palace. The line between these stations was prepared to accommodate Northern line trains, and the route appeared on official Tube maps before the war.
War and Funding Shortfalls Derail the Project
The outbreak of the Second World War led to the entire New Works Programme being abandoned due to insufficient funding. As a result, the proposed stations deteriorated. Signs of the unfinished project remain visible today, including destination plates reading 'Alexandra Palace' and 'via Moorgate' on the reverse, which were intended to be displayed on the front of Tube stock.
The original Alexandra Palace station closed in 1954 and deteriorated over the following decades. It was saved in the 1980s and converted into a community centre, which continues to operate today.
Fates of the Four Stations
Muswell Hill station closed entirely in 1956. The station was demolished to make way for Muswell Hill Primary School in the early 1960s. Cranley Gardens station closed in 1957, with its buildings replaced by a school and a care home in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Crouch End station also shut in 1954, leaving its station building, which sat atop a road bridge, to decay. When the road bridge was renovated in 1977, the station building was demolished.
Legacy: Parkland Walk
Despite the closures, the station's position remains readily identifiable as its two concrete platforms survive on either side of the Parkland Walk. During the 1960s, when the line was no longer operational, it became an unofficial walkway for local residents.
This use was officially recognised by Haringey Council in the 1970s when the remaining track was removed. Officially inaugurated in 1984 following substantial restoration work, the Parkland Walk extends from Finsbury Park to Highgate and from Cranley Gardens to Muswell Hill. Spanning 3.9 miles, it holds the distinction of being London's lengthiest nature reserve.
