There is a London Underground station that was named after a place that doesn’t actually exist. The Tube has been the heartbeat of the capital for over 160 years and has come a long way since the days of gas-lit carriages and steam-powered trains.
During peak times, there are as many as 543 trains travelling around the capital at once according to TfL and at least one of them will stop at Queensbury Tube station. Sat between Canons Park and Kingsbury on the Jubilee line, the station is classified as being in Queensbury, near Harrow and Brent in northwest London. This, however, hasn’t always been the case. Queensbury Tube station was first built in December 1934, two years after the neighbouring stations opened.
The station’s design was typical of the Art Deco style popular at the time, with a glass and steel canopy covering the entrance and ticket hall.
It was part of a major extension of the Metropolitan line which now connects central London to Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
At the time the station was built, the area we now know as Queensbury did not exist. It had no geographical or royal history at all.
In fact, Queensbury was only chosen as a name for the tube station due to it winning a competition in a newspaper. It likely won because of the adjacent station being named Kingsbury, making the two a perfect pair.
The area became known as Queensbury and a parade of shops and homes was built around the station through the rest of the ‘30s.
Queensbury station was transferred in 1939 to the Bakerloo line, which stretches from Harrow & Wealdstone to Elephant & Castle, before finally settling on the Stanmore to Stratford Jubilee line in 1979.
Over the years, Queensbury Tube Station has undergone several renovations and upgrades to keep up with increasing passenger demand.
In 1979, it was transferred to the newly-formed Jubilee Line, and in 1999, it was completely refurbished as part of the Jubilee Line Extension project.
The station’s legacy is not without unusual trivia; it was mentioned in a song of the same name by German punk-jazz band ‘The Magoo Brothers’ in 1988. The song was influenced by band members Paul Bonin and Melanie Hickford who grew up nearby.
Its location makes it an popular starting point for exploring local landmarks and attractions, including the Royal Air Force Museum, Harrow School, and the Fryent Country Park.