The Anonymous Widower

Wide Platforms On The Piccadilly Line Extension

As a child, I used to live on the Northern reaches of the Piccadilly Line.

• My family lived near Oakwood station.
• I used to have my hair cut in the barbers at Cockfosters station.
• My school was at Southgate station.
• My father’s print works was close to Wood Green station.
• I regularly brought shopping home from Marks & Spencer in Wood Green, by using Turnpike Lane station.
• I saw Eric Clapton, John Mayall and others at the Manor House pub by Manor House station.

Incidentally, I’ve never had much to do with Arnos Grove or Bounds Green stations.

Perhaps because in those days of the 1950s, I rarely used other lines, I didn’t notice the wider platforms of the extension, which opened in 1933.

The Wikipedia entry for the Piccadilly Line, says this.

Platforms 400 ft (120 m) long were originally planned for each station to fit 8-car trains, but were cut short to 385 ft (117 m) when built. Some stations were also built with wider platform tunnels to cater to expected high patronage.

Perhaps, that explains the wider platforms at Turnpike Lane and Manor House stations.

I suspect that Transport for London wish that the Victoria Line had been built to the same standards of the Piccadilly Line Extension of the 1930s.

August 12, 2022 - Posted by AnonW | Design, Transport/Travel | Manor House Station, Piccadilly Line, Turnpike Lane Station, Victoria Line