Harrow-on-the-Hill station

Harrow-on-the-Hill is a London Underground station served by the Metropolitan line and National Rail services, in Travelcard Zone 5. The station's two exits are located between College Road and Lowlands Road in the town centre of Harrow, about half a mile north of the locality from which it takes its name.

Harrow-on-the-Hill
North entrance, opposite shopping centre
Harrow-on-the-Hill
Location of Harrow-on-the-Hill in Greater London
LocationHarrow
Local authorityLondon Borough of Harrow
Managed byLondon Underground
Station codeHOH
Number of platforms6
Fare zone5
London Underground annual entry and exit
2014 9.87 million[1]
2015 10.26 million[1]
2016 10.67 million[1]
2017 10.96 million[1]
2018 10.33 million[2]
National Rail annual entry and exit
2014–15 1.926 million[3]
2015–16 2.395 million[3]
2016–17 2.463 million[3]
2017–18 2.518 million[3]
2018–19 2.635 million[3]
Key dates
2 August 1880Opened as "Harrow"
1 June 1894Renamed "Harrow-on-the-Hill"
3 April 1967Goods yard closed
Other information
External links
WGS8451.5794°N 0.337°W / 51.5794; -0.337
London transport portal

Railway geography

The station is a major junction with numerous crossovers north and south of station enabling flexibility when routing trains.[4]

South of the station there are four LU tracks paired by direction as "Fast" and "Local" lines to/from Baker Street and two "Main line" tracks to/from Marylebone.[4]

North of the station, the Uxbridge branch diverges from the other routes by means of a borrowing junction. Above this, Harrow North Junction separates the "Local line" towards North Harrow and the "Main line" towards Moor Park.[4]

London Underground

London Underground services at Harrow-on-the-Hill are provided by the Metropolitan line. The adjacent Underground stations are Northwick Park (all stations southbound), Moor Park (fast northbound), North Harrow (all stations northbound) and West Harrow (towards Uxbridge) The Metropolitan line is unique in operating an express service. "Fast" and "Semi-fast" services (now mostly reserved for peak times) do not stop between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Finchley Road. The "Fast" lines at stations between Moor Park, Harrow and Wembley Park have no platforms.[4]

Southbound services go to either Baker Street (4tph) or continue beyond to the line's terminus at Aldgate (12tph). Off-peak trains from Amersham (2tph), Chesham (2tph) and Uxbridge (8tph) generally terminate at Aldgate, with a 4tph service from Watford to Baker Street, however during peak hours trains from all branches go to/from all destinations.[5]

History

The station was opened as "Harrow" on 2 August 1880, when the Metropolitan Railway was extended from its previous terminus at Willesden Green. Its name was changed to "Harrow-on-the-Hill" on 1 June 1894. Like some other Underground stations, the name is an example of marketing rather than precision; in this case the town "proper" of the same name is at the top of Harrow Hill, while the station is located at the foot of the hill to the north, which was at the time of opening was a small hamlet called Greenhill and has since become the main town proper of Harrow.

Had the governors of Harrow School not made objections during the planning stage, it is possible that the Metropolitan Railway might have followed a different route taking it closer to the town centre on the hill. The station is at the heart of Metro-land.

National Rail

The National Rail service at Harrow-on-the-Hill is provided by Chiltern Railways. Services operate between Marylebone station and Aylesbury using the separate Network Rail tracks from London to Harrow and sharing London Underground tracks between Harrow and Amersham. Chiltern Railways started operating in 1996 after the privatisation of British Rail and typically provide two trains per hour between Aylesbury and London via Harrow.

History

This service began as the Great Central Railway (GCR) on 15 March 1899. The GCR ran on the former Great Central Main Line, an intercity trunk route and provided services from Harrow to destinations such as Rugby, Leicester, Nottingham and Manchester. The passenger service north of Aylesbury ceased in 1966 due to the Beeching Axe. There was a goods yard, which closed on 3 April 1967.[6]

Station layout

The station building is above ground with the six platforms in a cutting. Two (on the South side) are predominantly used by NR services and the other four by the Metropolitan line; the NR platforms are electrified with the LU system (normal services are operated by diesel trains) and incoming LU trains on some routes can be diverted into them should this be necessary during closures of tracks in the area.

The station has two entrances, one on Station Approach (leading to Lowlands Road and Harrow Hill) and one on College Road (for the adjacent Harrow Bus Station and the main shopping area).

During opening hours the Station is popular as a shortcut, removing the longer walk via the bridge at Station Road, as it is possible to walk through the ticket office area without passing through the ticket gates.

The present main station building replaced older structures at the London end of the platforms (thus leaving Station Road with no station); it consists of a main circulating area built across all tracks with stairs down to all platforms and both street entrances thus requiring a number of steps to be negotiated by all users.

A pedestrian tunnel connected all the platforms to the adjacent and now closed Post Office sorting office, whose site is now subject to a major redevelopment.

A new office block called Avanta House was built in the 1980s or early 1990s on top of the station's College Road entrance.[7]

Step-free access

Harrow-on-the-Hill is due to gain step free access via College Road as part of the tranche of stations due for completion in 2020.[8]

Bus Station

There is a bus station located next to the station offering London Buses services right across North London.

References
  1. "Multi-year station entry-and-exit figures (2007-2017)" (XLSX). London Underground station passenger usage data. Transport for London. January 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  2. "Station Usage Data" (CSV). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2018. Transport for London. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  3. "Station usage estimates". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
  4. "CULG - Metropolitan Line". www.davros.org. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  5. "CULG - Metropolitan Line". www.davros.org. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  6. Hardy, Brian, ed. (March 2011). "How it used to be - freight on The Underground 50 years ago". Underground News. London Underground Railway Society (591): 175–183. ISSN 0306-8617.
  7. Character Assessment of Harrow's Residential Areas (Report). 2011. p. 76. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  8. Matters, Transport for London | Every Journey. "Step-free access". Transport for London. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  • Alternative, southern entrance
  • Northbound Chiltern Railways Platform 1 looking south. Note start of fourth rail.
  • Southbound Chiltern Railways Platform 2 looking north. Note end of fourth rail on the platform's southern end.
  • Northbound Metropolitan line Platform 3 looking north. Chiltern railways platforms are on the left.
  • Northbound Metropolitan line Platform 4 looking south
  • Southbound Metropolitan line Platform 5 looking north
  • Southbound Metropolitan line Platform 6 looking south
  • Station platform Roundel
Preceding station   London Underground   Following station
Fast (evening peak hours only)
towards Amersham or Chesham
Metropolitan line
Fast/Semi-fast (special events only)
towards Baker Street or Aldgate
All stations
towards Amersham, Chesham or Watford
All stations
towards Baker Street or Aldgate
towards Uxbridge
Fast/Semi-fast (peak hours only)
towards Baker Street or Aldgate
National Rail
Rickmansworth   Chiltern Railways
London to Aylesbury Line		   London Marylebone
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