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Shepherd's Bush railway station (L&SWR)
Encyclopedia
Shepherd's Bush is a closed London and South Western Railway
(L&SWR) station in Shepherd's Bush
, west London
. The station was situated on the L&SWR's line between Richmond
(now the District Line
) and the West London Joint Railway
(WLJR). It was between Hammersmith (Grove Road) station
and Addison Road (now Kensington Olympia) station.
) adjacent to Sulgrave Road.
Services to central London ran via a circuitous route to Waterloo
and the station was, from its beginning, subject to competition for passengers from the more direct routes available from nearby Metropolitan Railway
(MR) stations at Shepherd's Bush Market (then called simply Shepherd's Bush), and Uxbridge Road
. On the section of the Richmond line to the west through Ravenscourt Park
and Turnham Green
the L&SWR service competed, from 1877, with the Metropolitan District Railway
's (MDR's, now the District Line
) more direct service via Earl's Court
.
Competition became stronger when the Central London Railway
(CLR, now the Central Line) opened its own station
just to the north of Shepherd's Bush Green in 1900 and the MR opened a new station at Goldhawk Road
in 1914. The L&SWR station and line closed on 3 June 1916.
In 1919, the CLR published plans to build a tunneled link to the disused L&SWR tracks south-west of the station so that it might run trains to Richmond
via Hammersmith (Grove Road) station
and Turnham Green
. Although authorization was granted in 1920, the connection was never realized.
The route was finally abandoned around 1930 to enable the extension of the Piccadilly line to take over the track between Ravenscourt Park and Turnham Green. The tracks between Ravenscourt Park and Kensington Olympia were removed and the land sold for redevelopment. Since then much of the route has been built on in the following decades so that little is left to indicate the route except for the curving alignment of Sulgrave Road and Minford Gardens and the bridge in Shepherd's Bush Road where it crossed over the tracks. The site of the station was redeveloped in the 1960s and is occupied by a block of flats.
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(L&SWR) station in Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
, 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 was situated on the L&SWR's line between Richmond
Richmond 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....
(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...
) and the West London Joint Railway
West London Line
The West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
(WLJR). It was between Hammersmith (Grove Road) station
Hammersmith (Grove Road) station
Hammersmith railway station was on the London and South Western Railway . It was located in Grove Road , Hammersmith, adjacent to the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines station....
and Addison Road (now Kensington Olympia) station.
History
The station opened on 1 January 1869 when the L&SWR line was opened. The line ran in an arc with the station near its apex, located in a shallow cutting on the west side of Shepherd's Bush Road (A219A219 road
The A219, is a road in West London, England, which connects the A404 Harrow Road in Harlesden to the A24 in South Wimbledon. Running from North to South, it starts near Willesden Junction station, crosses the Grand Union Canal and runs through Shepherd's Bush, Hammersmith and Fulham, crossing the...
) adjacent to Sulgrave Road.
Services to central London ran via a circuitous route to Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
and the station was, from its beginning, subject to competition for passengers from the more direct routes available from nearby Metropolitan Railway
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
(MR) stations at Shepherd's Bush Market (then called simply Shepherd's Bush), and Uxbridge Road
Uxbridge Road tube station
Uxbridge Road was a London Underground station on a branch of the Metropolitan Line. It was located at the eastern end of the Uxbridge Road in Shepherd's Bush, west London, UK, just before the start of Holland Park Avenue, a short distance from Shepherd's Bush station on the Central Line...
. On the section of the Richmond line to the west through Ravenscourt Park
Ravenscourt Park tube station
Ravenscourt Park is a London Underground station located in west Hammersmith, west London. The station is served by the District Line and is between Hammersmith and Stamford Brook stations....
and Turnham Green
Turnham 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...
the L&SWR service competed, from 1877, with the Metropolitan District Railway
Metropolitan 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...
's (MDR's, 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...
) more direct service via 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....
.
Competition became stronger when the Central London Railway
Central Line
The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
(CLR, now the Central Line) opened its own station
Shepherd's Bush tube station (Central Line)
Shepherd's Bush is a London Underground station in the district of Shepherd's Bush, which is located in west London, England, United Kingdom. The station is on the Central Line, between and stations, and it lies in Travelcard Zone 2....
just to the north of Shepherd's Bush Green in 1900 and the MR opened a new station at Goldhawk Road
Goldhawk Road tube station
Goldhawk Road station is a London Underground station located in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, on the south side of Goldhawk Road, about 250m west of Shepherd's Bush Green...
in 1914. The L&SWR station and line closed on 3 June 1916.
In 1919, the CLR published plans to build a tunneled link to the disused L&SWR tracks south-west of the station so that it might run trains to Richmond
Richmond 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....
via Hammersmith (Grove Road) station
Hammersmith (Grove Road) station
Hammersmith railway station was on the London and South Western Railway . It was located in Grove Road , Hammersmith, adjacent to the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines station....
and Turnham Green
Turnham 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...
. Although authorization was granted in 1920, the connection was never realized.
The route was finally abandoned around 1930 to enable the extension of the Piccadilly line to take over the track between Ravenscourt Park and Turnham Green. The tracks between Ravenscourt Park and Kensington Olympia were removed and the land sold for redevelopment. Since then much of the route has been built on in the following decades so that little is left to indicate the route except for the curving alignment of Sulgrave Road and Minford Gardens and the bridge in Shepherd's Bush Road where it crossed over the tracks. The site of the station was redeveloped in the 1960s and is occupied by a block of flats.