Hounslow West tube station
Encyclopedia
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 (A3006) about 600m from the junction of Bath Road, Great West Road
(A4) and Great South West Road (A30). It is in Travelcard Zone 5
.
(MDR, now the District line
) on 21 July 1884. The station was originally named Hounslow Barracks in reference to the Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow
south of the station on Beavers Lane. The station was the terminus of a single track branch line constructed from the MDR's existing route to Hounslow Town
station (now closed) on Hounslow High Street.
The branch line diverged from the main route about 300m east of Hounslow East
station, although Hounslow East was not opened until later and when the branch opened there were no intermediate stations between Hounslow Barracks and Osterley & Spring Grove
(now Osterley).
Electrification
of the MDR's tracks took place between 1903 and 1905 with electric trains
replacing steam trains
on the Hounslow branch from 13 June 1905. On 1 December 1925 the station was given its present name at the same time that Hounslow Central and Hounslow East received their current names.
During 1930 and 1931 a new station building was constructed facing on to Bath Road to replace the original building which was parallel with the tracks and set back at an angle from the road. The new building, by the Underground's architect Stanley Heaps
in conjunction with Charles Holden
in a style reminiscent of Holden's designs for the 1926 Morden extension
of the City & South London Railway
(now part of the Northern line
), was constructed in Portland stone and features a tall heptagonal ticket hall with glazed screens to all sides. The original building was gradually demolished as the new one was built and the new building opened on 5 July 1931. The building is very similar to the reconstructed station at Ealing Common
built at the same time, also by Heaps and Holden.
Piccadilly line services, which had been running as far as Northfields
since January 1933 were extended to run to Hounslow West on 13 March 1933. From this date, the branch was operated jointly by both lines until District Line services were withdrawn on 9 October 1964.
. The original alignment of the tracks and platforms at Hounslow West was southwestwards. If the tracks had been extended directly on that alignment, much of residential west Hounslow would have been demolished to reach the airport. Instead, a route needing little demolition was found by following the Bath Road and Great South West Road in a cut and cover tunnel
in a trench alongside the road.
The first phase of the extension works was to build two new platforms at Hounslow West in a covered trench with a more westerly alignment to reach the chosen route. The new platforms were adjacent and to the north of the existing three and the access from the 1930s station building was extended to reach them. The new platforms were brought into use on 14 July 1975 and the line was opened as far as Hatton Cross five days later on 19 July 1975.
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 Hounslow
Hounslow
Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.-Etymology:...
in 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...
. The station is on the Heathrow branch of 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...
, between Hatton Cross
Hatton Cross tube station
Hatton Cross tube station is on the Heathrow branch of the London Underground Piccadilly line. It is in Travelcard Zones 5 and 6 and stands between the Great South West Road and the Heathrow Airport Southern Perimeter Road....
and Hounslow Central
Hounslow Central tube station
Hounslow Central is a London Underground station in Hounslow in west London. The station is on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line, between Hounslow West and Hounslow East stations. The station is located on Lampton Road about 500m north of Hounslow High Street and close to Lampton Park...
stations. The station is located on Bath Road (A3006) about 600m from the junction of Bath Road, Great West Road
Great West Road
The Great West Road may refer to:*A4 road from London to Bath and Bristol, England*The Golden Mile in West London, part of the above*Great West Road, Zambia...
(A4) and Great South West Road (A30). It is in Travelcard Zone 5
Travelcard Zone 5
Fare zone 5 is an outer 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. The zone was created in May 1983 and in January 1991 part...
.
History
The station was opened 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
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...
) on 21 July 1884. The station was originally named Hounslow Barracks in reference to the Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow
Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow
Cavalry Barracks is a British Army installation located north of Hounslow Heath in Hounslow, west London. The site, which has been used for more than two centuries by the British Army, is currently part of the Ministry of Defence's SLAM project to improve military accommodation...
south of the station on Beavers Lane. The station was the terminus of a single track branch line constructed from the MDR's existing route to Hounslow Town
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...
station (now closed) on Hounslow High Street.
The branch line diverged from the main route about 300m east of Hounslow East
Hounslow East tube station
Hounslow East is a London Underground station in Hounslow in west London designed by Acanthus LW Architects.The station is on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line, between Hounslow Central and Osterley. The station is located on Kingsley Road about 400m north of Hounslow High Street. Hounslow...
station, although Hounslow East was not opened until later and when the branch opened there were no intermediate stations between Hounslow Barracks and Osterley & Spring Grove
Osterley tube station
Osterley is a London Underground station in Osterley in west London. The station is on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line, between Boston Manor and Hounslow East. The station is located on Great West Road close to the National Trust-owned Osterley Park. It is in Travelcard Zone 4...
(now Osterley).
Electrification
Electrification
Electrification originally referred to the build out of the electrical generating and distribution systems which occurred in the United States, England and other countries from the mid 1880's until around 1940 and is in progress in developing countries. This also included the change over from line...
of the MDR's tracks took place between 1903 and 1905 with electric trains
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
replacing steam trains
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
on the Hounslow branch from 13 June 1905. On 1 December 1925 the station was given its present name at the same time that Hounslow Central and Hounslow East received their current names.
During 1930 and 1931 a new station building was constructed facing on to Bath Road to replace the original building which was parallel with the tracks and set back at an angle from the road. The new building, by the Underground's architect Stanley Heaps
Stanley Heaps
Stanley A. Heaps was an English architect responsible for the design of a number of stations on the London Underground system as well as the design of train depots and bus and trolleybus garages for London Transport.-Works:...
in conjunction with 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 style reminiscent of Holden's designs for the 1926 Morden extension
Morden tube station
Morden is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network. The next station north is...
of the 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...
(now part of the Northern line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
), was constructed in Portland stone and features a tall heptagonal ticket hall with glazed screens to all sides. The original building was gradually demolished as the new one was built and the new building opened on 5 July 1931. The building is very similar to the reconstructed station at 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...
built at the same time, also by Heaps and Holden.
Piccadilly line services, which had been running as far as 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...
since January 1933 were extended to run to Hounslow West on 13 March 1933. From this date, the branch was operated jointly by both lines until District Line services were withdrawn on 9 October 1964.
Heathrow extension
In the early 1970s works began on extending the Piccadilly Line from Hounslow West to Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
. The original alignment of the tracks and platforms at Hounslow West was southwestwards. If the tracks had been extended directly on that alignment, much of residential west Hounslow would have been demolished to reach the airport. Instead, a route needing little demolition was found by following the Bath Road and Great South West Road in a cut and cover tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
in a trench alongside the road.
The first phase of the extension works was to build two new platforms at Hounslow West in a covered trench with a more westerly alignment to reach the chosen route. The new platforms were adjacent and to the north of the existing three and the access from the 1930s station building was extended to reach them. The new platforms were brought into use on 14 July 1975 and the line was opened as far as Hatton Cross five days later on 19 July 1975.
See also
- Map showing operational dates for lines and stations in Hounslow