Blackhorse Road Tube Station: The Mane Line

[@jtsholtod.79]

Cup of tea and Jago. It's a good morning.

[@ESquirez]

Agreed 👍🏿

[@informationwarlord]

I call your cup of tea, and raise you a coffee 😂 Cheers!

[@PhilMakesThings]

Beer and peanuts here.

[@DeathInTheSnow]

Well I saddled up in anticipation of another cracking video and you didn't disappoint. Nay, you cantered through comfortably. I was worried you'd be blinkered by such a grey topic, but you made it the mane event. We all experience unbridled joy with your videos, so I hope you keep trotting them out for years to come!

[@larrydart7124]

You worked hard on that one. Well done!

[@gatorbackradial]

You corralled that topic quite nicely, well done!

[@gsmith1019]

A good tail, right up to the finish.

[@stephengreenwald5271]

Wot a bunch of neigh sayers.

[@bernardsmith1329]

Best we all go to the Bay Horse for pint then...

[@23Daves]

This was the station I commuted from for two years. It was never the most exciting journey. During the period I lived there, Blackhorse Road itself was also dingy and often got a bit rough late at night - a gang tried to rob me there once but I was quick on my feet, dodged them grabbing me and got the hell out of there at speed (a stupid move in retrospect - standing still and giving them the little money I had on me would have been the safest bet. They really weren't best pleased!) Well done for educating me a bit more on its history. I still don't miss it much, mind you!

[@colday74]

Seems you were in a whimsical frame of mind with this opening Jago. Did make me smile.

[@danielferris7960]

I remember travelling on the Goblin in the 1980s - a rackety first generation DMU clattering along past semaphore signals, like a forgotten rural branch line that escaped Dr Beeching by hiding in a grimy urban landscape and keeping its head down.

[@anthonydefreitas6006]

I can remember using it 1988/89 . Just as you say dirty & unreliable.

[@MrSmith1984]

In my own personal experience, it seemed like a rail line that everyone else in London (including the areas they served) had forgotten about. Fortunately, that is no longer the case, so much so that a 8tph frequency is very much needed these days.

[@peterjansen7929]

That was exactly my own impression at the same time. In addition it seemed to me (and still does) that almost every station is in the wrong place, providing poor connections to other services.

[@MrSmith1984]

@@peterjansen7929 The latter is probably because like many Rail Lines built in that particular era. There was zero coordination between the various rail companies at the time, hence the common occurrence of multiple stations being built in the same location.

[@peterjansen7929]

@@MrSmith1984 True! That is usually the case, but on a more successful line at least some stations might have been resited by that time.

[@davidkellett5958]

Lived only about a mile from this station as a kid. I remember me and my friends standing outside one day when the mural was being created on the wall outside one tiny tile at a time. It was fascinating watching the artwork come together. Ah happy days😊

[@PeterJohnson-q8s]

I remember the old station before the Victoria line was built. We lived in the area in the 1960's. You entered the station ticket office on the road bridge, then descended to platform level by an enclosed wooden slope. This was always dimly lit. A few hundred yards east of the station was my school playground, where I watched grimey, 1st generation DMU's ply their trade. Opposite the playground was the bracket semaphore signal that controlled the goods siding. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@PopeLando]

It's well known, I think, that the only station on the Victoria Line that has no connections to any other line is Pimlico. But in the first couple of years Blackhorse Road was not given the BR symbol, making it appear to be a second unconnected station. Interesting to learn that there was always a station there!

[@ianmcclavin]

The platforms on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line were originally some distance away from the proposed site of the new Victoria Line entrance, and were resited closer, hence no interchange initially being shown.

[@gregkiteos1936]

Didn't the stretch of line from Victoria to Brixton open a few years later?

[@davida9359]

Can'tbelieve they expected interchange .... what for? Walthamstow to Harringay? The Chingford and Central lines took most of the traffic.

[@ianmcclavin]

@@gregkiteos1936 The line opened in stages, Walthamstow to Highbury & Islington in September 1968,, to Warren Street in December 1968, to Victoria in March 1969 and to Brixton (excluding Pimlico) in July 1971. Pimlico Station opened in September 1972, there have been no further extensions since then; the suggestion of a continuation to Herne Hill has been frequently mooted.

[@thomasm1964]

That was a thoroughly enjoyable canter through the often confusing and complex history of the Underground. I did wonder, though, whether you have been overdoing it a little recently: you sounded somewhat hoarse to me.

[@fts_bha]

Pun intended?

[@timhubbard8895]

As a youngster I certainly remember me and my mother changing trains at Blackhorse Road from the Victoria Line to British Rail. I also remember having to leave the underground station and turn right to the British Rail station on the top of the Bridge. The BR station then was lit by gas lamps! Strange thing is why we did that? We lived, (and I still do) near Upper Holloway Station? Perhaps there was engineering work on the line? I think there were a few land slides in the lineside cuttings at the Upper Holloway end?

[@johnhall6993]

Thank you, Jago for another entertaining and informative Underground and Overground story. Walthamstow was my home town up until the early 80s, when I moved up the M11 a few junctions. Across the road from the station was the site of the beginnings of the Associated Equipment Company (AEC) in 1905, which brought together the manufacturing of London buses and continued right up to the (original) Routemaster. I'd be really interested if you made a video about that. Later, in my childhood, the site became the Ever Ready battery factory. Some of the land later became a very useful large station car park, which was very short-sightedly closed: one of the reasons, I think, that the station is least-used on the Vic line. Having not used the Goblin line station for many years, I once parked in the station car park, walked across the road and stood on the kerb looking confusedly across to where the old station had been, wondering what had happened to it. I had no idea that it had been moved a few yards to improve the interchange. My son, who was with me, thought that early senility had set in.

[@highpath4776]

Thanks I wondered where AEC's Walthamstow Factory was (thought it was down Coppermill Lane) . Lots of industry used to be off the Lea Bridge Road at that part

[@johnhall6993]

@@highpath4776 Yes. A lot of the heavy industry factories there and up the Lea Valley turned to making munitions during WW2 and were heavily pasted by the Luftwaffe for that reason.

[@zetectic7968]

Blackhorse Road was always on the periphery for me as I knew nobody there or had a reason to visit. So it was passing through on the Victoria line to central London or a fleeting glimpse of the Station mural out of a car window heading for the bright lights of the city. Likewise with the railway just a conversation with more adventurous school friends venturing farther than Walthamstow Hoe St.

[@highpath4776]

I think I like the "low level" look of the station building, it makes it nestle in the urban landscape , standing out without being outstanding and more of a station statement than many overground stations (which look like holes in the wall)

[@brettpalfrey4665]

"Nothing distinctive about a shabby station"..that just about sums up any station in Britain, c.1965! Some childhood memories run deep, Jago! But nice and informative as usual!

[@roberthuron9160]

If this line was in BOSTON[US],the stations would be Blackhorse Road- Upper,and Blackhorse Road- Lower! Anyway,its definitely one for the Polo crowd,as it gives out a horsey set for the sporting types! Thank you,Jago,as another foray into the suburbs of London has bagged the mane line of the North East!! And getting to Tilbury,was an added bonus!! Thank you 😇 😊!

[@atraindriver]

On British railways X Upper and X Lower are a distinct and specific usage: stations on two different but nearby lines serving the same location. The best known (and possibly only surviving) example is probably Tyndrum on the West Highland Line in Scotland, where Tyndrum Upper and Tyndrum Lower stations are less than a mile apart on either side of the village. Nobody would even use them as an interchange between lines, mind, instead staying on the train to the next stop Crianlarich where the two branch lines meet. Edit: Apparently Tyndrum Upper has been renamed Upper Tyndrum to avoid any possible confusion between the two. Another bit of British railway individuality bites the dust... :(

[@seanbonella]

Sundays with Jago, always good

[@keithwesley2471]

According to the poster above the escalators, the Victoria LIne is being extended to Brixton! Looking forward to that!

[@bugsby4663]

I ran that station for a while as a Supervisor and it was one of the few stations on the group (in those days Highbury-Walthanstow exc Finsbury) that I really enjoyed working at.

[@amethyst7084]

I have memories of the original Blackhorse Road station being in existence until the early 1980s. It always fascinated me how you had the surface line railway on one side of the road, and then the Victoria Line station was on the other side. The black horse platform tile motifs do look like Trojan horses from Greek mythology, don't they? Great video, Jago - especially the photos of what the old surface Blackhorse Road station used to look like. 🚇 👏🏾

[@DJTrainBrain]

"The MANE Line" You didn't. You bloody didn't. XD

[@richardvoran5514]

He did 😄.

[@thomasm1964]

He did. He bloody did!

[@roderickjoyce6716]

He has no shame. No pun too dreadful.

[@thomasm1964]

@@roderickjoyce6716 We should lock him up and throw away the key for our own protection! A man who is capable of such linguistic wickedness is not safe to walk the streets!

[@GrahamMacdonald-w9o]

Having enjoyed this video and various others by Jago in the past, it has only just occurred to me, as someone who lives in the Midlands and may take a train journey as often as once a year(!), how much of the area of London is taken up with all the different railway lines, albeit there is a fair mileage under the surface in inner London.

[@birdbrain4445]

I love that black horse art on the outside of the station; the Victoria line for as much of a budget line as it was, can claim that as far as its aesthetics go! Great video!

[@Sim0nTrains]

The start of the video was just brilliant. Very enjoyable video Jago

[@john1703]

Jago is expanding into film (cheval) noir.

[@johnmurray8428]

1958 all stations from Crouch Hill to Barking, then semi-fast to Southend Central. If I had the choice of a last journey it would be that in the 2nd compartment of ex LMS passenger stock, behind an exLMS Fowler 4F tank. I guess the next UK visit I will settle for a trip on the GOBLIN and get out at many stations and give quiet thanks to Jago.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Quote of the Day: “There was nothing distinctive about a shabby station.”

[@GiselleBel]

I particularly liked: "If the tube made sense I wouldn't have much to talk about, would I", perfect Jago. Really enjoyed this video.

[@lightingkeys]

I'd love to see a jago/Geoff Collaboration I'd think you'd make a awesome video together as you both have such great content from different Perspectives but from the same love of topic❤

[@-Osiris-]

It'd be hard considering Jago doesn't show his face (or any part of his body)

[@edwardburek1717]

Jago and Geoff have appeared on a video together, under the direction of Jay Foreman. It's absolutely fantastic.

[@lightingkeys]

@@edwardburek1717 which video is this I've not seen this

[@hb1338]

@@-Osiris- Well if Ray Teller can get away without ever saying anything, surely Jago can be placed just off camera.

[@silverutopia]

@@lightingkeys kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYWvdJmiZZatq6c

[@WRYouTube326]

Always a pleasure watching. Thank you sir.

[@highpath4776]

The Currant Station - seems like a cafe that serves Chelsea Buns would be appropriate

[@isashax]

When I see your videos I feel like visiting all these stations!

[@MikeEwer]

It's worth a visit! The Blackhorse Beer Mile is just around the corner, as is the vintage appliance shop featured on Yesterday's new Retro Electro Workshop. You're a short bus ride away from the William Morris Gallery and the magnificent Walthamstow Town Hall. Plus of course lots more to see over at Walthamstow Central including The Ancient House and the street market.

[@isashax]

@@MikeEwer my problem is that I don't live in London, but I go more or less often (for living abroad)

[@thatmarchingarrow]

@@isashax it might be worth a visit next time you're in London then. God's Own Junkyard is also not too far away, and it's something I'd recommend.

[@isashax]

@@thatmarchingarrow thanks!

[@e17simon]

Don’t forget to visit Yasar’s Kebab Shop opposite Blackhorse Road Station, it’s highly recommended

[@MichaelCampin]

We used to call it the Kentish Town line as it in the past went to Kentish Town before being truncated to Gospel Oak

[@PokhrajRoy.]

6:39 Haha thanks for clearing that up!

[@RichardFelstead1949]

Nothing like a bit of horsing around, Jago.I noticed on the very last shot , the signal did not go to red after the train had completely passed. As always , a great video.Greetings from Australia.

[@martyonline1957]

I remember Woodside Park, it's the station hidden away in a residential area on the way to Whetstone, I used to drive past the road it's on, on the way to the Barnet planning office in Whetstone, those were the days before WFH 3 and a bit years now, your videos have kept me going

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

I grew up with the Barking to Kentish Town line, its diversion to Gospel Oak happening in 1981. Of ciure, originally the service was East Ham (from the now unused bay road) to St Pancras, curving round Shakespear Crescent to join the Barking line at Browning Road bridge........ My, how its fortunes have changed!

[@nigelcole1936]

Good to see yet another great video from your stable Jago, I see you are still horsing around with those puns, what they hay, keep up the good work - thanks.

[@Flange-lw9sp]

I have fond memories of taking the Goblin from the Old Blackhorse Road station in the early 80s with my mum to travel to Barking as part of our journey to see my Nan who lived in Dagenham. Also remember looking at the front of the incoming tube train at Barking. If red, it was no good as it was the Metropolitan line which terminated at Barking. Ir Green, all good as it was the District line. All you had to do then was ensure you didn’t get on the smoking carriage. Mum and Nan both sadly long gone, but still have those fond memories.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

Of course, at one time, this was on the LT&S Shoeburyness to St Pancras line that was subsequently cut back to Kentish Town, then diverted to Gospel Oak. There even used to be a boat train St Pancras to Tilbury when big liners used to call at Tilbury.

[@davida9359]

When the LTS was electrified that made emu.s with extra van space for the boat trains ... then to Fenchurch St ... or maybe Liverpool St on diversion.

[@davida9359]

Didn't impress LTS commuters who had to stand in the van.....

[@barrywood2806]

Back in the days when the Goblin was the railway from hell I missed a train out of Leyton Midland Road by seconds, and the next two of the half-hourly service were cancelled - in rush hour too! I just stayed on the platform slowly losing the will to live. You don't forget something like that, and 50 years later I still haven't.

[@hb1338]

You clearly haven't suffered enough grief in your life. That can be fixed !

[@barrywood2806]

@@hb1338 What is the point of your post?

[@MisterTea74]

Love the Snatch style montage at the start. Cheers

[@peterdawson2645]

My mate Graham has been very active in the Gospel Oak to Barking User Group for many years, so It's always nice to see it featured. I often wish I'd seen it back in the day to appreciate the efforts put in by campaigners better - but it must have had a certain charm.

[@lewistrahar1958]

This brings back memories, I used to live on the ground floor of the flats opposite (directly above) The Vic. Eventually I could tell the difference between N/S bound trains so I could finish my cup of tea as I heard an arrival and leave my flat, cross the road and down the escalator to arrive at the platform in perfect unison with the next Sbound train! Always got a seat too!

[@stashedawayman1521]

I changed from the Victoria Line to the Overground there recently on the way to Leytonstone High Road. I expected the Overground station to be at some distance, so exited the station and turned right over the bridge, then peered down at the tracks below. Returning to the station, I still found it difficult to locate the narrow passage down to the Overground platform.

[@nirgunapa56]

Loved the beginning and the ending - very funny. Come to think of it, I loved all the bits inbetween too...

[@PlanetoftheDeaf]

Ugly building, nice horses. Slightly surprising that in the 1980s they would go to the expense of relocating the Goblin platforms, seeing that it was a quiet station on a run down, infrequent line.

[@prismaticmarcus]

was the station designed to have an overstation development built over it? i'm thinking that that might be the reason for the design. i'm also thinking that might (would definitely) make for an interesting (series of) vid(s) i.e. stations that were designed to have things built over them and how well (or not) that worked out for them. thanks. you're the brackets to my afterthoughts.

[@atraindriver]

That sort of "style" was the in thing during the 1960s for some reason. Nothing to do with potential air rights or making money, just cheap(ish), shoddy, almost identikit builds. :(

[@highpath4776]

"At The Sign Of The Black Horse" - you will be de-banked

[@hughs591]

Interesting and enjoyable and I particularly liked the introduction with its, high speed, SE to NE sequence . . .

[@PokhrajRoy.]

The title and the Intro was everything 😂

[@NubianPrince85]

Blackhorse Road ....E17 .....what what come through my hometown line Overground come thru! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@bexhillbob]

I used to live in the flats opposite the station (Latchingdon Court). You could occasionally feel the trains travelling under your feet.

[@adrianrutterford762]

Thank 😊you Mr H. Interesting as ever.

[@ianthomson9363]

I like to think that there's a cherry tree not far from the station. Woohoo!

[@BernardLS]

This week's classic Jago 'if the tube made sense' LMAO!

[@ajgelado]

Ah! The London Underground and all its confusing station names! How lovely! At least this one hasn't been changed several times through its history...

[@GeorgeChoy]

Geoff Marshall, Jago and walker John Rogers on a coracle in this sequence on the same day. Heaven.

[@rupep2424]

Ah, if only they'd built the Lloyds building there...

[@iankemp1131]

A useful station as it is the most convenient tube interchange on to the Goblin, with the out-of-station interchanges involving significant walks. The signs were confusing but it was not as schizophrenic as the station shown for 44 years as Aldersgate on tube maps and A to Zs when it was officially Aldersgate and Barbican, and some (but not all) station signs showed the latter. I, and a fair number of others, never knew its "official" name existed. There may not have been enough space to fit it in on Harry Beck's tube map! LT sorted things out in 1968 by renaming it to Barbican (recently covered by Jago).

[@mbrady2329]

Blackhorse Road is also roughly halfway along the GOBLin, which makes it particularly useful for people travelling from all directions.

[@lordofhousestewart1821]

My local stop, thanks Jago

[@barnabass4383]

Genuinely this is the only channel I click the like button for every single video I watch 👍🏼

[@JagoHazzard]

Thank you for doing that!

[@wigwayj]

This is probs my fav video by Jago. Cheers buddy!

[@jgodfrey546]

Interesting indeed! There's Jago horsing about at Black Horseroad (2 words)

[@tsungiraichiramba]

Great again Jago. Always look forward to a Sunday episode

[@michaelfisher6354]

Fascinating. This was start/end stop pf he day when I lived in Walthamstow in the 1970s. None the large building near the station exisited then and Blackhorse Road station was severe and somewhat empty.....

[@peterjohncooper]

Yes. Thank you and duly enjoyed.

[@dminalba]

In the Victoria line progress films about the construction of the Victoria Line there was a bit about the sculpture of the black horse and showing the mosaic making too

[@jay9021]

I love your videos, you are always informative and always entertaining. Thank you

[@teecefamilykent]

Brilliant video sir, once again the humour is top notch.

[@baxtermarrison5361]

I wish someone had told me sooner, I'm still waiting south (or should that be saaarff) of the river! 😊

[@alanhaf2489]

Being in the USA, where train stations are very much cookie-cutter, I want to say how much I like the personalization/localization of especially the Tube stations.

[@chiefpred9982]

I guess jago was galloping around London trying to get to blackhorse road

[@luisstransport]

Great video Jago

[@stephengreenwald5271]

Gratuitous locomotives always welcome.

[@MrGreatplum]

Whilst being a relatively common user of the Victoria line in the past, I’ve never taken the tube that far north! Great video - I assume that the hq of a certain bank must be nearby with all these black horses 😜

[@AndreiTupolev]

1:56 You've visited some exotic locations for this one.2:40note the empty beer bottle, showing what a charming spot that is for a convivial get-together for a few drinks after work 😊

[@okbrown]

I remember the original Goblin. That train was every couple hours lol

[@IIVQ]

I love the artful roundels, especially the mini ones at 2:40. What do the say¿? the closest has "travel",one further seems to read "underground" but I'm not sure on that..

[@mbrady2329]

They're the work of artist Maude Milton.

[@dambrooks7578]

I purchased my first surdo from the old drum shop that used to be there dealing with some important musicians and a young me.

[@NickyMitchell85]

I still remember those ‘GOBLIN LINE’ videos you posted c. 2020-21 in the midst of the Covid Pandemic 😷.

[@PaulMcElligott]

“If the tube made sense, I wouldn’t have much to talk about, would I?” And that would be a shame.

[@ironjade]

The original trains on the Goblin were horrible. It sometimes looked like someone had been mixing cement on the carriage floor.

[@delurkor]

But where does Blackhorse Road become Blackhorse Lane? Is it because those ne'er-do-wells south of the river only deserve a lane? Side thought: Jago spends several days collecting videos, a day or so writing the script, editing video, rewriting, reediting, and then a week or more coming up with a tagline . "You are the pantomime to my horse...No, No. Try again." All joshing aside, thank you for your work. You are the rail line to my rail fanning.

[@telhudson863]

Blackhorse Road station is on SW corner of a cross roads with Blackhorse Road heading South and Forest Road going East-West. The road heading North is Blackhorse Lane. At one time Forest Road (then called Clay Lane) was roughly the edge of the built up area with roads to the South and lanes to the North.

[@delurkor]

@@telhudson863 Dang colonials, don't know a thing about London...Oh, wait. Thank you, sir. 😁

[@apolloc.vermouth5672]

Don't get me started about same-name stations. The number of times I've dozed off on the Victoria Line and found myself in Seven Sisters, Texas...

[@williamgeorge2580]

On the Seoul #2 line there's a Shincheon Station and a Shinchon Station. They are on opposite sides of the city. Heaven help you if you get them confused.

[@General_Confusion]

They don't seem to have ever been very imaginative when naming London Stations, they just kind of named them after places where they were.

[@CarolineFord1]

No, sometimes they named the station first!

[@driver288]

😁. Nice nodd to Geoff Marshal there. I of course subscribe to his channel as well. His least used and end of the line series are good 👍🏼

[@66PHILB]

Looks almost idyllic when you visited Mr H. The road junction outside the station looks nothing like when I saw it at 5pm on Friday a couple of weeks ago!

[@petercompo]

I used to get a train from Tottenham to Southend which went through Black Horse Road back I the late 50s to early 60s

[@PavlosPapageorgiou]

I'm amazed Walthamstow is pronounced how I'd guess it is pronounced!

[@hb1338]

Have you tried Leicester, Worcester, Gloucester and Cirencester ?! Beware the gotcha.

[@ianpatterson6552]

At the sign of the prancing horse, no less!

[@highpath4776]

That horse in the tiles always has a kind of knowing look, like it has some inside knowledge it is not sharing

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Oh dear, that title pun was a trifle withersing! 😅

[@richardskelton5119]

Of course you missed the most noticable feature, namely that most people heading towards London on the Victoria Line start by going to Walthamstow Central so they may have a seat. 🙂

[@DavidBromage]

6:39 You need to do a crossover with Geoff Marshall some time!

[@simonwinter8839]

Would that be a scissors crossing!!

[@Jimyjames73]

Hey Jago - When I saw the Title of this Vid "Blackhorse Road Tube Station: The Mane Line" - I straight away thought of the Black Horse Logo of the 'Lloyds Bank" - so I thought that was this Vid was going to be about!!! @ 5:41 That Mural looks very same as the Banks Logo!!! (@ 6:40 - You made me laugh about you not trying to steel Geoff Marshall bit!!!) 🤔🚂🚂🚂

[@DanBen07]

Videos about stations with similar names are interesting.

[@davidwong9230]

Why is this informative and entertaining? Big horse it is, and I’m not hearing anyone say, neigh 🐴

[@rainyfeathers9148]

'...if the tube made sense...', I'd question reality😵‍💫😂

[@wickiezulu]

Leaving aside the background behind what became the Goblin and the Victoria, it is still vexing how significantly more useful both could have been for north London in an orbital role with a few adjustments. From actual proposals to link the Victoria to Woodford or South Woodford, to ideas for the Goblin on a post-war merged & re-sited South Tottenham/Seven Sisters station to a Piccadilly station at Harringay Green Lanes and reopened Junction Road. Delving into the realm of fantasy what-ifs for the Goblin further west, did wonder how feasible it would have been in better circumstances for it to link up with the West London Orbital at West Hampstead (possibly including some way of adding an interchange at Belsize Park), with some way of extending beyond Gospel Oak to Golders Green onto the Northern Line Edgware on branch (thereby helping to relieve that section of the Northern Line) towards Watford Junction via Bushey reminiscent of old ideas seen in Tony Beard’s By Tube Beyond Edgware (with a bit creativity the area between Gospel Oak and Golders Green only receives a number 8 haircut at minimum).

[@clickrick]

"Gratuitous steam locomotive" If I thought you might be offended by it, I might refrain from calling you a train nerd for doing such a thing, but as things are, you're a totally train nerd for including that, Mr Jago!

[@roderickjoyce6716]

As a train nerd myself, I'd like to point out that the gratuitous steam locomotive in question was built by the LMS for service on the London, Tilbury and Southend line and thus has a slight connection with the GobLin line.