A personal note – I’m a little familiar with Mill Hill East station as when I first moved to London over 30 years ago when I started work in Wood Green, I was in lodgings for several months some 10 minutes from this station in Devonshire Road. However my recollection of those days is somewhat vague other than the wintry walks through the suburban tree lined roads to and from the station.
I hadn’t realised either that Mill Hill East is at the end of a single track shuttle service line to/from Finchley Central with only weekday peak time through trains into London. And consequently, I proclaim Finchley Central to be a hidden ‘end of the line’ destination which I’ve now added to my list.
Described by one commentator as ‘…one of the most basic stations on the underground network, remaining largely in its original form…’ and it is the least used station on the Northern Line. However the station has a very interesting history and this amusing video helps bring that to life.
Immediately in front of you as you leave the station is an area once occupied by these barracks; the former home of the Middlesex Regiment. Over the years the barracks became the home of the British Forces Post Office (BFPO) mail sorting and distribution centre which was bombed by the Provisional IRA in 1988, and the site was later abandoned as the mail services moved elsewhere in 2007 and the land sold for development in 2012.
Of course none of this is recognisable as the area as far as the eye can see is now a massive housing development known as Millbrook Park. Readers, you’ll know I’m not a huge fan of large housing developments as despite their attempts to look fashionable and attractive and provide local amenities, walking around as I did, I see there’s a monotonous similarity in the building style which lacks character and appears soulless.
Now I accept there’s a need for social housing across London, and this is an attempt to contribute to that. I have no doubt too that the planning application will have made some play of the fact that the Park is so close to the station and that the expected population growth’s travel needs will be catered by an increase usage of the station.
However I suspect only time will tell on whether the vision of improved conditions will be realised bringing about a community feel to the area and engender a change in social behaviour.
Social Behaviour
Attempting such a paradigm shift in social behaviour is to be applauded, but will be somewhat hard to encourage when adjacent housing provides examples of what doesn’t work now.
The challenge is made even harder by the single most impacting event, in my humble opinion, that’s changed today’s front door landscape: that of the multi-colour wheelie bin local authorities have introduced as a way of ‘helping’ householders deal with recycling. A good example of meaning well, but not quite getting it right.
Picture of the Day
Mill Hill has proven difficult to select today’s picture as I’ve taken so few today.Nonetheless, I’ve chosen this one to serve as a reminder of my first lodgings in Devonshire Road. And because it’s a windy spring day, no sooner has the Cherry Blossom burst into an abundant display of pink, it’s quickly blown away.
The pavement covered pink palate is forever changing as the wind swirls the petals on the ground.
This picture is taken from ground level and captures the yellow dandelions in the foreground to help with the colour contrast. Timing is crucial too and this one captures a travelling car just right as it appears between the tree line. I would like to have had more time to play with the aperture setting to extend the depth of field, but the changing conditions made this challenging.
Settings: Camera – Canon EOS 200D; Aperture – ƒ/5.6; Shutter Speed – 1/200; Focal Length – 36mm; Film Speed – ISO100; Google Photo Filter – Reel
Social Media
YouTube, Instagram, Google Photos, Triptipedia – here I share some tips I use when travelling around London. A different twist on my ‘end of the line’ story
The End Of The Line 