Connecting Communities > Camden's Park in the Sky

If you’ve walked to our brewery from Kings Cross Station, you would have passed this bricked up doorway underneath a railway bridge on York Way. You may not have even noticed it. This is the former entrance to Maiden Lane Station.

Maiden Lane Station opened in 1850 as a temporary passenger terminal while King's Cross Station was being built. It was used to receive the thousands of passengers arriving in London to visit the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, and was even used by Queen Victoria as she departed London for Scotland.

The station officially opened in 1855 as a terminus for cattle on their way to be sold at the Metropolitan Cattle Market (now Caledonian Park on Market Road), before transforming again into a passenger station in 1887 once the area had become more residential.

The station closed in 1917 during the war, and it looked like it would never reopen.

That is, until now…

Last Thursday, we were excited to learn the news that the first section of the Camden Highline project had received planning approval from Camden Council.

The project was proposed by the Camden Highline charity who aim to transform 1.2 kilometres of old trainline into a ‘park in the sky’.

Inspired by the hugely successful New York High Line, the Camden Highline route is planned to connect Camden Gardens to the old Maiden Lane Station down the road from Two Tribes Brewery on York Way. It is hoped the Camden Highline will attract around 2.5 million visitors a year.

20,000 Londoners live within 500 metres of the proposed Highline, and this project provides them with much needed green space.

Access to green space has been shown to lead to numerous individual benefits from mental relaxation, encouraging social cohesion, supporting physical activity and reducing exposure to air pollution.

The Camden Highline will act as a new wildlife corridor for North London, providing habitats for birds, insects, bats and butterflies. The project promises to become an outdoor nature classroom for the young residents in Camden and Islington, acting as a space for local school visits.

The Camden Highline will continue the work achieved by the Kings Cross redevelopment project (Coal Drops Yard) in enlivening the local economy and creating a vibrant and connected neighborhood.

It is set to become a focal point for the community, fostering a sense of belonging and ownership over the local environment.

The Camden Highline will offer local artists a place to work and showcase their artwork, helping residents feel a deeper connection to the history and culture of King’s Cross, Camden and Islington.

The Camden Highline charity are now looking for donors to help it meet the initial £14m cost to begin construction. If all goes according to plan, the first stage (between Camden Gardens and Camden Road) will be completed by 2025.

So, what are you waiting for?

Be a part of history and support the Camden Highline charity today.