Barons Court tube station
Encyclopedia
Barons Court is a London Underground
station in West Kensington
, Greater London
. This station services the District Line
and the Piccadilly Line
. The station is located on Gliddon Road, a short distance from Talgarth Road (A4) in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
. Barons Court is between West Kensington
and Hammersmith on the District Line, and between Earl's Court
and Hammersmith on the Piccadilly Line. It is in Travelcard Zone 2
. East of the station, the Piccadilly line descends into tunnel towards Earl's Court and the District line continues on the surface to West Kensington. The station is the last overground stop for eastbound trains on the Piccadilly line
and has a Cross-platform interchange
with the District line
.
(MDR, now the District Line) opened an extension from Earl's Court to Hammersmith. When the line was constructed the area now known as Barons Court was open fields and market gardens
to the west of the settlement of North End and there was no call for a station between West Kensington and Hammersmith. By the beginning of the 20th century; however, the area had been developed for housing and, on 10 October 1905, the District Railway (DR) opened the station to serve these new developments and in preparation for the opening of the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
(GNP&BR, now the Piccadilly Line), then under construction.
The GNP&BR began operations on 15 December 1906, running between Hammersmith and Finsbury Park
. The GNP&BR tracks come to the surface east of Barons Court and the station has two island platforms to provide an interchange between the two lines - the inner pair of tracks is used by the Piccadilly Line and the outer tracks by the District Line.
The station building was constructed to a design by Harry Ford in a style similar to that used at Earl's Court and Hammersmith and is now a Grade II listed building as it retains many of its original features, including terracotta facing and Art Nouveau
lettering. The wooden benches on the platform with the station name along the back on enamelled metal panels are a unique feature on the entire London Underground.
(died 1806) and his English wife Elizabeth
(the Margravine, the widow of the 6th Baron Craven
). They had a home at Brandenburg House immediately to the west of the site of Charing Cross Hospital
. The Margravine died in 1828 and is commemorated by a number of roads in the area (Margravine Road and Margravine Gardens) and the Margrave possibly by Barons Court Road although the approximate equivalent rank in the British peerage to Margrave is a Marquess
.
The name Barons Court is probably inspired by the Baronscourt estate in Ireland, where Sir William Palliser, who built the entire area, had connections. As well as Palliser Road itself, all the roads in the area are named after members of his family.
Perham Road - his wife
Charleville Road - his cousins, the Earls of Charleville
Gledstanes Road - his mother
Barton Road - his grandmother
Challoner Street - his great-grandmother
Fairholme Road - his married sister
Vereker Road - his married aunt, wife of Viscount Gort
Comeragh Road - after the family estate in Ireland
Castletown Road - after the Baronets Pallisers' estate in Ireland
Sir William's brother, John Palliser (the explorer) inherited the Comeragh estate in County Waterford. Sir William did not have an Irish estate of his own. Instead, he tried to develop this London estate. He died very suddenly on 4 February 1882, and the lawyers had a field day, selling everything off, including the 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) which would become the Queen's Club. Sir William was heavily in debt, though if he had not died so suddenly and had managed to sell many of the houses he could have been a wealthy man. As it was, the family ended up with nothing.
A book in the Society of Genealogists, annotated in pencil by R. Burnet Morris who knew Sir William personally, provides a history of the area. Morris declared Barons Court was named "after Sir William's Irish Estates". As a result, unlike its neighbouring station, Earl's Court
, Barons Court is written without an apostrophe.
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 West Kensington
West Kensington
- Commercial/education :Local business consists of small shops, offices and restaurants, with the Olympia Exhibition Centre nearby. Indeed, it is the mix of local shops that give the area its character....
, Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. This station services the District Line
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...
and the Piccadilly Line
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...
. The station is located on Gliddon Road, a short distance from Talgarth Road (A4) in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
. Barons Court is between West Kensington
West Kensington tube station
West Kensington is a London Underground District Line station in West Kensington. It is located in North End Road close to the junction of that road and West Cromwell Road/Talgarth Road ....
and Hammersmith on the District Line, and between Earl's Court
Earl's Court tube station
Earl's Court tube station is a London Underground station in Earls Court. The station is located between Earls Court Road and Warwick Road . It is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1 and 2 and is in both zones....
and Hammersmith on the Piccadilly Line. It is in Travelcard Zone 2
Travelcard Zone 2
Fare zone 2 is an inner 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.-Background:...
. East of the station, the Piccadilly line descends into tunnel towards Earl's Court and the District line continues on the surface to West Kensington. The station is the last overground stop for eastbound trains on the Piccadilly line
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 has a Cross-platform interchange
Cross-platform interchange
A cross-platform interchange is a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system. The term originates with the London Underground; such layouts exist in other networks but are not commonly so named...
with the District line
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...
.
History
The tracks through Barons Court were first opened on 9 September 1874 when 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) opened an extension from Earl's Court to Hammersmith. When the line was constructed the area now known as Barons Court was open fields and market gardens
Market gardening
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
to the west of the settlement of North End and there was no call for a station between West Kensington and Hammersmith. By the beginning of the 20th century; however, the area had been developed for housing and, on 10 October 1905, the District Railway (DR) opened the station to serve these new developments and in preparation for the opening of the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
The Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway , also known as the Piccadilly tube, was a railway company established in 1902 that constructed a deep-level underground "tube" railway in London. The GNP&BR was formed through a merger of two older companies, the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus...
(GNP&BR, now the Piccadilly Line), then under construction.
The GNP&BR began operations on 15 December 1906, running between Hammersmith and Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park station
Finsbury Park Station is a busy transport interchange in North London. The interchange consists of an interconnected National Rail station, London Underground station and two bus stations. The main entrances are by the eastern bus station on Station Place...
. The GNP&BR tracks come to the surface east of Barons Court and the station has two island platforms to provide an interchange between the two lines - the inner pair of tracks is used by the Piccadilly Line and the outer tracks by the District Line.
The station building was constructed to a design by Harry Ford in a style similar to that used at Earl's Court and Hammersmith and is now a Grade II listed building as it retains many of its original features, including terracotta facing and Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
lettering. The wooden benches on the platform with the station name along the back on enamelled metal panels are a unique feature on the entire London Underground.
Name
Many people mistakenly believe that name Barons Court is inspired by Earl's Court to the east and the association of the area in the early 19th century with the Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachChristian Frederick Charles Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Christian Frederick Charles Alexander was the last Margrave of the two Franconian principalities Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, which he sold to the King of Prussia, a fellow member of the House of Hohenzollern.-Life:His parents were Charles William...
(died 1806) and his English wife Elizabeth
Elizabeth Craven
Elizabeth Craven , Princess Berkeley , previously "Lady Craven" of Hamstead Marshall, was an author, playwright, traveller, and socialite, perhaps best known for her travelogues...
(the Margravine, the widow of the 6th Baron Craven
William Craven, 6th Baron Craven
William Craven, 6th Baron Craven was an English nobleman.He was the son of Rev John Craven of Staunton Lacy in Shropshire and succeeded his uncle, William Craven, as Baron Craven in 1769...
). They had a home at Brandenburg House immediately to the west of the site of Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
. The Margravine died in 1828 and is commemorated by a number of roads in the area (Margravine Road and Margravine Gardens) and the Margrave possibly by Barons Court Road although the approximate equivalent rank in the British peerage to Margrave is a Marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
.
The name Barons Court is probably inspired by the Baronscourt estate in Ireland, where Sir William Palliser, who built the entire area, had connections. As well as Palliser Road itself, all the roads in the area are named after members of his family.
Perham Road - his wife
Charleville Road - his cousins, the Earls of Charleville
Gledstanes Road - his mother
Barton Road - his grandmother
Challoner Street - his great-grandmother
Fairholme Road - his married sister
Vereker Road - his married aunt, wife of Viscount Gort
Comeragh Road - after the family estate in Ireland
Castletown Road - after the Baronets Pallisers' estate in Ireland
Sir William's brother, John Palliser (the explorer) inherited the Comeragh estate in County Waterford. Sir William did not have an Irish estate of his own. Instead, he tried to develop this London estate. He died very suddenly on 4 February 1882, and the lawyers had a field day, selling everything off, including the 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) which would become the Queen's Club. Sir William was heavily in debt, though if he had not died so suddenly and had managed to sell many of the houses he could have been a wealthy man. As it was, the family ended up with nothing.
A book in the Society of Genealogists, annotated in pencil by R. Burnet Morris who knew Sir William personally, provides a history of the area. Morris declared Barons Court was named "after Sir William's Irish Estates". As a result, unlike its neighbouring station, Earl's Court
Earl's Court tube station
Earl's Court tube station is a London Underground station in Earls Court. The station is located between Earls Court Road and Warwick Road . It is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1 and 2 and is in both zones....
, Barons Court is written without an apostrophe.
Services
The typical off-peak service from this station is as follows:- 6 tph to Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 tube stationHeathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 is a London Underground station at Heathrow Airport on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line. The station is situated in Travelcard Zone 6.-History:...
and 5Heathrow Terminal 5 stationHeathrow Terminal 5 station is a shared railway station at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 which was opened on 27 March 2008. It was designed by architects HOK International in conjunction with Rogers, Stirk, Harbour & Partners....
via Acton TownActon Town tube stationActon 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 and Bollo Lane and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
(Piccadilly LinePiccadilly LineThe 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...
) - 6tph to Heathrow Terminals 4Heathrow Terminal 4 tube stationHeathrow Terminal 4 is a London Underground station at Heathrow Airport on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line. The station is situated in Travelcard Zone 6.The station opened on the 12 April 1986 to serve the then recently opened Heathrow Terminal 4...
and 1,2,3Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 tube stationHeathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 is a London Underground station at Heathrow Airport on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line. The station is situated in Travelcard Zone 6.-History:...
via Acton TownActon Town tube stationActon 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 and Bollo Lane and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
(Piccadilly LinePiccadilly LineThe 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...
) - 3 tph to Rayners LaneRayners Lane tube stationRayners Lane is a London Underground station in the district of Rayners Lane in north west London, amid a 1930s development originally named Harrow Garden Village. The station is on the Uxbridge branch of both the Metropolitan Line, between Eastcote and West Harrow stations, and the Piccadilly...
via Acton TownActon Town tube stationActon 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 and Bollo Lane and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
(Piccadilly LinePiccadilly LineThe 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...
) - 3 tph to UxbridgeUxbridge tube stationUxbridge 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...
via Acton TownActon Town tube stationActon 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 and Bollo Lane and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
and Rayners LaneRayners Lane tube stationRayners Lane is a London Underground station in the district of Rayners Lane in north west London, amid a 1930s development originally named Harrow Garden Village. The station is on the Uxbridge branch of both the Metropolitan Line, between Eastcote and West Harrow stations, and the Piccadilly...
(Piccadilly LinePiccadilly LineThe 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...
) - 6tph to NorthfieldsNorthfields tube stationNorthfields 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...
via Acton TownActon Town tube stationActon 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 and Bollo Lane and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
(Piccadilly LinePiccadilly LineThe 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...
) - 18 tph to CockfostersCockfosters tube stationCockfosters is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly Line for which it is the northern terminus. The station is located on Cockfosters Road approximately 9 miles from central London and serves Cockfosters in the London Borough of Barnet although it is actually located a short distance...
via Central London (Piccadilly LinePiccadilly LineThe 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...
) - 6 tph to Arnos GroveArnos Grove tube stationArnos Grove is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly line between Bounds Green and Southgate. It is in Travelcard Zone 4 and is located in Arnos Grove, near Arnos Park on Bowes Road, London. The station and surrounding neighbourhood of Arnos Grove take their names from the Arnos Grove...
via Central London (Piccadilly LinePiccadilly LineThe 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...
)
- 6 tph to Ealing BroadwayEaling Broadway stationEaling Broadway is an east-west National Rail and London Underground station in Ealing in west London. The station is located in Haven Green , at the termination of The Broadway, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
via Acton TownActon Town tube stationActon 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 and Bollo Lane and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
(District LineDistrict LineThe 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...
) - 6 tph to RichmondRichmond station (London)Richmond station is a National Rail and London Underground station in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London which is managed by South West Trains....
(District LineDistrict LineThe 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...
) - 6 tph to Tower HillTower Hill tube stationTower Hill is a London Underground station at Tower Hill in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1 and near the Tower of London...
(District LineDistrict LineThe 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...
) - 6 tph to UpminsterUpminster stationUpminster station is a London Underground and National Rail station located in Upminster in the London Borough of Havering and in London fare zone 6. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is the easternmost station on the London Underground network and the eastern terminus of the District...
via Tower HillTower Hill tube stationTower Hill is a London Underground station at Tower Hill in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1 and near the Tower of London...
(District LineDistrict LineThe 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...
)
Nearby places
- Ealing, Hammersmith and West London CollegeEaling, Hammersmith and West London CollegeEaling, Hammersmith & West London College is a college of further education based across four campuses located in Acton, Ealing, Hammersmith and Southall districts of London, England. The college provides education for over 25,000 students, and it is a member of the 157 Group of high performing...
's Hammersmith site is across Talgarth Road on Gliddon Road. - The Queen's Club, location of the AEGON Championships tennis tournament, is at the end of Palliser Road.
- The London Academy of Music and Dramatic ArtLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic ArtThe London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art is a leading British drama school in west London. LAMDA's president is Timothy West and its new principal is Joanna Read, who recently succeeded Peter James...
, (LAMDA), is on the Talgarth Road. - Margravine Cemetery http://www.margravinecemetery.org.uk
External links
- London's Transport Museum Photographic Archive
- In the distance can be seen the Great Ferris wheel at Earl's Court exhibition ground.