The former Primrose Hill station London.

Using footage from shortly before its closure in 1992 plus from 2011, by which time the platform buildings had been removed, this film takes a detailed look at Primrose Hill station and some of the issues as to why it closed and why neither it nor the route it is on might not be be reopened to passenger trains. Primrose Hill is the only intermediate station on the link line between Camden Road station on the North London Line and South Hampstead on the local 'all stations' route between Euston and Watford Junction. Electric trains first started using it in 1917, travelling from Broad Street station to (mostly) Watford Junction, although some terminated at Croxley Green instead. In the rush hours as many as 7 trains an hour operated these services, all of which were interleaved with trains that originated at Euston station and Bakerloo Line trains. In addition some trains switched between the North London Line and Watford Junction route at Willesden Junction, travelling via Hampstead Heath station. This was mainly for the benefit of North London Line passengers, as from Watford this route was longer and slower. As part of 'rationlisations' / 'improvements' and with the support of the Greater London Council under the leadership of Ken Livingstone trains which served Broad Street were mostly diverted to Stratford, using a section of railway where passenger services had been suspended during WW2, whilst the Watford Junction trains were routed to Liverpool Street using a specially constructed link. But operating these trains was a nuisance for the railway who wanted passengers to change trains twice (Willesden Junction plus Highbury & Islington) and travel to Moorgate, which is about a 10 minute walk from Liverpool Street station. To help 'encourage' passengers to avoid the service trains were ran at inconvenient times which were not at all useful for people trying to get to / from work. Then claiming that hardly anyone was using the trains the service was put to sleep. Primrose Hill station was finally killed off in September 1992. Many years later the remaining sections of the former LNWR / LMS electric railway network became the responsibility of the Mayor of London (who at the time was Ken Livingstone) whose policies were to attract rather than repel passengers and under the auspices of the London Overground invested heavily in new trains, reopening much of the former Broad Street route and more.