Alphabetical London: Archway - Avenue Road

I'm undertaking a project to visit all 598 Underground, Overground, National Rail, DLR, Tram and Cable Car stations in Greater London in alphabetical order. Here's Day 4.

A new year dawns! On the 6th day of this year of 2018, Travelling Man did go forth and take the train to Waterloo, then a Northern line service to...

Archway (ACY)

Station opened: 22nd June 1907 (confusingly as Highgate)

Railway opened: 22nd June 1907 (by the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway)

Served by: London Underground Northern line

Zone: 2&3

Passenger entries/exits (2017): 9.28 million

Stations served:

• High Barnet (20tph)
• Kennington (10tph)
• Morden (10tph)

 Archway is located on the Northern line, on the High Barnet branch. Opened in 1907, it was originally one of the northern termini of the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway's (CCE&HR) line from Charing Cross. Upon its opening, the station was located in an area with no proper name attached to it, and so was initially named after the village half a mile up the road; Highgate. After a couple of name changes, the station was finally renamed just Archway in 1947, when the new Highgate station opened to the north (the deep-level station that is; Highgate had been in operation as a surface mainline station since 1867).

Today Archway is infamous within North London for a pretty horrible road junction involving the A1 and a much-hated gyratory system; or at least, it was. These days the Archway Gyratory is dead, replaced by a two way road system round three sides of the old junction; the fourth side has been pedestrianised and the whole thing at least looks a hell of a lot more pleasant than before. The tube station is located on the southern corner of this junction, sandwiched between a newsagents and a cafe, and overshadowed by the imposing Vantage Point tower. I'm going to be honest, the exterior of the station is nothing much to shout about, a bland grey box composed of narrow brick and what look like bitumen tiles; this is in the style of TfL's 2015 Palette apparently. The platforms however, are a much different prospect; these are original Leslie Green designs, with gorgeous deep green and cream tiling in abundance.

 

 

Descending back down to the platforms, I take a Northern line service to Kentish Town, where I change for a Thameslink service to take me south to East Croydon, changing once more onto a tram to take me to...

Arena (ARN)

Station opened: 23rd May 2000

Railway opened: 23rd May 2000 (by Tramlink, although on former trackbed of the South Eastern Railway)

Served by: Tramlink

Zone: Tram

Passenger entries/exits (2017): 0.396 million

Stations served:

• Beckenham Junction (6tph)
• Elmers End (6tph)
• Wimbledon (12tph)

Arena lies at a junction on the eastern end of the Tramlink network; straight on for Elmers End, or turn left for Beckenham Junction. The line was built over the former trackbed of the South Eastern Railway's extension of the Mid Kent Line from New Beckenham to Addiscombe, where it met the Woodside & South Croydon Joint Railway, running from Addiscombe to Selsdon. The name is one of the more literal on the network, serving the Croydon Sports Arena nearby, as well as a couple of nearby council estates. The station itself is a two platform affair, with a shelter on each and a smattering of Oyster readers. Access to the station is possible from either end of both platforms. Otherwise the station is as architecturally unremarkable as most of the stations on the Tramlink network. Clambering up the bank on the north side of the station allows one a fine view of South Norwood Country Park, with the tracks to Beckenham Junction curving to the north in the foreground and the Crystal Palace transmitter looming in the distance. I stand and watch a tram glide away to Harrington Road, then decide its time to move on.

 

 

Returning to Arena, I catch a tram back to East Croydon, where I change for a Southern service to Victoria. Descending into the Underground I take the Victoria line and head north to Finsbury Park, switching to a Piccadilly line service to arrive at...

Arnos Grove (ASG)

Station opened: 19th September 1932

Railway opened: 19th September 1932 (by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London)

Served by: London Underground Piccadilly line

Zone: 4

Passenger entries/exits (2017): 4.61 million

Stations served:

• Cockfosters (18tph)
• Heathrow Terminal 4 (6tph)
• Heathrow Terminal 5 (6tph)
• Northfields (3tph)
• Rayners Lane (3tph)
• Uxbridge (3tph)

Arnos Grove sits at the northern end of the Piccadilly line, sandwiched between Southgate and Bounds Green. Opened in September 1932 as the terminus of an extension of the Piccadilly line northwards from Finsbury Park, it remained the most northerly station for about 7 months, until the line was extended further to Oakwood in March 1933. The station name ultimately derives from the Arnolds, a Norman-era family who owned much of the land in the area, eventually including the woodland that gave the area its current designation. Arnos Park, the largest natural remnant of the Arnolds' estate, lies just to the north of the station, although the modern centre of the area is now generally considered to be centred around the western end of Bowes Road, where one will find the station.

Designed by Charles Holden (as were all the stations on the extension to Cockfosters), the station's dominant feature is the fabulous circular ticket hall. Constructed from simple brick and concrete, with high windows and a flat roof supported by a central column, the building is a consummate example of Holden's design principles and is quite frankly, superb. Set within the central column is a preserved passimeter, these days used to display information about the history of the station and its architect, rather than selling tickets. Down on the platforms the look is rather more functional, with concrete canopies and pillars interspersed by pitched glass skylights. Intriguingly the station has 3 tracks served by 4 platforms; the central platforms, 2 and 3, lie either side of a single track, which can be used as a through platform but is more usually utilised as a terminating platform, with a crossover immediately to the south allowing trains to run back towards London.

 

My next journey is a nice easy one, as I catch a Piccadilly line train 6 stops down the line, to...

Arsenal (ASL)

Station opened: 15th December 1906 (as Gillespie Road)

Railway opened: 15th December 1906 (by the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway)

Served by: London Underground Piccadilly line

Zone: 2

Passenger entries/exits (2017): 2.82 million

Stations served:

• Arnos Grove (3tph)
• Cockfosters (18tph)
• Heathrow Terminal 4 (6tph)
• Heathrow Terminal 5 (6tph)
• Northfields (3tph)
• Rayners Lane (3tph)
• Uxbridge (3tph)

Still on the northern section of the Piccadilly line, Arsenal is located between Holloway Road and Finsbury Park. It was opened with the opening of the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (thankfully they shortened that down fairly quickly), as Gillespie Road. The station is notable as the only London Underground station named directly after a football team; in 1913 Woolwich Arsenal moved north of the river and dropped the Woolwich. Pressure over the following years gradually built up (aided supposedly by legendary Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman) until, in 1932, the station name was changed to Arsenal (Highbury Hill). The suffix lasted until 1960, when it disappeared from maps and signage, and the station was left with its current-day name. Arsenal FC have of course moved since, but luckily only a couple of roads over, and Arsenal station remains the closest station to the Emirates.

The station platforms lie under the East Coast Main Line, and were designed (as was the rest of the station) by Leslie Green. His characteristic tiling lines the walls, picked out here in salmon pink, dark brown and cream; the station's former name also appears in tile form. The platforms are linked to the ticket office via a long, sloping walkway; this is split in two by metal fencing, used on matchdays to segragate flows between football crowds and other passengers. The walkway eventually brings you to the comparatively small ticket hall; when initially constructed the frontage took up the equivalent width of just two terraced houses, and even when rebuilt in the 1930s only took over the space of an extra house. 

 

I can't spend too long here; being in such close proximity to that stadium is making me feel dirty, so I head back in to the station, take the Piccadilly line down to King's Cross St. Pancras, change for the Victoria line to Victoria, change again for a Southern train to East Croydon, and finally change for a tram to...

Avenue Road (AVR)

Station opened: 10th May 2000

Railway opened: 3rd May 1858 (by the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway)
Served by: Tramlink

Zone: Tram

Passenger entries/exits (2017): 0.062 million

Stations served:

• Beckenham Junction (6tph)
• Wimbledon (6tph)

Back on the trams, Avenue Road is situated between Birkbeck and Beckenham Road on the Beckenham Junction branch of the Tramlink network. The railway was originally constructed by the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway as an extension through to Shortlands from the original southern terminus of Crystal Palace (Low Level) [now just Crystal Palace]. The National Rail line was singled in 1983, but the construction of the Tramlink network utilised the trackbed left behind to rebuild a single track line from Beckenham Junction through to Birkbeck and beyond to Harrington Road. Avenue Road is in fact the only one of the four stations on this single track section to have two physically separate platforms, with the station also acting as one of two passing loops on the section. 

Unfortunately that's pretty much all the interesting things out of the way; the station itself is the usual carbon copy Tramlink station, with low platforms and the odd splash of lime green. The setting is resolutely residential, in the heart of terraced suburbia. There is some personal history here though; one of those terraced houses just down the road was where I spent many happy weekends with one of my grandparents, and we often used to take the tram from this quiet stop just for the fun of it. For that reason alone it's one of my favourite tram stops.

 

Darkness is falling, so I decide it's time to head home. Avenue Road is an appropriate place to finish on, given that it is the last station in London beginning with A! 1 letter down, 21 to go...

Alphabetical London: Alperton - Angel Road

I'm undertaking a project to visit all 598 Underground, Overground, National Rail, DLR, Tram and Cable Car stations in Greater London in alphabetical order. Here's Day 3.

It's a cold morning on the 6th December 2017, and I'm out and on a train to Wimbledon, where I change for the District line to Earl's Court. One more change takes me to the subterranean Piccadilly line platforms, and I'm soon on the way to...

Alperton (ALP)

Station opened: 28th June 1903 (as Perivale Alperton)

Railway opened: 28th June 1903 (by the District Railway)

Served by: London Underground Piccadilly line

Zone: 4

Passenger entries/exits (2017): 3.05 million

Stations served:

• Cockfosters (6pth)
• Rayners Lane (3tph)
• Uxbridge (3tph) 

Alperton lies on the Piccadilly line, on the northbound branch from Acton Town towards Rayners Lane and Uxbridge. Originally opened by the District Railway (as the first electrified surface line on the Underground network), the station transferred to the present-day Piccadilly line in 1932. In preparation for this, the original timber framed structure was demolished, and in its place was built a Charles Holden-designed brick construction, topped with a flat roof (the design was repeated all along the Piccadilly line; some are now Grade listed). Inspired by European Modernist archictecture of the time, the design was groundbreaking, although Holden described them as merely "brick boxes with lids". The platforms have concrete canopies at the southern end, supported by concrete pillars; this does make the platforms look a bit bleak and grey, particularly on this overcast morning. Outside the station, one's eye is immediately caught by the intriguingly named Clay Oven Banqueting Suites; the building also houses a cash & carry and a gym. The railway bridge dominates to the right, just past which lies Alperton Bus Garage.

 
 

Leaving Alperton behind, I take the Piccadilly back down to Earl's Court, where I change for a District line train to Victoria. From here it's a Southern service to East Croydon, then a tram westwards to...

Ampere Way (AMP)

Station opened: 30th May 2000

Railway opened: 22nd October 1855 (by the Wimbledon & Croydon Railway, on the trackbed of the Surrey Iron Railway)

Served by: Tramlink

Zone: Tram

Passenger entries/exits (2016): 0.615 million

Stations served:

• Beckenham Junction (6tph)
• Elmers End (6tph)
• Wimbledon (12tph)

Ampere Way is situated on the Wimbledon branch of the Tramlink network. Opened in 2000 along with the rest of the tram network, the route had been part of the West Croydon to Wimbledon railway; dwindling passenger numbers saw the line closed in 1997 in preparation for conversion to the current use. The station itself is a standard Tramlink station, with two low platforms, a shelter on each and some Oyster readers.

(A slight aside here: most tram stops look pretty much the same if we're honest, so subsequent entries regarding them may well be shorter and/or refer back to previous entries!)

Ampere Way serves a range of shops in cavernous warehouse-esque settings, probably the most well-known of which is IKEA. Built on the site of the Croydon B power station, the iconic chimneys have become a notable landmark.

 
 

I decide against visiting IKEA for a meatball-based lunch, and instead catch a tram to West Croydon, where I change for an Overground train to...

Anerley (ANZ)

Station opened: 5th June 1839 (as Anerley Bridge)

Railway opened: 5th June 1839 (by the London & Croydon Railway)

Served by: London Overground and Southern

Zone: 4

Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 0.973 million

Stations served:

• Coulsdon Town (2tph)
• Highbury & Islington (4tph)
• London Bridge (2tph)
• West Croydon (4tph)

Anerley is located on what is now the East London Line of the London Overground, between New Cross Gate and West Croydon. Opened in 1839, the name is reputed to come from a local landowner on whose land the station was built; asked what landmark the station should be named for, he is said to have replied, "Mine is the annerley hoose.". The station has a layout typical of others on this section; two platforms (linked by a footbridge) on the outside of 4 tracks, the 2 middle lines being fast lines. In past times there was a grand station building on platform 1, but nowadays a small brick structure suffices, replete with ticket office and waiting room. The station has entrances on both sides; from platform 1, one will find a row of sloped terraced housing on Ridsdale Road, while the other side brings you out to the literally named Anerley Station Road. Here lies a large Wickes, and the station bus stop, under whose shelter a lone person waits for the 249 or 432.

 
 

I head back over the footbridge to platform 1 and catch an Overground service to Canada Water, where I change for a Jubilee line train to London Bridge, changing again for a Northern line service to...

Angel (AGL)

Station opened:17th November 1901

Railway opened: 17th November 1901 (by the City & South London Railway)

Served by: London Underground Northern line

Zone: 1

Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 19.2 million

Stations served:

• Edgware (9tph)
• High Barnet (9tph)
• Morden (18tph)

Angel can be found on the Bank branch of the Northern line. Opened in 1901, it was originally the northern terminus of the City and South London Railway's line from Clapham Common via London Bridge and Bank. An extension to Euston was opened in 1907, and the tunnels were enlarged in the early 1920s. In the 1990s the station was rebuilt, as its cramped central platform was unsuitable for the amount of people using the station. A new tunnel was bored for the northbound line, and the southbound platform was rebuilt to to the size of the original northbound tunnel, taking it from one of the narrowest platforms on the network to one of the widest.

As well as a wide platform, Angel is also home to the longest escalators on the London Underground network, at 60m long. They are one of two sets in the station; the distance from the rebuilt entrance to the platforms required two pairs to transport passengers from surface to train. Ascending the escalators brings me out into a low ticket hall, replete with florist. Stepping outside, I'm met with 3 stalls; Subterranean Flowers, Angel Fruit Cabin and Tout de Suite (providing the slightly strange combination of coffee and dry cleaning) cater for the steady tide of pedestrains hurrying past, although not many seem to stop. A multitude of vehicles rumble past on the main road; some may be making a very long journey, for this is the fledgling A1, stretching all the way to Edinburgh.

 
 

I leave the flowers and the A1 behind, and head back down the longest escalator to the wide southbound platform. From here I take the Northern line to Moorgate, change for a Circle line train to Liverpool Street (very lazy I know), before taking a Greater Anglia service to Tottenham Hale. Here I wait for a bus to my next station, a bus that takes so long to arrive that I'm unable to board when it does turn up due to the sheer amount of other people also wanting it. By this point I've been at Tottenham Hale for so long that the reason for catching a bus is now moot, as there's a train to where I want to go. I head back to the train station, and catch another Greater Anglia service to...

Angel Road (AGR)

Station opened: 15th September 1840 (as Edmonton)

Railway opened: 15th September 1840 (by the Northern and Eastern Railway)

Served by: Greater Anglia

Zone: 4

Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 0.034 million

Stations served:

• Bishop's Stortford (8 trains a day)
• Hertford East (3tpd)
• Liverpool Street (1tpd)
• Stratford (10tpd)

Angel Road is a railway station on the Lea Valley Lines out of Liverpool Street/Stratford, lying between Northumberland Park and Ponders End. As you may have gathered from the frequencies noted in the stations served, Angel Road is not the busiest station in the world; in fact far from it. According to the ORR's 2016/17 station usage figures, Angel Road is the least used National Rail station in London, and honestly, it's not hard to see why. One has to wonder whether the low usage begets the low frequency of service or vice versa, but nevertheless the crux of the matter is that Angel Road just isn't really near anything that would justify large amounts of people using it. The surrounding area is comprised mostly of light industry; a large Tesco is 5 minutes walk down the road, as is IKEA Tottenham (Angel Road is in fact the closest station to the IKEA; I shouldn't think many people go there instead of Northumberland Road!). For nearby residents the Overground line between Liverpool Street and Enfield/Cheshunt provides a much better service, particularly given the fact that Angel Road is only served during peak hours; there are no trains at the station between 09:52 and 16:52, and after 19:52, and no trains at all on weekends or bank holidays. Even when the station was opened it was over half a mile away from the then village of Edmonton; not exactly a convenient transport option.

The station itself is bookended by two roaring flyovers, the northerly one of which provides the sole point of access to the station, down a twisting flight of stairs and along a narrow footpath to the non-London bound platform. The platforms are linked by a footbridge, and the London-bound platform even has a shelter (surprisingly sheltering someone while I was there). Unsurprisingly there is no ticket machine, only an ancient looking PERTIS machine by the entrance, where you can also find a old CRT display providing train service info; info that may soon be obsolete. 600m down the line a new station, called Meridian Water, is opening to better serve a new housing development, and the Department for Transport has begun a consultation on closing Angel Road for good; I can't imagine an enormous amount of people will be protesting the decision.

 
 

I walk up the footpath and climb the stairs to emerge on the flyover, serenaded by the noise of traffic and the scrap metal works next door. There's no other word for it; on this dark, cold December evening Angel Road is bleak. Looking around it's hard to imagine how this lonely station could ever have been popular, serving nothing or no-one of any great note. I leave the station behind and head on down to the Tesco, from where incredibly there is a direct bus to Waterloo. Yes, of course I took it all the way there...

Alphabetical London: Albany Park - All Saints

I'm undertaking a project to visit all 598 Underground, Overground, National Rail, DLR, Tram and Cable Car stations in Greater London in alphabetical order. Here's Day 2.

It's a chilly start on the 24th November as I head out to my first destination of today's trip, via Waterloo and Waterloo East. Breakfast taken on a near-empty Southeastern class 376, I change at Hither Green for a train to...

Albany Park (AYP)

Station opened: 7th March 1935

Railway opened: 1st September 1866 (by the South Eastern Railway)

Served by: Southeastern

Zone: 5

Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 0.967 million

Stations served:

• Cannon Street (4tph, 2 via Woolwich Arsenal)
• Charing Cross (2tph)
• Gravesend (2tph)

Albany Park lies on the Dartford Loop Line, which runs from Dartford to Hither Green. It was the last station opened on the line, built at the behest of the housing development company who were constructing large estates in the then farmland for inner London families to move out to. The two platforms lie in a cutting which, with the help of the copious tree cover, helps to give the station an almost countryside feel, particularly as I have the station to myself at this moment. Albany Park is the least used of the 8 stations on the line, the only one indeed to see less than 1 million passengers pass through in 2016/17. Exiting the station brings me out at the end of a cul-de-sac, lined on either side with various retails outlets including Smarty Pants Dry Cleaners, 3 hairdressers and a carpet shop. Straight ahead is The Albany pub, which, according to their website, hosts weekly meetings of the Bexley Ukelele Club. The station building is a squat brick structure, with a low ceilinged ticket office; it almost feels like it's trying to be unobtrusive, not getting in the way. I pass back through the ticket office, and await the next London-bound service; the few minutes give me time to admire the artwork on both platforms, produced by students of Bexleyheath Academy in partnership with Southeastern.



Eventually the train to Cannon Street rolls in; I jump aboard and ride it all the way to the end, where I change for a Circle line train to...

Aldgate (ALD)

Station opened: 18th November 1876

Railway opened: 18th November 1876 (by the Metropolitan Railway)

Served by: London Underground Circle and Metropolitan lines

Zone: 1

Passenger entries/exits (2017): 8.85 million

Stations served:

• Amersham (2tph)
• Chesham (2tph)
• Uxbridge (8tph)
• 6tph in each direction on the Circle Line

 Aldgate is served by the Circle and Metropolitan Underground lines, and is the terminus of the latter. The station was one of the last to be opened on what we now know as the Circle, being a terminus at the end of an extension from Liverpool Street for 6 years before the railway was extended through to (what is now) Tower Hill in 1882. The station's 4 platforms lie under a low brick ceiling, criss-crossed by riveted metal bars and lit by jarringly modern fluorescent strips. The effect is rather claustrophobic, particularly when combined with the narrow platform width, and it's somewhat of a relief to ascend the stairs into the airier mezzanine level. Here you'll find a destination board with each platform's next train listed, and a small horticultural display underneath (which, alas, was not looking its best in late November). It's also much easier to appreciate the original train shed from this vantage point, and to look across to St Botolph Street which runs along the back of the shed. Stepping through the ticket hall, I emerge on Aldgate High Street, the lesser known prequel to the A11. Traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, rushes past Peter's Cafe and Aldgate Travel Goods (Stock Clearance ongoing), while to the west, the bulbous figure of 20 Fenchurch Street rises above the surrounding buildings. The station frontage is clad in (well, what once was) white marble faience, with lettering across the top proclaiming the station name, as well as name-checking the Metropolitan Railway in initialled form. Black Sheep Coffee occupy one of the retail units; the other lies empty behind opaque windows. Sandwiched as it is between two bland office blocks, the station feels low and cramped even on the outside, matching the platforms.



I leave Aldgate behind, and take a short walk up the road, to...

Aldgate East (ALE)

Station opened: 6th October 1884  (resited 31st October 1938)
Railway opened: 1st October 1884 (by the District Railway)

Served by: London Underground District and Hammersmith & City lines

Zone: 1

Passenger entries/exits (2017): 14.00 million

Stations served:

• Barking (9tph)
• Ealing Broadway (6tph)
• Hammersmith (6tph)
• Richmond (6tph)
• Upminster (12tph)
• Wimbledon (3tph)

 Aldgate East lies on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, the first station (or last, depending on your perspective) to be served by both. Opened in 1884, it was resited in 1938 to allow for the expansion of the triangular junction to the east. The station has a rather underwhelming street presence, having no significant surface buildings; only 4 entrances, two at the western end of the station and two at the eastern end (one on each side of Whitechapel Road, under which the platforms lie). I arrive at the northwestern (so as to speak) entrance, which is built into another office block and clad in some sort of faux brownish marble. Across the road lies the other western entrance, a standalone structure in the shadow of Aldgate Tower; architecturally it is, quite frankly, unremarkable. I head through the ticket hall and down to platform level, where I find a much brighter, airier space than at Aldgate. This is mostly due to the resiting; in order to make the new station completely subsurface, the track was lowered by around 7 feet. The platforms are tiled in light cream with blue borders at regular intervals, which helps with the light, welcoming feel of the station. Above, more riveted metalwork criss-crosses the roof above the tracks; dotted here and there are hooks, from which chains suspended the track during the aforementioned lowering (the trackbed was dug out from underneath the track, which was supported on wooden trestles until excavation was complete; the track was then lowered into place over the course of a single night).



A Hammersmith & City line train rolls in, and I board for a short hop to Moorgate, where I change to take one of my favourite train services in London; the Northern City Line. Formerly a London Underground line, ownership was transferred to British Rail in 1976, and the subterranean stations, from Moorgate to Drayton Park, all retain Network Southeast branding. Quite marvellous. From Moorgate I take a Great Northern train, alighting at...

Alexandra Palace (AAP)

Station opened: 1st May 1859 (as Wood Green)

Railway opened: 7th August 1850 (by the Great Northern Railway)

Served by: Great Northern

Zone: 3

Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 1.622 million

Stations served:

• Hertford North (1tph)
• Moorgate (6tph)
• Stevenage (1tph)
• Watton-at-Stone (1tph)
• Welwyn Garden City (3tph)

 Alexandra Palace is situated on the Great Northern Route, the southern part of the East Coast Main Line. Opened several years after the railway, the station is a junction station, with the Hertford Loop diverging from the mainline just to the north. The station has 4 platforms straddling 6 lines, 2 of which are fast lines. The platforms are surfaced with a rather nice pinkish brick, which is a stark contrast to the ugly footbridge that links all the platforms with the ticket office, and provides pedestrian access from one side of the railway to the other. I take the footbridge to said ticket office, and emerge out onto the imaginatively named Station Road. A steady stream of traffic flows past The Starting Gate pub (located at the original start point of the Alexandra Palace Racecourse, hence the name). Coming back from a newsagents on St Michael's Terrace gives me the opportunity to get a good look at the station building. Constructed out of light brick, the windows and doors are surmounted by terracotta arches, and the building is topped off with a dark slate roof. There used to be station buildings on the western side of the railway as well, but these are no longer in use.



I decide I can't really visit the station without also visiting its namesake, so I cross the footbridge and slog up the hill towards that famous broadcasting tower. I recall from a previous visit there is a cafe by the boating lake, and I have a lovely spot of lunch watching the ducks and a couple of hardy joggers. Refuelled, I climb up to the palace itself; last time I was here it was very foggy and the excellent view was rather obscured, but today the panorama southwards is crystal clear. I spend a few minutes admiring the vista, then head back down the hill. Onto a Great Northern service, changing at Highbury & Islington for an Overground service to Stratford, then a DLR down to...

All Saints (ALS)

Station opened: 31st August 1987

Railway opened: 31st August 1987 (by the Docklands Light Railway, on the trackbed of the former North London Railway)

Served by: Docklands Light Railway

Zone: 2

Passenger entries/exits (2016): 2.160 million

Stations served: 

• Canary Wharf (6tph)
• Stratford (6tph)

All Saints is located on the DLR branch between Poplar and Stratford. It was built on the site of the former North London Railway's Poplar station (not to be confused with the former London & Blackwall Railway's Poplar station; neither are to be confused with the current DLR station!). As one of the original stations on the DLR network, All Saints retains much of its 1987 character, such as the classic blue-ribbed canopies and bright red handrails. I take the stairs up to the entrance to the station; here you'll find a couple of ticket machines, and some Oyster readers, underneath a rather ugly canopy. Outside the station runs the busy A13, otherwise known as East India Dock Road. Immediately my eye is drawn to a large mural daubed on the side of a block of flats across the road, depicting a derpy yet starry-eyed chihuahua. Not quite to my taste, but impressive nonetheless. Having crossed the road to get a better look at the front of the station, I return to the southbound platform; looking up my next destination, I deem it too far to get to before darkness falls, and so end my day at All Saints.



I may not have visted very many stations today, but to be honest, this project isn't about rushing around everywhere in the shortest time possible; it's about enjoying the travel, and the exploration of nearly every corner of London. In that respect, I'm doing well so far. Until next time...

Alphabetical London: Abbey Road - Addiscombe

On 17th November, I embarked on the stupidest project I've ever thought of; to visit all 598 Greater London rail, light rail and cable car stations in alphabetical order. Great things often start small, and so it was the case here, as I began this caper with...

Abbey Road (ABR)

Station opened: 31st August 2011

Railway opened: 1846 (part of the Eastern Counties & Thames Junction Railway)

Served by: Docklands Light Railway

Zone: 2/3
Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 1.204 million

Stations served (frequency):

• Stratford International (6 trains per hour)
• Woolwich Arsenal (6 trains per hour)

Abbey Road lies on the section of DLR between Canning Town and Stratford International, originally built in 1846 by the Eastern Counties & Thames Junction Railway, and later part of the North London Line between Richmond and North Woolwich. Opened in 2011, it has a small residential catchment area to the east, and light industry to the west, with the Stratford Market Jubilee Line Depot immediately adjoining the station site. Upon exiting the station you are deposited on a bridge that gives the station its name (which itself takes its name from the former nearby Stratford Langthorne Abbey, once the 5th largest abbey in the country until Henry VIII started dissolving them). It's not the most inspiring view it has to be said, faced with construction hoardings on the other side of the road and a row of houses to the left, with a distant sighting of the gleaming rooftops of Canary Wharf over warehouses to the south. The station itself is a standard 2 platform affair, quiet late on a Friday morning. Of particular note is a poster filled with puns on Beatles songs advising confused tourists that this isn't *that* Abbey Road (that one's in St John's Wood).

 

 

Trains to Woolwich Arsenal are every 10 minutes, so I don't have to wait too long to get on with the first proper journey of the project, down to Woolwich Arsenal itself (won't be here properly for quite some time), then onto an almost empty Southeastern National Rail service to arrive at...

Abbey Wood (ABW)

Station opened: 30th July 1849

Railway opened: 30th July 1849 (part of the South Eastern Railway)

Served by: National Rail (Southeastern) (& Crossrail in 2018)

Zone: 4
Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 2.989 million

Stations served:

• Barnehurst (2tph)
• Dartford(2tph)
• Gillingham (2tph)
• London Cannon Street (6tph via Woolwich Arsenal, 2tph via Sidcup)
• London Charing Cross (2tph)

Abbey Wood lies on the section of the North Kent Line between Dartford and Charlton, built and opened in 1849. The station is currently a building site, as the southeastern terminus of Crossrail prepares for services to Reading from 2019 (fingers crossed). One section of the refurbishment that is already operational is the new ticket hall, a bright, open space with wood beams lining the roof and very new ticket machines in the corner. The area outside the station is currently covered with more building works, so there's not much to see other than blue hoardings and orange hi-viz everywhere; the station opens onto a wide road bridge, from the other side of which there's a decent view over some of residential southeast London. It also allows for a wide view of the new sweeping station roof and gives an idea of the extent of the refurb of the station. One quirk is that, in preparation for Crossrail services, management of the station has been transferred to MTR, which creates the strange situation of a station being managed by one company but having all its trains managed by another.

 

One of the "rules" for this project is not planning my journeys between stations in advance, and it's as a result of this that I end up "missing" my first train, as the Charing Cross service departs just a minute or two before I arrive back at the station from the massive Sainsbury's just down the road. So it is that I have to wait for a Southeastern service to Cannon Street instead, where I change to take the District line all the way to Gunnersbury, where I change again for an Overground train to...

Acton Central (ACC)

Station opened: 1st August 1853 (as Acton; renamed Acton Central 1st November 1925)

Railway opened: 1853 (as the North and South Western Junction Railway)

Served by: London Overground
Zone: 3

Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 1.932 million

Stations served:

• Richmond (4tph)
• Stratford (4tph)

Acton Central today lies on the stretch of Overground between Richmond and Willesden Junction, opened by the North and South Western Junction Railway in 1853 to link between the London and North Western Railway at Willesden and the London and South Western Railway at Kew (hence the name of the company). Acton Central station itself is a two-platform affair, with flower planters dotting the platforms at the southern ends and adding some colour to what is otherwise a very blandly coloured station. Some traces remain of the station's history, including ornate ironwork at the top of the platform canopy supports, but London Overground have very much stamped their orange brand everywhere. Immediately upon taking a picture a very deep voiced man comes on over the tannoy, but I can't make out whether he's telling me off or announcing next weekend's engineering works. Exiting the station brings me to the bustling Churchfield Road, with a row of shops and cafes to the west, and a level crossing immediately to the east (which surely causes quite some congestion in the evening; a steady stream of traffic passes by even in the early afternoon). The area definitely feels a lot busier than my first two locations, both in and out of the station.

 

There are a number of stations with Acton in the name; Acton Central is the first of 3 that start with Acton, and the next would be a right pain in the arse to get public transport to, so I decide to take a 10 minute walk, along residential streets filled with properties which regularly sell for over a million pounds. Goldsmith, Grafton, Messaline and Emanuel combine to bring me to...

Acton Main Line (AML)

Station opened: 1st February 1868 (as Acton; renamed Acton Main Line 1st November 1949)

Railway opened: 4th June 1838 (by the Great Western Railway)

Served by: Great Western Railway (& Crossrail from 2019)

Zone: 3

Passenger entries/exits (2016/17): 0.239 million

Stations served:

• Paddington (2tph)
• Hayes & Harlington (2tph)

Acton Main Line is the first station out of Paddington on the Great Western Main Line, opened in 1838 by the Great Western Railway. Despite its position, it actually gets a surprisingly sparse service; 2 trains an hour between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington. The station has three platforms, although at the moment only 2 are in use, and no real station building to speak of. The entrance is on a road bridge (are you spotting a theme here?), with a flight of stairs down to either platform, and ticket machines between. Outside the station is Harry's Bar Cafe, not looking particularly busy post-Friday lunchtime, and a few other shops past either end of the bridge. I finish taking pictures, and look to the information board by the top of the steps to see when my next train was; turns out I was in for a 25 minute wait. This gave me plenty of time to have a wander up platform 3 (some benches, a tiny shelter and not much else), have some lunch, realise I'd forgotten to tap in, go back to the top of the stairs, come back again, finish my lunch and watch someone on the opposite platform walk all the way to the end and back again.



Eventually the 13:51 came into view, and I boarded for the short hop to Ealing Broadway, where I changed for a District line service down to...

Acton Town (ACT)

Station opened: 1st July 1879 (as Mill Hill Park; renamed Acton Town 1st March 1910)
Railway opened: 1st July 1879 (by the District Railway)
Served by: London Underground District & Piccadilly lines
Zone: 3
Passenger entries/exits (2016): 6.27 million
Stations served:

• Upminster (6tph)
• Ealing Broadway (6tph)
• Cockfosters (~17tph)
• Rayners Lane (6tph [2tph continue to Uxbridge])
• Heathrow Terminal 4 (6tph)
• Heathrow Terminal 5 (6tph)

Acton Town, my first Underground station! The station is an important junction between the District and Piccadilly lines, and was opened by the District Railway in 1879 on an extension from Turnham Green to Ealing Broadway. There are 4 platforms, with 1 & 4 generally used by District line trains and 2 & 3 by Piccadilly line trains. Concrete features heavily in the design of the station, with the canopies and supports, and the bridge between platforms all cast in varying shades of unappealing grey. Approaching the ticket hall I pass the station book swap, or at least an empty shelf advertising a book swap. The ticket hall itself is high-ceilinged, with tall windows in the front wall, allowing some of the afternoon light through. The station is a Charles Holden design, or redesign I should say; the station was rebuilt twice, firstly in 1910, and then in 1932 in preparation for the arrival of the Piccadilly line (so maybe I should really say reredesign). Outside the station a steady stream of traffic rumbles over the bridge; on the other side one can see the Transport Museum depot to the north of the station, along with the tangle of tracks that take trains north or west to Ealing. One other feature Acton Town can boast is a toilet, something I'm very grateful for (although I do have to pay for the privilege).

Conveniences taken advantage of, I catch a Piccadilly service to South Kensington, change for a District service to Victoria, change again for a Southern service down to East Croydon then a final change onto a tram to reach...

Addington Village (ADV)

Station opened: 10th May 2000

Railway opened: 10th May 2000 (by Croydon Tramlink)

Served by: Tramlink

Zone: Tram

Passenger entries/exits (2014!): 1.35 million

Stations served:

• New Addington (8tph)
• Wimbledon (8tph)

Addington Village, also known as Addington Interchange, lies on the New Addington branch of the Tramlink system, built in the late 90s and opened in 2000. The station is a standard tram station, with two raised platforms and not a whole lot else; a couple of ticket machines, some information displays and a few bins. Outside the station the main feature is a large bus station (hence Addington Interchange), from which you can catch services to Bromley, Thornton Heath, Purley or even Caterham. The only other notable building I can see is a petrol station on the other side of the roundabout, hidden by trees; the actual Addington Village is a little way down the road.



While uploading a picture of the station to Twitter, I nearly fail to spot the tram pulling in to take me on to my next destination, leading to an embarrassing jog up the platform; I wave an apologetic hand to the driver as I board. The tram takes me to Sandilands, where I change for a tram towards Beckenham Junction to alight at...

Addiscombe (ADS)

Station opened: 23rd May 2000

Railway opened: 19th August 1885 (by the Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway)

Served by: Tramlink

Zone: Tram

Passenger entries/exits (2014): 1.18 million

Stations served: 

• Beckenham Junction (6tph)
• Elmers End (8tph)
• West Croydon (8tph)
• Wimbledon (4tph)

Addiscombe is situated on the Beckenham Junction/Elmers End branch of the Tramlink system, and was opened on the site of the old Bingham Road Halt of the Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway, a railway that the constructors of Tramlink found rather useful when it came to building the network. The station is again a standard Tramlink station (see above [I'm sorry, architecturally Tramlink stations are very boring and homogenous]), bounded at either end by a road; Bingham Road at the south and Lower Addiscombe Road at the north. The original railway crossed both of these roads by bridge, but now level crossings halt traffic every few minutes, which must be vaguely inconvenient for any drivers round here. Outside the station is the main shopping area of Addiscombe, including a cafe imaginatively named "The Tram Stop". Otherwise it's your usual mix of estate agents, charity shops, banks and fast food outlets, busy with families and schoolchildren free for the day.



My next destination is a bit of a pain to get to from here, and it's getting dark anyway, so Addiscombe ends up being my finishing point for the first day of this project. Importantly it's been fun, and interesting, so I have high hopes going forward. 7 down, 591 to go...

London LOOP: West Wickham to Coulsdon South Part 2

Part 2 of this walk finds me refreshed, resupplied and ready to go in Hamsey Green. Heading out of the village (oh look, nudging back into Surrey again), I enter the rather cumbersomely named Sanderstead to Whtyeleafe Countryside Area. The area's split between three owners, two being the adjoining councils (Croydon and Tandridge) and the third being the Whitgift Foundation, a charitable organisation founded by Archbishop John Whitgift in 1596 and today providing care for the elderly, education and advice for carers. The bridleway that cuts through the area and that I'm following has been around since at least the 1570s, when a map of the time named it Broadwaye. Passing yet another dogwalker, the path leads into a small belt of trees (wouldn't you know it, I'm back in London again), within which lies an Ordnance Survey triangulation point; surprisingly the only one that lies on the LOOP. Soon I'm heading down into the spectacularly steep valley below, via Riddlesdown Road; this used to be the main coaching route towards Lewes and Brighton. Crossing a railway line, I reach the bottom, ending up on what's now the main route through the area, the A22. Consulting my guide book, my heart sinks when I see that I am indeed going to be climbing back up the other side of the valley; a third steep ascent of the day. Over the other railway line (one goes to Oxted, the other to Caterham), then up New Barn Lane (exhausting enough in itself) and into the woods again. A flight of stairs helps somewhat, but I'm still gasping when I finally reach an open field at the top (Google Earth tells me the average gradient of this short stretch was 1 in 7!). I've reached Kenley Common, one of four commons in the area grouped together under the Coulsdon Commons banner. Owned by the City of London Corporation, I've already walked across Riddlesdown (guess where Riddlesdown Road is?), and I'll meet the other two later on. Incidentally, the name's a bit of a misnomer, as none of the spaces are registered as commons today.

Kenley Common played a crucial role in both World Wars as a fighter plane base; along with RAF Croydon and RAF Biggin Hill, RAF Kenley was instrumental in the Battle of Britain. The airfield is still in use today, owned by the Ministry of Defence and home to 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron; powered aircraft are currently prohibited from using the airfield. My walk takes me along the northern edge of Kenley Common, then curves southwestwards into an open field with a pair of redundant kissing gates at either end of the path. I take the opportunity to sneak a quick look at the airfield itself, then proceed up a sleepy lane and along a short stretch of pavement-less main road before diving back into the trees. Out into a field, then across a road into another field, past the Wattenden Arms pub (reputedly a favoured haunt of the airmen stationed at RAF Kenley). On the way out of this latest field, I pass a strange squat structure with a domed roof, and am quite surprised to find it's an observatory! Kenley Observatory is owned by the Croydon Astronomical Society,which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. Construction started in 1967, and the observatory was officially opened in 1979. Unsurprisingly the observatory was closed when I went past in broad daylight, but come visit on a Saturday evening and you can take a look through their telescope. The North Downs asserts itself again as I descend down Waterhouse Lane then immediately ascend up Rydon's Lane to reach Coulsdon Common, passing the site of a former windmill on the way.

Coulsdon Common was named for the medieval manor it lay in, but unlike most of the other commons I've passed through today it was not used for agriculture, as the soil here was of too poor quality. The land was thus given over to the grazing of sheep and cattle, creating the open landscape that enabled two windmills to be erected here in the 18th century; the later of the two survived until 1924 when it was demolished. One 18th century building that's survived is The Fox pub, which was opened in 1720 and continues to quench thirsts to this day. I pass by and continue into the third of Coulsdon's Commons, Happy Valley. This area was purchased under the Green Belt Scheme of 1937, being described as "one of the most beautiful valleys in the whole neighbourhood". One of the principal reasons for its purchase was to link Coulsdon Common with Farthing Downs; after all, a belt's not much good if it doesn't join up! Initially I'm led along a broad tree-lined path, past a series of trim trail stations (I declined to make use, I though I'd done quite enough exercise already!). This path curves northwards, and brings me out to a magnificent viewpoint over the valley. Thankfully this one's not as steep as earlier, and my descent and ascent up the other side is markedly more gentle, something I'm rather grateful for at this late stage of the walk! I press on, passing a group of ramblers going in the opposite direction; rather late to be setting out into the valley I thought. I soon enter my last wood of the day, Devil's Den Wood. The name's origin is unknown; suggestions have included a pit called Devil's Den or folk legends of devil worship in the area. The wood is quite open, and I enjoy the light of the setting sun playing through the leaves as the path slopes upwards to bring me to Farthing Downs.

Farthing Downs is an area with some serious history behind it; archaeological evidence dates some of the earliest activity to the Neolithic Era, over 6000 years ago. Eventually a patchwork of fields dominated the landscape throughout the Iron Age, from around 700 BC into the 2nd century AD. The remnants of this farming system can be seen in some of the earth banks and ditches still visible today. By Saxon times, the land had been given over to barrows and burial mounds which, given the altitude of the Downs, would have been seen from miles round. In medieval times the land was used for the grazing of sheep and cattle, and this use continued through to the 19th century. In 1883 the City of London Corporation bought the land from Edmund Byron, but the use stayed the same until the Second World War, when Farthing Downs was requisitioned for military use. Anti-glider ditches were constructed across the landscape, and the space suffered many hits from enemy bombs and fallen aircraft. Thankfully these days rather more remains of the ancient activity than wartime damage, and the walk across this magnificent stretch of grassland is a fine way to near the end of this walk. Spotting the skyscraper cluster of Central London on the horizon for the 3rd time, I pause for a few moments to drink in the beauty of the place, illuminated by the fiery light of the setting sun, before setting off on the home strait, down some rather less pretty residential streets and up an alleyway to reach Coulsdon South station. I sink onto a bench, glad to rest my weary feet (15.2 miles up and down and up and down will tire you out!), and wait for the train to whisk me back home...

(except that didn't go quite to plan because Thameslink cancelled the train I was waiting for, so I had to get a bus to Croydon before I could catch any trains!)

London LOOP: West Wickham to Coulsdon South Part 1

Monday 12th June finds me at the bottom of West Wickham Common, ready to set off on section 3 of my London LOOP walk. This one is marked to take me through Addington, Whyteleafe & Hamsey Green on the way to Coulsdon. It's not the best start to a walk I have to admit, immediately directed off down an alleyway that soon brings me out to a residential street. However, it's not long before the first greenery of the day appears, in the shape of Coney Hall Recreation Ground. It's here that I stumble across an unexpected early highlight; a small stone obelisk marking the passage of the Greenwich Meridian through the park. I pause for a moment, doing what tourists from around the world queue to photograph 7 and a half miles north, then continue past a nursery and across a road into the entrance of Wickham Court School; Wickham Court itself was the ancestral home of the Boleyn family, and was where Henry VIII proposed to Anne Boleyn, mother of Elizabeth I. My route takes me past the entrance gate and into the churchyard of St John's (who have their own blog). A tantalising view through the trees tempts me to the western edge of the churchyard, but alas, there's not much to see, and the presence of a pair of curious workmen nearby prompts my departure.

The walk takes me down a hill into a field of horses, a few of which break off from their grass-munching to eye me suspiciously as I pass by. Crossing a busy road at the bottom of the field takes me into Sparrows Den, a location that holds some treasured memories for me as the location of a pitch and putt course my late grandad took me and my brother to whenever we stayed with him. I cut diagonally across several rugby pitches (owned by Old Beccehamians R.F.C.) to reach a wood, which marks my entrance into Spring Park, a City of London owned common since 1926 (although not actually registered as a common today). The path cuts upwards then banks left, to take me along the southern edge of Cheyne Wood. An information board along the way relates the story of the superb Ancient Order of Froth Blowers, a charitable organisation that helped fund a children's heart hospital in the area. The LOOP continues through the trees for some distance, crossing stream beds and at one point, the boundary between the boroughs of Bromley and Croydon, which also marks the transition into Threehalfpenny Wood. Eventually the path leads out onto an area of open grassland, Shirley Heath, where an unexpected vista to the north reveals the skyscrapers of the City and Canary Wharf in the distance. It's not the last time I'll spot them on this walk.

The route dives back into trees, taking me through Kennel Wood past groups of homebound schoolchildren, before emerging onto Shirley Church Road. I follow this road for just over half a mile, passing Shirley Road Recreation Ground (the open nature of which reveals the Crystal Palace Transmitter in the distance), before turning left past Shirley High School and up a tarmacked path to Sandpits Road. It's at the end of this road that a limitation of the LOOP asserts itself; being effectively a linked-up collection of paths, when it comes to having to cross busy roads there's not much option other than waiting for a brief gap in the traffic and dashing across. Luckily I don't have to wait too long, and am soon on the move again, heading towards Addington Hills. Having been to the viewpoint before, I was prepared for a somewhat steep climb, but still found myself heavily out of breath after a brutally vertiginous ascent. The view makes it all worth it however, with a wide panorama stretching out before me; from Croydon in the west, round past the twin transmitters and the City, to Canary Wharf and Lewisham in the east. I rest for a few minutes, having a bite to eat, before deciding it's time to carry on.


Leaving the viewpoint, I head southwards, past a signpost that tells me I'm now 21 1/2 miles from Erith, and 25 1/4 miles from Kingston Bridge. Passing a rather ominous pentagram drawn in the earth, I'm led southwest down a dip filled with fragrant pine trees, with the path becoming darker as the trees close in on the way out. Passing Coombe Lane tram stop on the right, I follow the tram tracks for a short while, before turning off to enter another small grove of trees, which slope downwards and bring me to the manor house of Heathfield. A former farm turned Georgian manor estate, replete with ornamental gardens and stable, nowadays the house is used as an ambiguously named "training centre", while the grounds are the base for the Croydon Ecology Centre. Skirting round a pond, I head up some steps and back out to a road, then stride downhill past a man performing some classic car maintenance, before plunging into the latest area of woodland, this being Bramley Bank. The woodland is managed by the London Wildlife Trust, and apparently contains the largest woodland pond in Croydon! Another view across the fields presents itself, before I have to negotiate a tricky section overgrown with stinging nettles. Luckily I escape unscathed, and continue down through the trees.

It won't surprise you to hear that almost immediately upon emerging from Bramley Bank I'm back into another wood, this one Littleheath Woods. The woods were bought by a combination of Croydon Council, Coulsdon & Purley Council and publicly raised money to save them from housing development, and they were dedicated as a public space in 1932. The LOOP cuts into Fallen Oak Field, where a lone man on a bench watches my progress along the bottom of the field, then diverts south into Foxearth Wood. I'm joined at this point by the Vanguard Way, another long-distance route that runs from Croydon down to Newhaven in East Sussex; I'll be paralleling this walk for the next couple of miles. I get a bit confused further on and end up taking the wrong path at a junction by a water tower, emerging from the woods much too early and in completely the wrong place. Retracing my steps I manage to take the right path at the second time of asking, and proceed down an increasingly narrow tongue of woodland to Addington Road (more precisely the boundary between the wards of Selsdon and Addington). Crossing the road I'm led up a bridleway that strikes out between backs of houses towards Selsdon Wood. It's here that I encounter my second steep ascent of the day, and by the time I reach the entrance to Selsdon Wood I'm panting heavily. Foolishly I don't have much water with me, so I make do with what I have as I rest for a moment, before continuing up into the wood.

Selsdon Wood is officially Ancient Woodland, but small parts were used for farming in medieval times. In the early 20th century the land was broken up and started to be sold off. Local groups were concerned about the rate of development of the formerly rural Selsdon, and rallied together to purchase a 200-acre area, which was passed to the National Trust, and opened to the public in 1936. The LOOP is signposted up a hill that slopes northeastwards, through oaks and beech. Eventually the gradient levels out somewhat, meaning I can stop feeling like my lungs are about to fall out. The reason for all the hilliness is the North Downs, the chalk ridge that runs through Surrey and Kent and the foothills of which I'm now entering. Passing a lone dogwalker, I come to a narrow track, Baker Boy Lane. It may not look much, this path between wood and field, but the boundary between London and not-London runs parallel a couple of metres to the west; indeed by walking down this path I'm now marginally in Surrey. The field is soon replaced by Puplet Wood on my left, but it's not long before both woods are left behind, as the lane emerges close to the entrance to Farleigh Golf Club. I'm then directed down the side of Elm Farm, leaving the Vanguard Way behind, as I meander downwards through Mossy Hill Shaw. A grand house sits on the horizon to the north; later research reveals it to be the De Vere Selsdon Estate, seat of the Bishop of Rochester for much of the 19th century, but converted to a luxury hotel in 1925. Emerging in a field filled with waist-high wheat stalks (now back in London again), I soon come to a tarmacked road, which becomes increasingly residential, signalling my arrival at Hamsey Green and the end of part 1 of this walk. Part 2 takes in two valleys, an airfield and an unexpected astronomical feature...

A Ridiculous Project

Do you know how many stations are in Greater London? That's Underground, Overground, DLR, Tramlink, TfL Rail, National Rail and Cable Car stops (basically, anything on the London's Rail & Tube Services map).

A couple of weeks ago, the seeds of an idea formed in my head. Had anyone, I wondered, been mad enough to visit every station in Greater London? Probably, I reasoned; that's not particularly crazy. However, I'll bet no-one's done it... alphabetically.

So back to the original question. Turns out there's 598 of them, from Abbey Road to Worcester Park. And I'm going to visit them all. When I say visit, I mean visit; I'm actually going to get off the train/tram/cable car and leave the station, to see what's around, what sort of environment the station sits in. You never know, I may even write about it.

As you may have guessed by now, this will not be a quick project. However, I'd like to get it done by the end of next year, 2018 (which is very optimistic I know!). I'll be documenting my progress on here and on Twitter (what do you mean you didn't know I have a Twitter account?), so you can follow my gradual breakdown in excruciating detail.

I'm hesitant to put a start date as I rarely seem to be able to stick to them, but provisionally this is going to kick off on Friday 17th November. See you at Abbey Road...