Good morning!
i'm outside Baker Street tube station
about to get the Metropolitan line heading north and west
to the top left hand corner of the tube map
to visit Amersham
as i start a brand new series
visiting all the extremeties of the Tube Map
or as i like to call it, to the End of the Line
yes we're starting outside of London
as Amersham is in Buckinghamshire
at one of only two tube stations to be in Zone 9
although when the Zones were first introduced in 2001, it was in Zone D
that changed to Zone 9 in 2008
it's also the highest station above sea level
as is the end of the line of the Underground now
because that's as far as the line was electrified
when new trains were brough in in the 1960's
before that, the Underground regularly served Aylesbury ... and beyond
not being in London, it doesn't really FEEL like an Underground station at all
but that's also because it shares services with Mainline chiltern trains
but more on those later
personally i've been a regular visitor to Amersham over the years because
when doing the Tube Challenge, it's almost always one of the stations that you knock out early on
and that's why it had a really low number on the labyrinth sequence
number three, on the 2009 tube challenge route
and so many times when doing the challenge
we used to start at Chesham, come down to Chalfontc
come into here, and then ... go up that staircase
that's very familar to me, i've run up the staircase many times in a hurry
to get to the platform on the other side over there, and then get
the southbound train heading out, although
there was a time when we actually started one stop down the line at Chalfont & Latimer
got the train north one stop to Amersham, came out over there
run across the road to this bus stop here
where we just about caught a bus that took us to Chesham
and then got the train out of Chesham
heading back into London to try and save time
it didn't work though ... so we didn't do that again
so if you'ev never been to Amersham before
well that's the point of this video, and this series
to get you to come out and see the ends of the lines for yourself
from the design of the canopy support poles, the hanging baskets outside
this fantastic clock
the lattice footbridge, and the canopy, all with great views of trains too
it's just really nice
the signal box though, kind of lets it down a bit
but don't worry, when we get round to doing Chesham later in the series
there's a gorgeous one there that more than makes up for it
off-peak, there's two Metropolitan line trains per hour
but you also get a main line service here as well
two Chiltern services to Marylebone too
meaning that this is one of those rare Underground stations where they have a timetable
showing times throughout the day
of all services, tube trains in blue, and chiltern trains in red
and aside from the main footbridge
there's also a new second footbridge too
the new footbridge, which brings lifts and step-free access is a recent addition
back outside, and down a side alley
and you'll discover that there's actually a second public footbridge
that goes over the station
and it's from this footbridge that we must discuss an important fact
if you look on tube map, Amersham ... top left hand corner
looks like it might be the most westerly station on the underground
is it the most westerly? .... No because this one is
yes, have a look on Google Maps or similar, draw a vertical line
and you'll see that Chesham is the most westerly station on the Underground, it's also the most northerly
however! there is a caveat
in that if you look over my shoulder and into the distance can you see, there is train reversing in the sidings back there
terminating Metropolitan line trains go into a reversing siding here
and if you're the driver, in the cab, at the front of the train
then at the point, you are now further west than Chesham
so Amersham wins!
but there is way, to go even futher west
albeit, on a technicality
and to do that, we need to go ... for a little walk
yup, because at two kilometres west of Amersham station
there is a foot crossing in the middle of the wood
Weedonhill Wood to be precise
and although no Tube Trains ever come up this far
it's only ever Chiltern trains that come along this piece of track
it is officially the Property Boundary
between TfL London Underground, and Network Rail
and from Amersham, it's a forty five minute walk
literally, through the woods, until you eventually get to it
and this is it
in the middle of the woods, a style
a fence, all the usual warning signs saying
"do not trespass", and a sign down there that says
brilliant, that confirms that this is also the edge
of the maintance boundary, for London Underground
technically ... this
is the farthest, western, extremity
of the Tube, and i'm just gonna sit and wait
for a Chiltern train - Here is comes!
oh! TIMING
if you do choose to walk out to here
you don't have to go back the same way
you can cross over the track
and go back to Amersham, on the other side
this will actually take you to old Amersham Town
which isn't anywhere near the Tube station, but is well worth a visit
the Crown hotel here, is where they filmed the hotel scenes from 'Four Weddings and Funeral'
with Hugh Grant and Andie McDowell
and there's this brilliant place too, the museum
the museum by the way is excellent
i mean come on, it's got a Tube Roundel, right in the entrance, love it!
so i'll be saying this at the end of each video in this series
if you've never been ... to the end of the line
grab your travelcard, grab your Oyster
and maybe this weekend, travel to the end of the line
and that is Amersham the end of the line here at the end of the Metropolitan line
(still got Chesham to do) if this is your kind of thing, press like, press subscribe
there's a playlist coming up, with all the others in this series
there will be whole series of all the other stations
at the ends ... of the line