Mill Hill East

 Late on a Sunday afternoon, I decided to visit the next Underground station. We had been in the middle of a heat wave last week in London with temps between 35-39 deg C. We had been given a red alert meaning danger to life for vulnerable groups. Today was cooler and cloudy by mid afternoon so I decided to travel to Mill Hill East, the next station on the Northern Line.

 

This station is the only one on this branch of the Northern Line.

This branch line was originally a proposed extension to the Northern Line to Edgware and then further into Hertfordshire. Three new stations were planned at Brockley Hill, Elstree South and Bushey Heath. The extension was announced in 1935 and construction began shortly afterwards. However with the onset of WW2, plans for a tube extension were put on hold. Post war Green Belt legislation meant that the proposed building of new commuter towns could not go ahead and as a consequence there was no reason to continue with the Northern Line extension. The Mill Hill East section had already been built and so survived. It is a small station with two platforms. As this is a terminus there was always one train waiting at the platform so I couldn't get a clear photo. I don't think I missed much though.

My first and lasting impressions of the area were the new housing estates. There was no evidence of the gas works or military establishments that used to be here just a variety of new housing.

Just passed the station was a green walkway taking you into another housing estate which looked more upmarket. 

From this point I could see the green topped Tower of the old Christ's College that I saw when I visited the previous station at Finchley Central.

I walked through and came out at a large Virgin Leisure Cena atre and Waitrose. The housing industry refers to this as the Waitrose effect. If you look at houses for sale in this area they all mention the proximity of the property to the Virgin Leisre Centre and Waitrose supermarket.

There were other smaller shops, nearby.

Walking further on I found the Dollis Brook Greenway. If I had followed it I assume It would have taken me back to the path by the large viaduct that I saw when I visited the previous station.

Despite the continued dry weather we are experiencing, there was still plenty of water in the river.

I wandered around this pleasant residential area for a bit longer  but could find no buildings of historical or architectural interest.  I have been spoiled by the last few stops which all have a variety of places to research. There are just four more stations for me to visit on the Northern Line so I am hoping to find  one or two more surprises.