East Finchley Platforms 2+3

[Deleted]

OK, I've been trying to resist asking this question, but can't take it anymore.

What are Platform 2+3 at East Finchley there for, and where do they lead to?

I think its to Highgate Depot, and, as I've seen in another post, they are used as test tracks.

[Deleted]

It is leading to/from Highgate Depot. And its the only route for trains to enter/leave Highgate Depot.

Never been in there before though.

[mrjrt]

Yeah, with a bit of further digging I'm sure you'll find out why this unusal arrangement is in place, but I'll summarise for you.

The northern line's High Barnet branch used to terminate at what is now Archway station. The plan in the 1930's was to take over the mainline from Finsbury Park and extend the Archway branch under the mainline Highgate station, then rise up either side of it and continue through East Finchley to Finchley Central, where two of the lines would continue on to Edgware and beyond, and the other two would continue to High Barnet. East Finchley and Highgate were the only two stations on that huge project that were actually completed. Thus, platforms 2+3 were to be the interchange platforms for the line to Finsbury Park. As is, they only lead to the depot, which was constructed in the fork between the former mainline and it's branch to Alexandria Place, whcih diverged just after the line emerged from the tunnels to the former mainline Highgate station. The mainline to Finsbury Park was still in use for depot access until the early 70's, when weak bridges resulted in them simply pulling up the line, leaving us with the curious situation we now have.

[Oracle]

Can I just add here that thjis site gives you some excellent photos of the Northern Heights Ally Pally branch:
pages.britishlibrary.net/overground/heights/

I have seen old photos of what I believe was a BTH Class 15 locos that worked the Northern goods services, presumably fitted with tripcocks and based at Hornsey [or was it Finsbury Park?]at Highgate Depot. The stock transfers from the Northern City from Drayton park to Highgate depots used both lines I believe up and down to Finsbury Park, but the weak bridge at Crouch Hill (Crouch End Station) necessitated the fitting of a vertical support on the Up line which then meant that transfers had to use the Down line.

This shot was taken of a 1959TS tour on the Northern Line (my mate Brian Panting, T/op acted as guard)...I was on it!

www.loveplums.co.uk/Tube/NorthernHeights/6_HighgateTunnels7.jpg


We went through Ps 2 + 3 obviously! Were there not staff trains or rather trains going to Highgate that stopped to s/down and p/up at these platforms?

[Tubeboy]

There are a FEW trains booked to run into platforms 2 and 3, mainly first thing in morning and last thing at night.