Brent Cross West: London’s first new main line station in 10 years now open

The first new main line station to open in London for over a decade has officially opened.

Brent Cross West, which is served by Thameslink trains, is located between Cricklewood and Hendon stations with services in and out of St Pancras taking just 12 minutes.

The new £419 million station was opened by the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan on Sunday December 10.

It will serve as the gateway to Brent Cross Town, a regeneration programme by Barnet Council which will include 6,500 homes, a park and offices.

At peak times, up to eight trains an hour will pass through the station, providing links to Luton Airport and the Elizabeth line via Farringdon.

It has two entrances and a public footbridge over the Midland Mainline that will remain open 24 hours a day.

DJ and broadcaster Tony Blackburn has recorded an opening message that will be played on station tannoys along the line.

“As a Barnet resident I’m delighted and honoured to be involved in the opening of our fabulous new station which, as far as I’m concerned, is top of the charts! Congratulations to Barnet Council and all their partners for this magnificent project,” said Blackburn.

Brent Cross West will also increase public transport options in the area with new bus stops at both of the station’s entrances.

The 189 and 326 buses will call at the station’s eastern entrance and the 316 bus will terminate and leave from the station’s western entrance.

The station has also been future-proofed for the possible building of a West London Orbital line in future.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "It's really exciting that we have the first mainline station in London in more than 10 years.

"What this station does, it makes the possibility of the West London Orbital more likely... if we get the capital funding from the government next year and subsequent years."

West London Orbital would use existing rail lines that run from West Hampstead and Hendon towards Hounslow.

The final route is yet to be revealed, but current plans would see trains stop in Cricklewood, Neasden, Harlesden, Acton, Brentford and Isleworth – 15 stations in total.

The Zone 3 station was built by contractor Volker Fitzpatrick, and it is one of the first stations in England to be delivered entirely by a local authority.