Disused Stations: Alexandra Palaces Station

An unusual view of Alexandra Palace station from beneath the canopy looking towards the buffers in 1951. Unusually there are coal wagons in the other platform. The up side of the island was generally used by arriving and departing trains. Note the crossover and lever frame under the bridge. This was used when non-push-pull sets were in use and the incoming locomotive had to run round its coaches.

Copyright photo from Stations UK

Looking north-east along the deserted platform at Alexandra Palace station in October 1952. There are two sidings behind the wall on the left; although the station never had goods facilities the Palace was heated by coal which was delivered to the sidings.
Photo from John Mann collection

Alexandra Palace station on 5 July 1954, the last day of public service. The station signal box can just be made out in the distance in the gap between the trees.
Photo by Alan. A. Jackson

Looking north-east along the trackbed towards the site of Alexandra Palace station in April 1961. The track was quickly lifted after closure, and the platform was removed to make way for Southern Counties Car Auctions who took over the site. There use of the site was already being planned in 1956. The unusual signal box on the approach to the station is seen. Unlike other boxes on the line the box at the terminus was built (and designed) by a contractor, not the GNR, and featured an ornate Italianate chimney in keeping with a building close to the Palace. The building next to it is a relay building for the colour light signals that would have been installed along the line if the electrification scheme had been completed as planned. The bridge over the island platform into the Palace can be seen in the distance. The large building on the trackbed between the box and the station is a British Railways research laboratory. The laboratory was converted into a gym circa 1990s.

Photo by Ron Fisher from his Flickr photostream

The Alexandra Palace street level building at the end of The Avenue in April 1968. British Railways continued to use the building after closure and the black board on the front of the buildings reads ‘British Railways Board Research Department Laboratories’. It appears to be out of use at this time and is boarded up. A new research laboratory was built on the trackbed to the south-west of the station; it opened in March 1960.
Photo by Nick Catford

The site of Alexandra Palace station looking north-east towards the buffers in July 1972. Having traded from the old station site since the 1950s the land was sold to Southern Counties Car Auctions
in the mid 1960s.
Photo by John Mann

The site of Alexandra Palace looking towards the buffers c 1980 after the departure of Southern Counties Car Auctions. The street-level building is hidden by trees.
Photo by Pendar Silwood from his Abandoned Tube Stations web site

On 10 July 1980 a fire destroyed much of Alexandra Palace including the Great Hall, Banqueting Suite, and former roller rink together with the theatre dressing rooms. Some damage to the roof can be seen, looking through the upper floor windows. The old station building escaped damage, although disuse over the previous 15 years or more had left the building in poor condition. In this view from May 1981 the building has been secured with fencing to deter vandals. The roof is now in poor condition and the canopy has been removed to avoid it collapsing.
Photo by Nick Catford

As repairs to the Palace started in 1984 a new use was found for the station building. It was renovated as a community centre by a group of volunteer local residents who dubbed themselves ‘Community Use For the Old Station’. The renovation was funded by Haringey Council and the new centre opened on 5 December 1987. This view shows the building in June 1991.
Photo by Ian Baker

Looking north-east at the site of Alexandra Palace station in July 2007. The bridge over the station site was replaced during the renovation of the Palace in the 1980s after the fire.
Photo by Nick Catford

The site of Alexandra Palace station looking south west from the buffers in July 2007
Photo by Nick Catford

Alexandra Palace station forecourt at the end of The Avenue in April 2007. Externally, apart from the missing canopy, the building is largely unaltered; internally it has been gutted and rebuilt. CUFOS is now a registered charity.
Photo by Nick Catford

Recent aerial view showing the site of Alexandra Palace station. The platform was in front of the Palace and the station building is seen to the right of the bridge over the platform site. The white building to the right of the Palace is the British Railways research laboratory (now a gym). The first railway relic is a surviving bridge opposite the junction of Grove Avenue and Duke's Avenue. It spans a footpath leading into Alexandra Park.

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Station Name: ALEXANDRA PALACE