From soggy piles to wooden beams: Inside Colindale's new timber tube station

"The new open-span entrance, topped by a timber roof, replaces a much smaller structure that was built after the original entrance was damaged during the Second World War. As well as subtle references to the area's aviation heritage through the use of glulam timber, the station's original platform clock has been restored and installed as a centrepiece of the new concourse. Reaching this point, however, was not without its challenges for the project team."

"The reason for the station rebuild is simply that the area around it has more than doubled in population over the past 15 years and is set to increase further with new housing. Without an upgrade, the station would likely have met its maximum safe capacity by the end of 2026. Now that it's open, the new station can exceed the expected demand in 2041 by a third, which is also when most of the available land for housing is expected to be fully developed. So it should have plenty of space to spare for the long term as well."

"To put the station layout into context, the train platforms sit below street level in a cutting, and the old entrance sat alongside it, with a footbridge over the railway to stairs down to the platform. The replacement entrance sits right above the railway tracks, so that the stairs and a new lift can go straight down to the platform. That also releases land occupied by the old entrance for housing development."

Colindale station on the Northern line has a newly opened open-span entrance topped by a timber roof, the first modern London Underground station built using timber construction. The new entrance replaces a smaller post-World War II structure and uses glulam timber to reference local aviation heritage; the original platform clock was restored and installed as a concourse centrepiece. Local population more than doubled in 15 years, risking capacity limits by 2026; the new station exceeds projected 2041 demand by a third. Platforms sit below street level; the new entrance sits above the tracks with direct stairs and a lift, freeing land for housing. Construction began January 2024 with piling, a tower crane in March, and a ten-day Northern line closure in April for foundation work; ground inspections later identified potential issues with the planned 20-metre piles.

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