I used to trespass there back in the late 1970's before it was opened up to the public and sadly some old signals and bits of mangled and twisted track were removed circa 1984. Also I walked through both tunnels when the fences were easy to simply climb over. The second much longer tunnel had track that suddenly had a third and forth rail halfway in! This was very scary and, with friends, we were very careful not to touch the middle or side rails only to find out that they were not connected to any supply and were therefore not live. That being said, the line does connect to live Northern Line track after the second tunnel, whereby we were chased away by London Underground staff! I was 14 years old at the time .... Thankfully I knew how the underground works even back then, and we were quite safe....
Me too, I lived in Scarborough Rd in the 70s for a while and jumped over the back fence and had a similar experience . I remember the tunnel was dark and frightening.
I used to walk into the Highgate Tunnel from the southern side in the mid 90’s from Finsbury Park. The Green Man sculpture at Crouch End station had just been installed.
Im not a massive fan of trains and railways and undergrounds but i thoroughly enjoy watching you and the information you give is fantastic! Im a massive history nerd and world war 1 and 2 are my passion. I was wondering, if in the future you could combine stations and railway lines with there part in that timeline, the blitz, shelters, yards, ect.. would be great! Thank you for your hard work and keep it up 👍🏻
@@juanescobar8123Most of the bridges along this line were deemed unsafe for buses, so the one by Crouch End Station was changed to accommodate buses, among others.
Somebody I went to school with, Jonathan James, co-wrote an excellent book about this line called "Northern Wastes". Well worth a read if you can find a copy. Years ago, I managed to walk through the south tunnels and get onto the High Level platforms. I got caught by an LT staff member but rather than a clip round the ear I got a cup of tea and a guided tour instead.
@@asherpiggycow1221 no it was gonna be part of the Northern line. The northern line got its name from the northern heights project (obvious clue). Watch Geoff's video on how the tube lines got their names
I used to live right next to Parkland Walk in Muswell Hill, and my back garden went straight on to the walk. In fact, I would often get back home via Parkland walk and my garden if I forget my keys (or just wanted to have a more scenic walk home)! Unfortunately, the house was sold last year after my grandfather passed, whose house it was. Many good memories from that area.
The river Lea route down into Limehouse is great. A lot of walking groups use it as as its a 10 mile plus traffic free route into the East of the city. I particularly like the slight diversionary section that goes through the newly opened Walthamstow wetlands, which at 520 acres is a decent walk in itself..
Thank you for bringing back memories for me. I lived 5 minutes from the old Crouch End station from 1996-2000, and regularly did the Parkland walk, including once late at night back from Finsbury Park when Sting was headlining a festival. You could have mentioned that the Railway Tavern used to be at Crouch End station and was moved down the road (I understand). Also, Bob Dylan stories abound in Crouch End...
In some ways its sort of sad to see all the grand schemes that never got to happen. The Northern heights scheme would probably have benefited the area these days.
Thank you for this. I moved from N London and walking the old railway in part regularly (quite recently) it was wonderful walking with you in my mind through Highgate woods and Cranley Gardens tunnel to the best view bit- felt nostalgic and a little home sick. Will do it again someday with my dog I hope.
Your original Parkland walk video was a major factor for me to visit London a few years ago. I loved the Parkland walk with all its railway-related stuff on the way, and the view from Alexandra Palace over London is astonishing. Thanks for redoing all the lost railways!
My school is next to the second part of the parkland walk and by that I mean it is 30 seconds away. I bike ride through there to get to Alexandra palace with my school and I never knew about this railway. I will try doing a bit more looking round on the trail and tell you if I see anything else hidden on the path
RU-vid user 'Michael Berg' has uploaded a computer simulation video of a train journey along the Parkland Walk from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace. Probably the closest you'll get to experiencing what it was like to ride a train on the line when it was running.
I absolutely love Parkland Walk! Living in Ally Pally, its a great space for a run or walk. Crouch End station definitely a highlight with the view from Muswell Hill too.
I remember walking along this line when it was an unofficial footpath in the late 1970s as a young kid. It had a bit of a reputation then for undesirables.
Thanks so much for this. I lived for a time just off Stanhope Road and discovered it then c.1990. It's biggest appeal is being able to walk a good distance away from the traffic. Not many places offer that opportunity. I wouldn't be keen on all the joggers now who have taken over. On a walk I like to meander and trundle along with no particular place to be, but the footness brigade disrupt that vibe for me. As for the jogger with the buggy - no comment.
I walked this route with my wife and daughter last Sunday before I had ever discovered this wonderful set of videos. We walked it to check it out for a family walk for my 60th birthday at the end of this month as my father-in-law now uses a mobility scooter. I said I wanted to celebrate my big day with a family walk followed by a good old fashioned boozy pub lunch. Can't wait!
I know it's not london, but Ive noticed signs in Hatfeild/ St albans on a old railway plus old station platforms, which are accessible, one of which a call Nast Hyde. Just thought youd find it intresting :)
It looks a beautiful walk now but I can't help but think how useful this line would be now with all the events at the Ally Pally. Difficult to get to by tube and the trains aren't particularly frequent, so would be useful to have particularly late night service that went right up to the palace.
I think they should consider rebuilding the track it seems like it would work well for London and they won’t demolish to many building while building it. Mabie they can build a little steam train as that won’t spoil the path either or ruin hi-gate woods
Hey Geoff. I've cycled through the 3 bridges in Hanwell. It's a fantastic spot on the old railway down to what used to be Brentford Station and the rail yard by the Thames.
Two of my close friends have moved from Crouch End to Berlin this weekend, and this video brings back a lot of memories of walking these paths when visiting them.
The best till last! Epic video with some good puns and seeing Highgate was impressive, I have walk some of the Parkland Walk myself from Stroudly Green to Crouch End but would love to go back thee again to walk the.... almost the entire line.
Bonus facts: (inhales)... If you go to the West Side of Highgate Wood there is a green metal fence and a large gap between the fence and the houses. That gap is where the line used to run through Highgate Wood. The Highgate northern line depot is at the sight of the junction where the Alexandra Palace branch broke off. The sight of Cranley gardens station is now a school. At east finchley there are 4 platforms because the outer tracks are used by the northern line through trains but the centre tracks were used by trains going from central London to Edgware via Highgate using both the parkland walk line and the mill hill to Edgware line. (BTW I know all this because I'm a local and a nerd)
I use to play there as a kid in the late 70’s / early 80’s and would enter via Milton park N6. My friends and I created treehouses, tunnels and cycle tracks on the embankment which the council eventually ruined by installing steps. In 1977, the embankment caught fire. Privileged to have explored the tunnels and Highgate station.
Igrew up near cranley garden station in the early 1950s. Isaw steam trains in action on this line. This lead me on to a lifelong interest in trains,which in turn lead me onto a fifty year career on the railways
This videos given me the impetus to get up early and do this walk before the I head down to the Emirates tomorrow. Looks a great way to work up an appetite for lunch at the Arsenal Cafe
Thanks Geoff for this incredible video (and incredible series). As a local who has walked the parkland walk so many times I have still learnt new things from this video. One thing that I noticed recently that you hadn’t mentioned in the video is that after the platforms at crouch end station and under the bridge where there is a slope (which I always loved to run down when I was little and sometimes still do) there is a tree growing out of a brick and if you look very closely you can see that there is also a piece of (what looks like) rail submerged in the tree- which I just find so interesting as I wouldn’t expect there to be this small bit of rail halfway up the slope, and I can’t understand what it could be for, but it looks to me like it must be rail.
Thank you Geoff for this interesting selection of lost railways. The Parkland Walk one was interesting as I was born near Crouch End so I know that section of the walk. I`ll look forward to watching the bonus videos
It was more fun before it was a "parkland walk". You rarely saw anybody else there then and it was little known. The original impetus for the line was to move crowds to and from the racecourse at Alexandra Palace, which used to have evening horse racing in the summer. Though the racecourse didn't close until 1970, it had never recovered after the war, had become very run down and hadn't seen large crowds for decades.
So interesting to watch these videos. Looking forward to the two bonus episodes. So many new ideas for my London bucket list and I’m just waiting for the day my next visit to London is possible again.
Been looking forward to this one as I live about 100m from one of the bridges over the southern part. You missed the allotments at Stroud Green by the way :-)
I did the walk many years ago with the author of the ‘Northern Wastes’ book; I think his name was Jim Blake. I would like to do it again, but how do I get from Finsbury Park station to the start of the walk?
Bat sanctuary? Those tunnels used to be gated but breached and were able to continue walking on through there. I haven't been there in years. I had no idea was a bat sanctuary there now
I used to live on Crouch Hill. I remember the day the bridge over the Parkland Walk collapsed (early 1995 iirc) and the road was closed for weeks while they built the new echoey bridge
The Northern line running all the way up to Ally Pally would have been so unbelievably convenient. The present-day concert venue is brilliant, but getting to or from the venue is a PITA.
Hi Geoff! Just wanted to say that I find your videos - and I've watched most of them - thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable! It's just amazing that there's so much undiscovered railway history out there! Keep up the god work!
Well researched as ever. Walk from Gillespie Rd nature reserve to Finsbury park. Then short walk to the line itself via the park. Then up to Highgate. Then Church Bottom Wood (don't you dare give me any of that royal crap), soon to Highgate Wood to rejoin at Cranley gardens to the finish. Miles and miles of no traffic. In London!!! Ancient woods, a railway... Arsenal , this is all the planet can offer...go!
There's another (quite spooky) disused bridge and some derelict railway buildings on the north side of Highgate woods, it carries a footpath to the woods. You used to be able to go under it by going down the bank beside the footpath but apparently that's been fenced off now. There was a Geocache there, it's since moved but the log still has some photos of the bridge and surroundings in it's gallery: www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC1E9X8_battle-field
Lovely Video Geoff. I live around Muswell Hill so wonderful to see my local area in one of your videos. The Spriggan is very interesting. I only found out about it a year ago! When did you film this [Must be recent as Blossom on Cranley Gdns wasn't there until this month - I've gone on it every day this month, amazing way to stay fit! Must have missed you haha] ? Cranley Gardens is wonderful with it's blossom and view to central London. I've met Ben in the street, lovely chap. Thank you
hey Asher, lovely comments thx! yes I was up there twice in the last couple of weeks as I went back to get additional shots. The first time I went the blossom wasn’t quite out, but the second time it was! (and you’ll note from the final shot I got my haircut in between!!) ☺️
Hello Geoff -- posting from Toronto in Canada here, to recommend Mike Downie (RU-vid channel is Downielive) from Vancouver. He does travel videos, and train videaux (including the Caledonian Sleeper), and ones in Vancouver. This one linked here is him following the (urban light rail) SkyTrain in Vancouver, looking at the tracks from below. A lot of the SkyTrain routes follow old conventional railway tracks -- both in-service, and lost/withdrawn ones. Much like your walks. If you go to this video at about 8m20s, you'll see (a) SkyTrain tracks next to abandoned old tracks, and (b) a shout-out to YOU, suggesting a collaboration between the two of you (once international travel calms down). Sounds great to THIS Canadian (who grew up near Cockfosters tube station) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pFtPGhJmuyg.html
Love this walk. Made the trip into London a few years ago and walked the opposite direction for my Birthday. I grew up with a similar Railway Walk here in Milton Keynes so I've always been fascinated by these walks. The Wolverton to Newport Pagnell Railway walk is well worth your time if you're ever this way. Wolverton is a Railway town and there is still plenty to be seen along the walk, and in Wolverton itself.
Trying to guess what the bonus features will cover. Perhaps the Bricklayers Arms branch, part of which is now followed by cycleway C10 (the rebranded Quietway 1) behind the New Den stadium at New Cross, where there's still some infrastructure, and still a bridge where it crossed Rotherhithe New Road. Though the alignment is rather lost under subsequent development west from there, I think there are still remnants of Bricklayers Arms and Willow Walk goods depots. Also, at the New Cross end, you're closed to a London's Lost Railway that was found again, the East London Line Clapham Junction branch.
