Brent Cross West’s new station in numbers

When Brent Cross West’s train station completes in Dec 2022, this will be the first major new mainline station to open in London in over a decade. And Brent Cross Town will be just 12 minutes from King’s Cross St Pancras. But what about the station’s lesser-known numbers? 

The first footbridge for 150 years is being built over the tracks

For the first time since the line opened in the 19th century, there will now be a way for pedestrians to cross the tracks in this area – no more walking all the way to Staples Corner to get across! The first section of the new Eastern Overbridge was installed over the May bank holiday, all 86 tons of it. From late 2022, this step-free bridge will be open 24/7 for pedestrians and cyclists, who can also make use of the 68 bike parking spots at the station.

Its entrance will have a 13-metre high timber arch with trailing plants

Green and modern, Brent Cross West is a destination in its own right. Studio Egret West and shedkm have designed an eye-catching colonnade in timber with a growing frame where plants can hang down. Walk further into the station and find a timber roof and glass canopy, maximising natural light, as well as a trellis system that connects vines to ground-floor planters. Beautifully designed with long-lasting materials, the station is targeting a ‘Very Good’ rating for sustainability from BREAAM.

20,000 tons of spoil have been removed from the site

Building a new station involves a surprising amount of work; it’s not just platforms you need but also a new drivers’ accommodation building, new overhead electricals and new track beds. All this has necessitated the removal of 20,000 tons of spoil, to make way for what’s coming. 

Old 1860s sidings hint at an industrial past

Sidings are the side tracks that are used to refuel, clean and store trains, and the Brent/Cricklewood ones have quite a history. Built in the 1860s, these sidings were once used to split and organise huge shipments of coal to power the capital and the country. They’ve now been upgraded to hold an impressive 24 trains, but some of this industrial flavour will remain: Brent Cross West is neighbour to a new rail freight facility that will receive aggregates for distribution across north London. 

Three stops to Old Oak Common?

In the future, Brent Cross West may be linked up with the West London Orbital rail line, which would not only create a straight track to Neasden, Acton and Hounslow, but also to Old Oak Common – a major hub for high-speed trains to the Midlands, the North and Scotland. If this exciting future is realised, its timeline is in the 2030s, but Brent Cross West station has been designed so that it’s ready to head west.