24/270 - Chalk Farm

With lift shafts of just 21ft, Chalk Farm has the shallowest lift shafts on the entire London Underground network. Chalk Farm is the fifth busiest station on the Northern line branch to Edgware with 5.89 million passengers in 2017. Belsize Park, Colindale, Golders Green and Hendon Central all received more passengers in 2017. Chalk Farm is well worth a visit, as it is a much quieter station to visit nearby Camden Market, and its station building is a Leslie Green classic.

The Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway opened Chalk Farm in June 1907 on their service between Golders Green and Charing Cross. The service was extended to Edgware in the north in 1924, and to Kennington in the south in 1926. In 1924, the City and South London Railway extended to Camden Town, and by 1926 the City and South London Railway and the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway merged and services from Chalk Farm went as south as Morden via. the Bank branch.

Chalk Farm's building is a fantastic example of Leslie Green architecture, famous for the terracotta red. Chalk Farm station is situated on an intersection of Chalk Farm Road, Haverstock Hill and Adelaide Road, and as a result, the station building is a unique wedge-shaped. Due to this, Chalk Farm is the longest designed station building by Leslie Green. Due to this intersection where the station building is located, the name Adelaide Road was once considered. 

Chalk Farm is a quieter station to exit at if you are visiting Camden Road market. Camden Town station, where tourists often use to visit the market and London Zoo is perhaps one of the most congested and awkward stations on the network to use. Chalk Farm is also located near Primrose Hill, which offers fantastic panoramic views of London. 

I could not write a blog post about Chalk Farm without discussing the Roundhouse. Camden is famous for its nightlife, and one of Camden's key attraction for evening entertainment is a former railway turntable, the Roundhouse. The London and North Western Railway built the circular building with an enclosed turntable in 1847. However, it was only used for this purpose for little over a decade. The building reopened in 1964 as a performing arts venue. 

Chalk Farm is well worth a visit for the lovely Leslie Green designed building, and a more pleasant visit to Camden Market. Also, if you have not been to Primrose Hill, I highly recommend a visit, you will not be disappointed.