Colindale

 

This station opened in August 1924 on what used to be the Hampstead and Highgate Line. It is part of the Edgware branch of the Northern Line. The original station was designed by Stanley Heaps but it was severely damaged during WW2 bombing. In September 1940 it was hit by a huge bomb whilst two trains with 400 passengers between them were at the station. Thirteen people were killed with many more injured. A temporary station was erected which lasted until 1962. The station was here to serve the Hendon Aerodrome which was open from 1908 to 1968.

T. E. Lawrence (known as Lawrence of Arabia) regularly used the station when he was stationed at Hendon. He used the name 'Colin Dale' when he submitted articles to The Spectator during 1927-28. The opening of the station, as with many stations, was the beginning of development in this area.

 Recently it has been rebuilt again with the new entrance just opened in Jan 2025.

It has a large, light entrance and ticket hall.

The whole area is being regenerated with thousands of new homes being built. Since 2009 the population of Colindale has grown by 70% and station usage by 88%. The design of the entrance was inspired by the aerodrome so I thought my first visit to Colindale needed to be the RAF Museum on the site of Hendon Aerodrome.

It is about a 10 minute walk from the station to the museum which is free entry.

The history of Hendon goes back before the formation of the RAF in April 1918 with the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. In 1909 a local company, Everett and Edgcombe built an aeroplane and a shed to accommodate it at the end of Colindale Ave.  A year later a large area had been cleared and other organisations were using the airfield including a school founded by Louis Bleriot, the first person to fly an aeroplane across the English Channel.

Claude Grahame-White bought the land and it became the London Aerodrome in 1911. Air displays and races were held here. In 1912 the first Aerial Derby, an air race around London started and finished at Hendon and was watched by an estimated 500,000 spectators.

The Grahame White Aviation Company began making aircraft. During World War One, the factory was building aircraft for the Admiralty and the War office. Pilots were trained at Hendon for both the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Flying Corps. After the war air displays began again. However, Hendon was now controlled by the RAF and the Grahame White factory was closed down. In 1925, compensation was paid and ownership was passed to the RAF. In the 1930s the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York kept their aircraft at Hendon, this became the forerunner of the modern King's Flight

During WW2 a number of fighter squadrons used the airfield. Runways were built for heavier aircraft. The building of more  huts to accommodate the increase in staffing went alongside requisitioning  local houses and hotels. RAF Hendon was attacked in August 1940 which caused damage to one of the hangars and local housing. In 1944 more V1 flying bombs caused death and destruction.

On 15th September 1945 Hendon held one of the first post war displays. Over 20 aircraft took part in a flying display watched by thousands of spectators. In the mid 1950s the US Navy left as did the last of the RAF squadrons. There was still some flying at Hendon by a gliding school. In 1968 the last aircraftto to use Hendon, a Blackburn Beverley, flew in and was put on display. Most of the site was sold off for housing. In 1972 the RAF Museum was opened here by Queen Elizabeth II. Although the museum site looks large it is only a small part of the original RAF Hendon airfield. There are still some of the original buildings on site.

I had a very quick look around as I soon realise another day would be needed to come and visit it at leisure but today, I wanted to finish looking around the rest of Colindale.

Just a few photos but sorry I can't match up the photos with the correct information boards!

Colindale tube station is the closest station to Hendon Police College. It was opened in May 1934 in the former  buildings in Hendon Country club, Hendon aerodrome clubhouse. It became the primary training school for London Police. When the RAF left Hendon in the 1960s, the Metropolitan Police decided to rebuild the college and rename it The Peel Centre after Robert Peel, twice prime minister and creator of the Metropolitan Police. It had forensic science laboratories, detective training facilities and a police driving school. The formal training of recruits ended in September 2007, though the site is still a main police hub. 

Walking back from the Police college I passed this interesting sculptural frieze on the front of a semi drelict building I but could find no information about it.

There are many new developments which have been built on land once owned by the airfield.

This is the Silk Stream which runs through Colindale and WEst Hendon where it joins the Brent reservoir. The stream is approx 2 miles long. It looks quite pleasant from this photo but from other views the banks are strewn with rubbish.

Close by is the newly built Jain centre. This will be a major place of worship for the Jain community.

The UK Health Security centre is also on this road. This is the main centre for the protection of the public's health by preparing for and responding to infectious diseases and environmental hazards.

Although Colindale has a retail Park I didn't find a central shopping area. I was amazed by the number of new housing developments which had their own few shops and cafes. It seems a popular place to live with a direct underground line into London and what more could you want than a 24hr McDonalds!