Southgate Station

Southgate station is a unique and iconic art deco location on the London Underground. It was opened in March 1933 as part of the Northern Line extension from Finsbury Park to Cockfosters and is one of architect Charles Holden’s best known designs for the network.

The dual level flat roofs appear to be acting like a lid on top of the windows that encircle the building. In the centre of the building above the whole umbrella like structure that emanates out from the ticket office there is an artistic feature reminiscent of an electricity coil. Southgate station has kept many of its original features such as the column lighting and bronze work inside and and has been a Grade II listed structure since it’s sympathetic refurbishment in 2008.

Southgate Station
Southgate Station on the Piccadilly Line (photo: Steve Cotton)
london underground johnston font sign
The Underground roundel at Southgate with Johnston style lettering (photo: Steve Cotton)
Southgate station escalators
The escalators at Southgate Station (photo: Steve Cotton)

The bronze escalator lamps on Southgate Station’s escalators are aimed upwards at the white ceiling so the light is reflected back down. In many other stations these have long since been replaced by strip lights.

Southgate Station Column Lamp
Southgate station column lamp (photo: Steve Cotton)

There are two much larger column style lamps at the foot of the escalators. Their inverted cones distribute the light in the same way as the lamps on the escalator

Southgate Station by Charles Holden (photo: Steve Cotton)