Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Turnpike Lane tube station

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Location
  
Turnpike Lane

Fare zone
  
3

2013
  
10.29 million

Address
  
London, United Kingdom

Architectural style
  
Modern architecture

Architect
  
Charles Holden

Managed by
  
London Underground

2012
  
9.60 million

2014
  
10.77 million

Opened
  
19 September 1932

Number of platforms
  
2

Turnpike Lane tube station

Local authority
  
London Borough of Haringey

Similar
  
Wood Green tube station, Manor House tube station, London Underground, Arnos Grove tube station, Bounds Green tube station

Turnpike Lane is a station on the Piccadilly line of the London Underground, between Manor House and Wood Green, in Travelcard Zone 3.

Contents

It is in the London Borough of Haringey. Opened on 19 September 1932, it was the first Underground station in the Municipal Borough of Tottenham. It directly serves Turnpike Lane.

Like all stations on the Cockfosters extension, Turnpike Lane set new aesthetic standards not previously seen on the Underground. During the planning period for the extension to Cockfosters, alternate names for this station (North Harringay and Ducketts Green (Ducketts Common is located opposite)) were considered but rejected.

Architectural style

The station was designed by the architect Charles Holden and is a well-preserved example of the modernist house style of London Transport in the 1930s. It was listed at Grade II in 1994. The ticket hall is an enormous brick box, with two large ventilation towers, half-sunk into the surrounding ground. Its high walls contain segmented windows that allow natural light to shine far into the station. The effect in late afternoon light is akin to that in a cathedral transept. Two of the street entrances gave access to the tram routes to and from Alexandra Palace via tramway island exits into Turnpike Lane. These tram services were withdrawn in 1938 and replaced by buses, which continued to use the tram islands until 1968 when they were removed.

The sub-surface areas are tiled in biscuit coloured tiles lined with yellow friezes. The booking hall is 12 feet (3.7 metres) below street level. In common with Manor House and Wood Green, the station tunnels have a diameter of 23 feet (7 metres) and were designed for the greater volume of traffic expected. Bounds Green and Southgate have only 21 foot (6.4 metres) diameter platform tunnels. The construction of "suicide pits" between the rails was also innovative. These were built in connection with a system of passageways under the platforms to give access to the track.

The bus station at the back of the station complex was covered in 1968 as part of a "reshaping plan" of London bus services. The roof has since been removed as part of the rebuilding in the late 1990s.

Future

In May 2013 it was announced that the station would be on the latest proposed route for Crossrail 2. This route is on the Cheshunt branch of Crossrail 2.

The station is mentioned in the song "Junkie Doll" by Mark Knopfler on his album Sailing to Philadelphia, and also in "Los Angeles Waltz" by Razorlight on their self-titled album, Razorlight.

Connections

London Buses routes 29, 41, 67, 121, 123, 141, 144, 184, 217, 221, 230, 231, 232, 329, 444 and W4 and night routes N29 and N91 serve the station.

References

Turnpike Lane tube station Wikipedia