23/270 - Stanmore

Since 1932, Stanmore has been the terminus for three different London Underground lines; the Metropolitan, Bakerloo and Jubilee lines. With 3.92m exits in 2017, Stanmore is the second least used zone 5 terminating station, with Cockfosters only receiving 1.93m exits in the same time. 

Stanmore station opened as the terminus of the Stanmore branch of the Metropolitan line in December 1932. The station building was designed by Charles W. Clarke, who spent two decades designing 25 stations on the Metropolitan line. Five of these stations are now listed buildings, including Farringdon. Clarke mastered the architectural difference between central London stations and the more rural stations on the Metropolitan line in the suburban Metro-land. At the time of opening, Stanmore was classed as a rural station, which is now hard to believe if you visit. 

In November 1939, despite plans to extend the Metropolitan line further north, an alternative to the northern heights extension,  the Stanmore branch and the stations between Wembley Park and Finchley Central were transferred to being operated by the Bakerloo line. In May 1979 the Jubilee line opened as a result of congestion in the Baker Street area due to two branches of the Bakerloo line, this subsequently led to Stanmore being the terminus of a third line. In October 2016, Stanmore started receiving Night Tube services, with six trains per hour travelling into London. 

Stanmore has spent the majority of its history with just two platforms. However, in 2005 TfL began the construction of a third platform to increase the number of services on the busy Jubilee line. Despite having just 27 stations, the Jubilee line is, in fact, the third busiest line, connecting North West London with the city, the west end, busy stations such as Waterloo and London Bridge, the financial district of Canary Wharf and Stratford. Construction work of the third platform was finally completed in 2009 but was not open for usage until 2011 due to new signalling works. 

This platform features one of London Underground's most interesting waiting rooms. This is not because it is glamours like at Barkingside, but because Stanmore simply does not need a waiting room. Because Stanmore is a terminating station, and with three platforms, there is almost always a train about to depart into London, therefore passengers will head towards a train and not need to use the waiting room. 

Overall, Stanmore is an interesting station that has been the terminating station of three different lines throughout its 86 year history. Come to Stanmore and see if you can spot somebody using the waiting room?