Acton Town tube station
Encyclopedia
Acton Town is a London Underground
station in Acton
, west London
, served by the Piccadilly
and District
lines. The station is at the junction of Gunnersbury Lane (A4000) and Bollo Lane and is in Travelcard Zone 3
.
at the start and end of the day. West of Acton Town, District line trains go via Ealing Common
to Ealing Broadway and Piccadilly line trains run either via South Ealing
to Heathrow, or via Ealing Common
to Uxbridge
.
(MDR, now the District line) on its extension from Turnham Green to Ealing Broadway. On 1 May 1883 the MDR opened a branch from Acton Town to the now defunct Hounslow Town station
, that branch developed into the Heathrow branch.
On 23 June 1903 the MDR tracks north of Acton Town to a new station at Park Royal & Twyford Abbey
became the first of the Underground's surface lines to use electric traction instead of steam. The existing deep tube lines, (City & South London Railway
, Waterloo & City Railway and Central London Railway
) had always been electrically powered. Services on the Hounslow branch and to central London were electrified on 13 June 1905 and 1 July 1905 respectively.
Also on 13 June 1905 passenger service began on the short branch to South Acton. At first the service ran to Hounslow West
and to Uxbridge
but it was later reduced to a shuttle between Acton Town and South Acton.
In 1910 the station building was reconstructed and on 1 March 1910 the station was given its present name.
In 1931 and 1932 the station was rebuilt in preparation for changing the Uxbridge branch from the District line to the Piccadilly line. The new station was designed by Charles Holden
in a modern European geometric style using brick, reinforced concrete and glass. As other stations Holden designed, Sudbury Town
and Sudbury Hill
to the north, and others on the east and west Piccadilly line extensions such as Oakwood
, Acton Town station features a tall block-like ticket hall rising above a low horizontal structure housing the station offices and shops. The brick walls of the ticket hall are punctuated with panels of clerestory
windows and the structure is capped with a flat concrete slab roof. Reinforced concrete platform canopies replaced the original timber canopies. A short fifth platform for the single car train of the South Acton branch was provided to the north of the eastbound island platform.
On 4 July 1932 the Piccadilly line was extended west from its original terminus at Hammersmith and shared the route with the District line to Ealing Common. From Ealing Common to South Harrow, the District line was replaced by the Piccadilly line and, from that date, District line trains from Acton Town ran only either to Hounslow West or to Ealing Broadway. On 9 January 1933 Piccadilly line trains, sharing with the District line, began serving Northfields
on the Hounslow branch, and their service was extended to Hounslow West on 13 March 1933, however Piccadilly line trains did not call at South Ealing until 1935.
The South Acton branch was closed on 28 February 1959 due to low usage, its platform at Acton Town has been removed and little of the branch remains except a bridge abutment on the south side of Bollo Lane.
District line services on the Hounslow branch were withdrawn from 10 October 1964 after which operations were provided by the Piccadilly line alone.
To the north of the station is Ealing Common Depot
. It is also here where the London Transport Museum houses its reserve collection of rail and road vehicles in the former Repair Shop known as The Depot. The Museum Depot is opened to the public on a number of weekends throughout the year. To the south west of the station, served by a siding just south of the west bound platform, is Acton Works, the former central overhaul and engineering works for the London Underground.
South Acton railway station
is a 15 minute walk away from Acton Town tube station.
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
station in Acton
Acton, London
Acton is a district of west London, England, located in the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross.At the time of the 2001 census, Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people...
, west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, served by the Piccadilly
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
and District
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
lines. The station is at the junction of Gunnersbury Lane (A4000) and Bollo Lane and is in Travelcard Zone 3
Travelcard Zone 3
Fare zone 3 is a zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services...
.
Services
Between Acton Town and Hammersmith District line trains serve all stations, but Piccadilly line trains run non-stop to Hammersmith except for calling at Turnham GreenTurnham Green tube station
Turnham Green is a London Underground station in Chiswick in west London. The station is located on Turnham Green Terrace, but the actual green is much closer to Chiswick Park station. The station is served by the District and Piccadilly Lines although Piccadilly Line trains normally only stop at...
at the start and end of the day. West of Acton Town, District line trains go via Ealing Common
Ealing Common tube station
Ealing Common is a London Underground station on the Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly Line, and on the Ealing Broadway branch of the District Line...
to Ealing Broadway and Piccadilly line trains run either via South Ealing
South Ealing tube station
South Ealing is a London Underground station in west London. The station is on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line, between Acton Town and Northfields stations...
to Heathrow, or via Ealing Common
Ealing Common tube station
Ealing Common is a London Underground station on the Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly Line, and on the Ealing Broadway branch of the District Line...
to Uxbridge
Uxbridge tube station
Uxbridge is a London Underground station in Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, north-west London. The station is the terminus of the Uxbridge branches of both the Metropolitan Line and the Piccadilly Line. The next station towards London is Hillingdon. The station is 15.5 miles west of...
.
History
Acton Town station was opened as Mill Hill Park on 1 July 1879 by the Metropolitan District RailwayMetropolitan District Railway
The Metropolitan District Railway was the predecessor of the District line of the London Underground. Set up on 29 July 1864, at first to complete the "Inner Circle" railway around central London, it was gradually extended into the suburbs...
(MDR, now the District line) on its extension from Turnham Green to Ealing Broadway. On 1 May 1883 the MDR opened a branch from Acton Town to the now defunct Hounslow Town station
Hounslow Town tube station
Hounslow Town was a London Underground station in Hounslow in west London. The station was at the east end of Hounslow High Street at the junction with Kingsley Road...
, that branch developed into the Heathrow branch.
On 23 June 1903 the MDR tracks north of Acton Town to a new station at Park Royal & Twyford Abbey
Park Royal & Twyford Abbey tube station
Park Royal & Twyford Abbey is a closed station on the route of the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground. It was located near Twyford Abbey Road a short distance north of the current Park Royal station which replaced it on 6 July 1931....
became the first of the Underground's surface lines to use electric traction instead of steam. The existing deep tube lines, (City & South London Railway
City & South London Railway
The City and South London Railway was the first deep-level underground "tube" railway in the world, and the first major railway to use electric traction...
, Waterloo & City Railway and Central London Railway
Central London Railway
The Central London Railway , also known as the Twopenny Tube, was a deep-level, underground "tube" railway that opened in London in 1900...
) had always been electrically powered. Services on the Hounslow branch and to central London were electrified on 13 June 1905 and 1 July 1905 respectively.
Also on 13 June 1905 passenger service began on the short branch to South Acton. At first the service ran to Hounslow West
Hounslow West tube station
Hounslow West is a London Underground station in Hounslow in west London. The station is on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line, between Hatton Cross and Hounslow Central stations. The station is located on Bath Road about 600m from the junction of Bath Road, Great West Road and Great...
and to Uxbridge
Uxbridge tube station
Uxbridge is a London Underground station in Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, north-west London. The station is the terminus of the Uxbridge branches of both the Metropolitan Line and the Piccadilly Line. The next station towards London is Hillingdon. The station is 15.5 miles west of...
but it was later reduced to a shuttle between Acton Town and South Acton.
In 1910 the station building was reconstructed and on 1 March 1910 the station was given its present name.
In 1931 and 1932 the station was rebuilt in preparation for changing the Uxbridge branch from the District line to the Piccadilly line. The new station was designed by Charles Holden
Charles Holden
Charles Henry Holden, Litt. D., FRIBA, MRTPI, RDI was a Bolton-born English architect best known for designing many London Underground stations during the 1920s and 1930s, for Bristol Central Library, the Underground Electric Railways Company of London's headquarters at 55 Broadway and for the...
in a modern European geometric style using brick, reinforced concrete and glass. As other stations Holden designed, Sudbury Town
Sudbury Town tube station
Sudbury Town is a London Underground station on the Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly Line. The station is between Sudbury Hill and Alperton. It is located on Station Approach in Sudbury, a short distance from the junction of Bridgewater Road and Harrow Road . The forecourt of the station is...
and Sudbury Hill
Sudbury Hill tube station
Sudbury Hill is a London Underground station on the Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly Line in Sudbury / Greenford, in northwest London. The station is between Sudbury Town and South Harrow. The station is in Travelcard Zone 4...
to the north, and others on the east and west Piccadilly line extensions such as Oakwood
Oakwood tube station
Oakwood is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly Line. It is the second most northerly station on the line, between Southgate and Cockfosters stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 5...
, Acton Town station features a tall block-like ticket hall rising above a low horizontal structure housing the station offices and shops. The brick walls of the ticket hall are punctuated with panels of clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
windows and the structure is capped with a flat concrete slab roof. Reinforced concrete platform canopies replaced the original timber canopies. A short fifth platform for the single car train of the South Acton branch was provided to the north of the eastbound island platform.
On 4 July 1932 the Piccadilly line was extended west from its original terminus at Hammersmith and shared the route with the District line to Ealing Common. From Ealing Common to South Harrow, the District line was replaced by the Piccadilly line and, from that date, District line trains from Acton Town ran only either to Hounslow West or to Ealing Broadway. On 9 January 1933 Piccadilly line trains, sharing with the District line, began serving Northfields
Northfields tube station
Northfields is a London Underground station in Northfields, west London. The station is on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line, between Boston Manor and South Ealing stations...
on the Hounslow branch, and their service was extended to Hounslow West on 13 March 1933, however Piccadilly line trains did not call at South Ealing until 1935.
The South Acton branch was closed on 28 February 1959 due to low usage, its platform at Acton Town has been removed and little of the branch remains except a bridge abutment on the south side of Bollo Lane.
District line services on the Hounslow branch were withdrawn from 10 October 1964 after which operations were provided by the Piccadilly line alone.
To the north of the station is Ealing Common Depot
Ealing Common Depot
Ealing Common Depot is a London Underground railway depot on the District Line, located between Acton Town Station and Ealing Common Station. It is accessed by road on Granville Gardens, off the Uxbridge Road in Ealing Common. From the main-line it is accessed at Ealing Common by a junction...
. It is also here where the London Transport Museum houses its reserve collection of rail and road vehicles in the former Repair Shop known as The Depot. The Museum Depot is opened to the public on a number of weekends throughout the year. To the south west of the station, served by a siding just south of the west bound platform, is Acton Works, the former central overhaul and engineering works for the London Underground.
Transport links
London bus route E3 and night bus N11 stop outside the station, and stops on the 440 route are a short walk away.South Acton railway station
South Acton railway station
South Acton railway station is in the London Borough of Ealing in South Acton, west London. It is on the North London Line, and the station and all trains serving it are operated by London Overground. It is in Travelcard Zone 3...
is a 15 minute walk away from Acton Town tube station.