Imagine arriving at Heathrow. Your first time in the UK. You cross border control, pick up your bags, and then make your way to the trains to get into town. You board the train. The announcement -- your first ever London Underground announcement: "This is the Picadilly Line to Cockfosters".

When my father died I was in a daze, but when the train announcing voice piped up with 'Cockfosters' I still couldn't help but smile. It was going to be okay.

Spending many a childhood holiday listening to "this train is for Cockfosters" helped pass the journey times nicely as I wondered what a Cockfoster was and whether I was eligible to be riding the train.

I laughed so loud when you eventually spat out the station name that missed the next minute of your commentary 🤣

The funniest thing about Cockfosters used to be the schadenfreude of seeing, usually American, tourists persevering on through my stop at Southgate after massively underestimating how long it would take to get there and wasting a good half day of their London sightseeing on getting a picture with the sign!

Thanks to my donors on Kofi and Patreon. You are the @#$% to my fosters.

I'd never given much thought to the name until you mentioned it! Up until now it was always a station name on the end of the line and I always wondered what was there, so thank you, mystery solved!

The only time I've been to Cockfosters was after falling asleep on the Picc. line after a night out, and being mortified that there were no more south bound trains. I'm sure there are many more who've done the same :)

When I was a tube nerd back in the 1950s Cockfosters was the ultimate mystery destination a sort of Ultima Thule on another planet. One had heard of other extremities such as Aylesbury, Uxbridge, Ongar and High Barnet but Cockfosters seemed some creation of LT. I did indeed go there and was surprised and impressed by the modernistic train shed. To think of all the fashionable types going from South Ken and Gloucester Road to say Piccadilly, or King's Cross for trains to their country retreats and wondering what this strange Cockfosters place they saw on the destination boards was really like!

It's not just C*ckfosters; Broadbottom, Fingringhoe, Hampton Gay, Knockerdown, Pen*stone, Scunthorpe, Shingaycum Wendy, Upperthong, Wetwang also makes for a great, historically accurate English town name (that exist IRL) for a pretty fun OpenTTD multiplayer session.

Stayed on the Picadilly line as a teen, being 14 year olds, my friends and I all drove the commuters mad giggling every time the announcement said 'this train terminates at Cockfosters'

A famous Max Miller joke: I was travelling on the Tube I was, and it was jam packed, standing room only. This young lady gets on and in the crush she sits on my lap! The train pulls into a station, she says, "Is this Cockfosters?" I said, "No, it's Max Miller's!"

"The Piccadilly Line.....from Heathrow to Cockfosters....you can't beat the Tube!"......poster from 2008 still on my wall here in Seattle!

I always remember the Fosters lager ad in the 80s featuring Paul Hogan when he was asked 'What's the way to Cockfosters?' and he replied 'Drink it warm, mate!'

Alternatively, Spoonerising it to read "Fockcosters" probably doesn't help, either.

Great vid. Another great deep dive. I love the architecture of CF. Still looks “modern” so hard to believe it pre-dates all the brutalist and 1960’s / 1970’s concrete that have now been and gone!

I vaguely remember being told that forest had a different meaning in medieval times where it was land under the direct control of a lord and so there were villages and farmland in forests as well as woods. Basically not common land where anyone could graze sheep or hunt etc. Over time with land clearances and industrialisation absorbing the country folk into expanding cities, the woods expanded and people stopped living there so much, leading to the current meaning of forest. Hence being head of the forest was an important position because you were the land manager, in modern language.

And the 2021 award for funniest KZfaq Tube video goes to... Thank you for all of them - and best wishes for the holidays and new year!

I grew up and lived there until I was twenty seven years old. My parents married in 1933 and bought their brand new house in a road off Cat Hill because they knew the Underground was coming and they both worked in central London. I've never thought there was anything odd about the name and have never seen anyone suggest there is until I saw this video. The original village of Cockfosters is around half a mile north of the station and contains an old pub callled the Cock Inn, which I used to use regularly when I lived in the area. I'd always assumed there must be a connection between the name of the pub and the village to tell the truth although having seen this video and done some Googling, it seems more likely to be named after the chief forester. Hadley Woods, an ancient woodland, are at the back of the pub and Trent Park, originally a huge country estate is on the other side of Cockfosters Road. Hundred of years ago, when the village was named, the area was probably heavily forested.

When you live in west London Cockfosters is something you hear announced and see on the front of the train like some mythical place you hear a lot about, but never go to.

An good dyslexic friend of mine who was visiting london for the first time read it as cock forests, and was rather perturbed ! 🙁

Spent many years commuting to Central London from Cockfosters. For an area that has multi-million pound houses, it has probably the most bland and boring station entrances (1 on either side of the Cockfosters Road) that I think I've ever seen😒...Nice video.

Cockfosters and Uxbridge seem to share the same architectural features only UX on a bigger scale... Both really lovely stations... Another great informative video sir 🙂....

Best place in the city . . . quiet, safe, clean, 45 minutes from the centre of town, and you always get a seat! Thanks for this. :o)

The concrete train shed is duplicated at the Uxbridge end. Worth a visit too.

I remember the old Paul Hogan TV advertising campaign for Foster's later: "How do I get to Cockfosters" said the young lady. "Keep it warm" replied Paul.

I am a native Londoner of 47 years, I can vividly remember one particular occasion when I was travelling on the Hammersmith & City Line, as soon as the automated announcement came for Shepherd’s Bush station, a child commented to his mother “Shepherd’s Bush?, that’s a funny name for a station.”, simultaneously my gaze met with a young woman passenger opposite me and I laughed, but she remained serious, she gave me the look as if to say “You have a dirty mind.”.

Looks like Uxbridge st

As a born and bred North Londoner, I've honestly never found the name funny as I genuinely knew the word Cockfosters before I knew the word ... you know. Usually takes someone from outside London to remind me it has a funny name. Anyway, have always been fond of this terminus. Simple but pretty, charming, light and spacious. I particularly like how low the ceilings are on both side platforms, with the trains looking as though they could rip their roofs off as they enter the station but just about managing not to. I also like that it's one of not many above ground stations that's ticket hall is below street level and has a sub-surface feel. No Cockfosters isn't *stunning*, and neither are many of Holden's best works. it's just very, very nice.

Excellent video and commentary as usual. I can recall as a child spending time with a relative who's property overlooked the end of the Cockfosters underground line and seeing the trains being park-up over night, the sound of compressed air braking system being discharged then the driver walking the whole length of the train with the slamming of doors as he left each carriage compartment. In the early hours of the morning you would hear the reverse procedure but this time the distinct sound of air compressors recharging the braking system as the trains were brought back into service. Keep up the good work and stay safe.

Funny name aside you have to admit, the name is probably one of the reasons people go there. Personally, as a Cockfosters local, I think Trent Park would have been a better name, and indicative of the fact the park is nearby the station in much the same way Hyde Park Corner and Green Park are.

I just now realize that Tom Scott travelled all the way to Penistone for his "Why web filters don't work" video, when he could've just gone to this station instead.

You shouting the station's name was hilarious! Thank you for the giggle!🤣🤣🤣

This video evokes memories of when I was a kid. We had relations who lived in Potters Bar and would always start our journey in to London at Cockfosters.

I was just there yesterday. I’m visiting London for the holidays. I’m from Alaska and just had to check it out.

I like your videos, you must do a lot of research, I have learnt a lot of things from you. Ride on the 1973 trains while you can, because when they have gone, the last manually driven DC sounding non computerised, Underground trains will be the 1972's on the Bakerloo. Into the station, doors open straight away, doors close, then, the Train Operator moves the Traction brake controller into Shunt, Series, then Parallel, with all those clunks and clicks, classic noises. In the seventies, The Open University had a course called, ''Architecture and Design 1890 to 1939''. It covered things like Le Corbusier's ''Machine for living'' houses, but my two favourite episodes,(which should still be on You tube), are, ''The semi detached house'' in colour, presented by Professor Stephen Bayley, and , ''The London Underground'', Black and white,(but who cares?) It features the design of Cockfosters Station. Do have a look, I think you will like.

Drink it warm, mate.

It made me giggle my ass off everytime I was passing through from Heathrow to the centre of London in a holiday.

A nice station, though TfL want to stick tower blocks on the car park, which would overshadow it a bit. Trent Park, as well as being a less naughty name, is well worth a visit, as a lovely country park. And where the Doctor Who story Mawdryn Undead was filmed.

'In retrospect, it represented the future.' You win.

I’ve never been to this station, but every time I see it on the map I sing it in my head to the tune of Blockbuster! by The Sweet.

During WW2 Trent Park had a prisoner of war camp and was the only one in Britain from which German POWs escaped.

When I was in London in 2014 We caught the green or yellow Piccadilly line and I turned to My Daughter at !5 Years Old and asked her what the last Station was, Packed Train and She Looked at the Map and Started to announce C Fosters, She only said the C and turned to me with the Evil. I broke out Laughing. Love It and your Comedy, Thank You Mate.

One day on a future visit to the UK and London I shall go visit this Cockfosters station! And I've ridden the Piccadilly line plenty. I've visited London twice, first staying across the street from the Gloucester Road station, the second time around the corner from the Russell Square station.

2:19 You present yourself as an informative channel, and yet nowhere have I heard mention of this 'Ictoria line' as seen on screen! I feel I must protest!

Another brilliant and entertaining video from you, Jago! With each "new" one I see, I get more and more interested in the history of the Underground. Many thanks!!

I think it was legendary comedian Max Miller who said "A lady got out of the tube train and asked the ticket collector "Is this Cockfosters?" "No lady, it's mine!"

As a child, I always used to giggle when I heard that the train’s destination was Cockfosters; you’ll be pleased to know, I still chuckle today!

I saw the title and absolutely burst out laughing

Cockfosters Station sits next to Trent Park which includes a medieval site called Camlet Moat which some have argued is the original Camelot. I think the station developers missed a trick there when naming the station

Thanks for shouting the name out, caught me by surprise and I spat out my brew. Also, back when I lived "darn sarf" I would always chuckle when using the Piccadilly Line, evidently having the mental age of a six year old... Oh and check out the Urban Dictionary for its definitions of said place ;)

Discarded outro take: "Thanks to all my supporters on Ko-Fi and Patreon, you are the fosters to my... wait, no." (I have to admit, if I lived in London and traveled on this line regularly, I would giggle internally every time I heard this station's name on the PA, because part of me will always be 12. :)

Love it!! Thanks again for this tale. I must go there one day, never been to the end that line.

As the map in the 1st minute clearly shows, as a resident of Barnet this station is nearby & is a useful alternative to the Northern line on occasions.

Imagine the trouble when you do Penistone and Scunthorpe stations

I've never been a fan of the name. I prefer the alternative "Willyadopters."

As the Piccadilly Line ends at Cockfosters. There was rumours that it could extend into Hertfordshire and possibly as far as Potters Bar. Cockfosters is such a funny name for a suburban commuter town in North London.

Excellent video as always Jago. Loved the "Cockfosters...the stations called COCKFOSTERS.. bit one minute and one second in.... Brilliant. I do seem to remember an advert by Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan for a certain antipodean "Amber Nectar" a few years ago where he's sat with a can on a station on the Underground and is asked by a Japanese visitor to London looking confusedly at his Underground map....." Excuse please. Can you tell me way to Cockfosters?". To which he replies in his Aussie drawl "Yeah...Drink it warm ..mate". Then adding, looking puzzled...."Funny question". Awesome. Seasons greetings to one and all.

You will be pleased to know that there were two adverts at the start of this video. Enjoy the ad venue mate.

Even the announcement in the train sounds like she's rushing on the name, "this is the Piccadilly line service to... _Cockfosters._ "

I remember years ago the station being referred to as Co Fosters by the prudes, they did a similar job on Cockburn's Port so it was Co Burns Port.

There was a really good book about the extension from Finsbury Park to Cockfosters written by one of the station foremen from Arnos Grove a gentleman named Barry Carpenter, it was absolutely full of great pictures of the building of the extension but the best one was taken outside Finsbury park showing just how busy it was (absolutely rammed is a real understatement)

this summary is even better than the Piccadilly line Wikipedia article i've expanded on. Thanks mate!

I've always thought Cockfosters meant that there was a foster home for roosters somewhere out there...

Grew up in Enfield a few miles down the road. Now live in Lincoln. Great to see this again.

You are a clever man, no one can make these interesting tidbits of history (woven together with other tidbits) so clear and entertaining. Even for a yank who appreciates a fair bit of London, transit, and architectural histories giving me more reason to return and wander again out of the city center (centre??).

Well done again, Mr H. Another superb video, full of fascinating information. You could perhaps have mentioned the advert some years back which posed a question, to which the answer was (if I recall correctly) "serve it warm, mate". Thanks. Simon T

.... 'like a cathedral' - yes, and as draughty as a cathedral, too. I hope you were wearing an overcoat - we wouldn't want to lose you prematurely. Merry Christmas and happy peregrinations in 2022.

Another good feature of Cockfosters Station is the lack of roosting places for pigeons and other birds so almost zero bird poo problems.

Can remeber this back in 2019 that our entire class made pictures and posted it on reddit

and only 3 stops away there's Anus Grove...or something similar.

These videos are so informative but I always find I’m laughing so much at them!

I spent a year in London and one day me and a group of friends who were all living in the UK temporarily took the train to Cockfosters to take pictures with the signs there. We thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world even though by the time we got back we were all bored out of our minds from being on the tube for so long.

This is great. Transit nurd from Canada for some reason I find myself drawn to the underground and its history and this my friend is a great video thank you

When Jago finally and randomly spits out “Cockfosters”, it’s almost like hearing Johnny Nice Painter saying “black…Black! BLACK!!!”

A few years ago I was showing some young american ladies around London and even though they where mid 20's they giggled like school girls every time the "this is a Piccadilly line train to...." came on

I'm sure nice people call the station Co'fosters as one pronounce Co'burns port.

Nothing like listening to a good history video on Christmas

Always interesting and informative! Merry Christmas to one and all! Keep up the good work fella and stay safe!

My local station growing up, then we had that Fosters ad with Crocodile Dundee...

😆😁🤣😂😅 Your videos are such a pleasure, they bring smiles and knowledge into tough times.

I went to London with Uni mates a few times and every single time we heard Cockfosters... absolutely lost it.

Was your voice in the intro a deliberate attempt to imitate the Piccadilly Line announcer? If it was, you absolutely nailed the intonations!

That "Great Northern Electrics" sign on the bridge there2:20(looking a bit droopy now) must be something of a relic

Cant help but audibly laugh everytime I’m on a line that goes to Cockfosters

This used to be my local tube station! "Cohfosters" to the upwardly mobile, lol. Loved the area around there. Especially Trent Park.

I once got in a fuss as for some reason at South Kensington because the westbound trains for some reason were going eastbound and my parents got very confused leading me yell to them "This train is going to Cockfosters! " "COCKFOSTERS!" Afterwards I released how much I had embarrassed myself

Ah, my neck of the woods. No, really. Yes *sigh* really. I was born just a stone's throw away at Chase Farm Hospital (when it had a maternity ward) and lived at the East end of Enfield. Whenever I headed into London I would always go via Oakwood....what? Why? Reasons, that's why ;). Nowadays I'm a bit more grown up and use Cockfosters all the time. Nice to see the station has been blessed by the twin luminaries of Geoff Marshall and now Jago Hazzard, hallowed soil indeed.

In future videos just call it 'Rock Lobster' after the song by the B-52s. I always end up singing that when I see the station name anyway

Growing up in 1960s Liverpool was an age when bus conductors would call out the stops as they were approached. One stop was outside the now demolished Richmond Sausage Factory and the conductor always called out "Sausage works girls!" to which all the women on the bus would respond with giggles and "oooooh! " He would probably be sacked for it now but in those days everybody had a sense of humour.

So many places in England that KZfaq and Google don't like. Scunthorpe, Upper Piddle and Lower Piddle come to mind. And of course.... HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE 🥳👍

We’ve all felt the pain of “this is the train to COCKfoSterZ”.

The tongue-in-cheek is strong with this one.

The station that cannot be named..... What are we the Harry Potter-verse now?

Fun fact: Cockfosters was a holding location for German POWs during the war. One such pilot, Franz Von Werra, was there for a time before being sent to Grizedale where he escaped for a while before being recaptured. On another occasion he managed to blag it as a downed Dutch pilot and was strapping into a Hurricane when the Station Commander removed him at gunpoint. He finally escaped into then-neutral America when on a prisoner transport to Canada. He rejoined his squadron but was posted missing on a test flight over the sea.

The numerous foreigners I’ve heard laugh at the announcements proves your title wrong 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Damn it Susan! Let him name the station This is as bad as testing for something that has never been isolated

Uxbridge station looks just like it. Very nice

My ex had a London Underground quiz round which had one question as "Surrogate parents to male poultry" as the clue. The problem with software algorithms is that they "see" naughty references where none exist. The county council where I used to live installed some new email software and instantly lost something over 80% of its incomming emails. Apparently "Sussex" is very naughty. C;est la vie.

Love your wit Jago. You have presented what should normally be perceived as a rather dull and mundane item in such a fun and exciting way to the viewer, and it is refreshingly informative as well. Well done Sir!