Finchley Road

The Finchley Road starts in St John's Wood near central London as part of the A41; its southern half is a major dual carriageway with high traffic levels[1] often frequented by lorries and long-distance coaches[2] as it connects central London, via the A41 Hendon Way, to the M1 motorway at Brent Cross and other roads at that interchange.

Originally named Finchley New Road,[3] it was built as a turnpike to provide an alternative to the hillier route north from London, which ran further east through the village of Hampstead.

In 1856 as many as ten stagecoaches a day ran along Finchley Road, serving Swiss Cottage, where the Atlas Line, a business of these, had started about six years before.

[4] Plans for an extensive network of tramways, along Adelaide and Finchley Roads, were dropped after opposition from the council, ground landlords, and residents.

St John's Wood was served by Finchley Road railway station on the Midland Main Line (1868–1927).

In 1906 a stone plaque was affixed at 139 Finchley Road by Charles Wells, to commemorate the site of residence of 19th century German operatic signer Thérèse Tietjens.