West Hampstead Comes Together
Years ago, when we lived in our flat in St. John’s Wood, it was often easier to get there from the north by cutting down Fortune Green Road and West End Lane, rather than fight down the Finchley Road. West End Lane in those days was rather shabby, but now it has been tidied up and the four stations; Overground, Tube, Chiltern and Thameslink in about 400 metres or so, have been smartened up, as these pictures show.
There have been plans to create a boulevard to link the stations, but that has been dropped for the time-being.
But when they complete the scheme, they’ll create a proper interchange, that will avoid the need to go to the centre of London. All it needs is some better shops and another couple of places to eat.
I Spy A Pillar Box With A Cupboard
I haven’t seen a pillar box like this for some years.
A Pillar Box With A Cupboard
I always remember this from the I-Spy books of my childhood. These were books published by the News Chronicle, where you ticked off things you had seen. This type of pillar box might have been in something like I-Spy on the Street
The cupboard incidentally, is so that postmen can store mail in a safe place, whilst they deliver to other addresses. I doubt it’s used these days.
Is This New Gardens For Dalston?
Between the two Dalston stations is a brownfield site, with just the vent from the rail tunnel underneath.
Between the Two Dalston Stations
The white plastic appears to be protection for trees. But they might not be.
This area could be converted into a lovely walk between the two stations and to the Arcola Theatre
Any ideas.
The TBMs Arrive At Westbourne Park
This is not the best of pictures.
TBMs at Westbourne Park
But it does just show the two tunnel boring machines or TBMs for CrossRail at Westbourne Park before they move forward to start their journey to Farringdon.
I think a better picture could be taken from a main line train out of Paddington.
Works At Hackney Central Station
Hackney Central station was one of the more elaborate stations on the old North London line, with a rather beautiful decorated station building on either side of the tracks.
The pictures show work on the building and the installation of a pair of lifts to cross the tracks.
For some time now, I’ve had the view that Hackney Downs and Central should be integrated, perhaps with a bus station nearby.It would help to revitalise Hackney and also allow passengers from Tottenham and Enfield to get to Stratford and Camden with a step-free change.
A Curiosity at Dalston Kingsland Station
I took this picture on the westbound platform at Dalston Kingsland Station.
A Curiosity at Dalston Kingsland Station
I would assume it’s something to do with a church. But what?
The Anonymous Widower 