Turnpike Lane: The Perfect Station?

I love how the only picture of Charles Holden looks like a Renaissance painting. "UERL's stations were designed by their house architect, Leonardo da Vinci, who had first envisioned underground railways as a young man and built a working scale model out of wood during his seond Florentine period, circa 1502. He ultimately received the contract for the Jubilee Line extension to Thamesmead, but as was his habit, he never completed it."

Far too many years ago I was born about half a mile away from Turnpike Lane station, so much of my childhood was spent around the station. The booking hall was dominated by a centrally located ticket office, a vaguely oval shaped building, surrounded by those tall ticket machines which were installed all over the underground. The wide start of Turnpike Lane, between Ducketts Common and the Wellington pub, now a Costa, were two island bus stops accessed from the tube station used for passengers travelling to and from the Alexandra Park area. They were very narrow islands and would be far too dangerous for todays traffic. However they were good sites for 'penny for the guy'. If memory serves me correctly, the bus station was more like a garage, with an all encompassing roof and huge doors which were closed when the buses were not running. Great childhood memories and starting point for days with a Red Rover ticket.

A station I have much experience with. It is a nice station to use, certainly airy at platform level with the bus station being a big bonus. The one issue (linking back to its lack of accsesability) is that it can get quite crowded at the bottom of the escalators at peak time. One of my favourite parts of the station though is the benches tucked in by the wall to the right of the gate line, a great little place to wait.

When I first moved to London, I lived on Harringay Ladder; so TPL was my 'first' Tube station as it were. And I did like it.  It had a real 'London' vibe to me. Although it's funny. My London friends said that when I moved there I'd use the Tube (or Underground as they advised me non tourists called it) obsessively for a fortnight; then I'd never use it again. That wasn't quite true but as my London geography and familiarity improved I did find my self just walking (or in emergencies using the bus) pretty much all the time. I was studying at Highbury Fields and I used really enjoy just walking back home via Finsbury Park (the actual park). When I moved more central (Hoxton) I just walked pretty much everywhere. I still though enjoyed the whole London Transport aesthetic. I love all the architecture; but TFL also do seem to still have a pretty quirky arty side. I've been really impressed with even their modern projects. They really manage to combine form follows function; but also produce spectacular things to look at. Long may it continue.

I made a point of visiting this station when I was in London in 2017, as Turnpike Lane was the subject of a OO layout that was exhibited regularly at various model rail shows in and around my native Brisbane. The layout is a vertical cross section featuring a streetscape, concourse and platform with working OO tube trains passing through regularly. Sadly, the station depicted does not match up with the real station at all, but the whole effect is still worth the viewing.

I used to live in Brixton and work in Palmers Green, and I would get off the tube at Turnpike Lane mostly because it had a nice WC outside in a separate building, which as an American I found very rare in London. Then a bus ride to work. Thinking back, this was also a more airy feeling station. I was focused on the bathroom, but I might still have done this had that not been the main issue. Thanks for these videos from a former Londoner in Kansas City.

I used to catch the 41 bus every day to Turnpike Lane until 1970 when I left school. I don't use it at all now as I moved to Aus in 1972. Until 1968 it or Manor house was the tube station of choice but then the Victoria line owned so walking distance to Sevensisters. Sadly the Cockfosters extention sounded the death knell of the ex GE Branchline from palace Gates to Sevensisters. After 1932 passenger traffic dwindled away and the line took on almost a rural aire about it until final closure on 7th Jan 1963 What would Sir John Betjman have said?? All gone,,,,,ALL GONE.

A very handsome building looking a little tired. Hopefully one day, as a relatively unmodified survivor, the station will receive a sympathetic refurbishment.

Lived & grew up down the road in Tottenham. Never appreciated the beauty of Charles Holden's architecture until a few years ago. An age thing I guess. I was lucky to have Seven Sisters, Manor House & Turnpike Lane stations so near to where I lived. This station was so handy for the bus station next to it too. Fond memories & thanks as always for sharing. 👍🏻👍🏻

The Piccadilly Line is one of my favourite lines with part of the reasons being a large of majority of stations designed by the very creative architect Charles Holden. 3:48 But I would say that for me, Southgate is my favourite station designed by him because the UFO lookalike is very special and also looks very beautiful at night, hence why I visited the station last week and got great photos. I also watched your Cockfosters documentary video just 30 minutes before finding this video lol

My favourite London Underground stations are those designed by Charles Holden, not just the station buildings, but also the wall tiling at platform level.

I do like a nice uplighter. Several here to enjoy. I think I've only used the station once in my early 20s so nice to know its still more or less as I (vaguely) remember it. (it was at night, I was going to a party - cant remember if I went back the same way so the party must have been good).

This station has a special place in my memory. As a recently arrived student in London, I recall going to see a film at the ABC ( ? ). The film's title was " Some People " and on the theatre's facade, they had an enormous advert for the film. It was a waist-down shot of a youth wearing jeans and trailing a guitar behind him. Iconic! From time to time I relisten to the theme song on Youtube by Valerie Mountain, magic days!

Dammit Jago! i can't think of a better way to describe that interior than very pleasing to look at. For all of its modernity it feels warm visually and comfortably rooted in the past. Something about the tile color, the green decorations, the slightly over the top grilles all seem like call backs to different times. But what the hell do i know?!? i know i like that station! p.s. The abandoned accumulators of London, i'm in !:-) 💜🙏⚡️

Early in the morning the trains don't come that often and it can leave you tempted to go back out and try and get lucky with a 29 to Finsbury park, but yeah great station the locals are blessed to have, this is probably my most used train station ever.

I lived on Carlingford Rd as a kid, this was a huge part of my life before the next stage of my evolution!

I first visited Turnpike Lane in the early 1950’s when we visited my grandmother. In the 1960’s I used to travel through the old tram stops on either the 217 or 231 bus to/from school. Have always liked the Charles Holden designed stations at this end of the line. During the war my mother occasionally took shelter at the station but said it wasn’t something she enjoyed. Lovely video, thank you.

Another fascinating video Jago. Really enjoying the content on your channel. It's interesting that Turnpike Lane has not changed substantially. Do you ever wonder what integrated transport will look like in the future? Perhaps the trams might make a return, replacing the cars in the city under green schemes? I often think the Central line should run all the way to Ongar again and get better integration with services from Chelmsford. I am sure there are other areas which could similarity benefit.

I feel like a time traveler, having travelled back to the 1970s when I lived near Turnpike Lane and used it every day for 5 years or so before I went south to Manor house for 20 years. Back then I never thought of it as user friendly I just took it for granted but on reflection its multiple entry and exit points worked very well. As did the wide platforms. I also admired the lighting stands.

I used Turnpike Lane station many many times over the years, but sadly not now because of accessibility issues. Can't say I thought it "perfect" but it's a very convenient well-laid-out place. The only downside I can think of is that the bus station is under-used because it's a nightmare for buses to manoeuvre the traffic jams around the crossroads so everyone gets off the bus a stop before and walks the last bit because it's quicker. I remember reading something years back that all the spoil from digging the tunnels came out at Turnpike Lane and was promptly carted off to make bricks.