Southfields tube station
Encyclopedia
Southfields is a London Underground
station in Southfields
in the London Borough of Wandsworth
. The station is on the District Line
between and stations. The station is located on Wimbledon Park Road at the junction with Augustus Road and Replingham Road. It is in Travelcard Zone 3
.
Southfields is the most convenient station from which to reach the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
, venue of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships
; station is slightly closer as the crow flies but requires a longer walk.
(MDR, now the District Line) on 3 June 1889 on an extension from Putney Bridge
station to . The extension was built by the London and South Western Railway
(L&SWR) which, starting on 1 July 1889, ran its own trains over the line from a connection at East Putney to its to line.
The section of the District Line from Putney Bridge to Wimbledon was the last part of the line to be converted from steam operation to electric. Electric trains began running on 27 August 1905.
Mainline services through Southfields were ended by the Southern Railway
(successor to the L&SWR) on 4 May 1941, although the line remained in British Rail
ownership until 1 April 1994 when it was transferred to London Underground. Until the transfer, the station was branded as a British Rail station.
The route from Wimbledon to Point Pleasant junction, Putney is still used by South West Trains for empty stock movements and occasional service train diversions, as well as three daily SWT services which run to and from Waterloo via the route in the early hours of the morning, so SWT trains pass through Southfields station on a daily basis, but without stopping. There are very infrequent movements of Network Rail civil engineering trains and light engine movements through the station as well.
in 2012 when the Olympic Tennis Tournament will be held at the All England Club. Overall refurbishment and extension works to the station started in March 2009, and finished in late 2010. The shops formerly located on the eastern side of the street-level building were demolished and the site used for a new ticket office, relocated from the western side of the booking hall. A new standard Underground ticket gateline has been installed.
Line 2 is built, it may follow the Chelsea-Hackney line
route which would see it go through Southfields Station and supplement or replace the existing District Line service.
. The left side of the staircase at Southfields was widened (with the extension being built out of wood rather than brick construction) the pillar in the left side of the staircase was originally an external feature. A second doorway was opened up to the west of the original doorway into the ticket office area and a short footbridge was built from the top of the staircase over the railway to Wimbledon Park Road. (In recent times the footbridge had been closed and used as a storage area but after London Underground took over the station they reopened it as an exit.) The southern end of the waiting room on the platform has been converted into a kiosk and the rest of the building is used for LUL staff accommodation. There is therefore no enclosed public waiting facility on the platform.
When Southfields Station was transferred from British Rail to London Underground a temporary ticket office was built to the west of the station above the track and the parapet wall of the bridge was removed. This temporary ticket office and the floor it was on have now been removed, but the supporting steelwork that held them up is still there and was used to support a number of temporary structures in connection with the station refurbishment works.
The station platform undergoes a makeover each year to coincide with the tournament, funded by a particular company for advertising purposes. For instance, in 2006, the station platform was covered in red flooring, as were the benches, because of American Express
's advertising campaign for a credit card
that supports an AIDS
charity
. In 2005, Televisions were installed and played non-stop adverts, also for American Express
. In 2009, the makeover was funded by HSBC
. In 2010 it was funded by Asda
and advertised their strawberries.
and the 493.
The 39 bus runs from to station via Wandsworth
, Southfields and .
The 493 bus runs from St George's Hospital
to Richmond via , , , , Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
, Southfields, Putney Heath, , , Richmond Bus Station and .
The 156
bus and the N87 night bus route both run along Merton Road, which is five minutes walk from Southfields Station.
During the two weeks of Wimbledon Tennis
a shuttle bus runs from Southfields Station to the tennis courts. Travelcards and bus passes are not accepted on this bus.
The 639 limited schooldays-only bus service runs from Clapham Junction to John Paul II School via Southfields.
The automated train announcements on board LUL's trains state, incorrectly, that Southfields is the station at which to alight "for the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club" (the correct short form is "The All England Lawn Tennis Club") as it is an easy 10–15 minutes' walk along a main road to the club and Southfields is better set up for large crowds than Wimbledon Park 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 Southfields
Southfields
Southfields is a suburban district in the London Borough of Wandsworth, England, situated 5.6 miles south-west of Charing Cross where Serena Frazer lives. Southfields is located partly in the SW18 postcode area and partly in SW19....
in the London Borough of Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
. The station is on 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...
between and stations. The station is located on Wimbledon Park Road at the junction with Augustus Road and Replingham Road. It 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...
.
Southfields is the most convenient station from which to reach the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club , also known as the All-England Club, based at Aorangi Park, Wimbledon, London, England, is a private members club. It is best known as the venue for the Wimbledon Championships, the only Grand Slam tennis event still held on grass...
, venue of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
; station is slightly closer as the crow flies but requires a longer walk.
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) on 3 June 1889 on an extension from Putney Bridge
Putney Bridge tube station
Putney Bridge is a London Underground station on the branch of the District Line. It is between and stations and is in Zone 2. The station is located in the south of Fulham, adjacent to Fulham High Street and New Kings Road and is a short distance from the north end of Putney Bridge from which...
station to . The extension was built by the London and South Western Railway
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) which, starting on 1 July 1889, ran its own trains over the line from a connection at East Putney to its to line.
The section of the District Line from Putney Bridge to Wimbledon was the last part of the line to be converted from steam operation to electric. Electric trains began running on 27 August 1905.
Mainline services through Southfields were ended by the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
(successor to the L&SWR) on 4 May 1941, although the line remained in British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ownership until 1 April 1994 when it was transferred to London Underground. Until the transfer, the station was branded as a British Rail station.
The route from Wimbledon to Point Pleasant junction, Putney is still used by South West Trains for empty stock movements and occasional service train diversions, as well as three daily SWT services which run to and from Waterloo via the route in the early hours of the morning, so SWT trains pass through Southfields station on a daily basis, but without stopping. There are very infrequent movements of Network Rail civil engineering trains and light engine movements through the station as well.
Developments
A lift from the platform to the ticket office/exit level has been installed (operational from 21 June 2010) as the station will be heavily used during the Olympic Games2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
in 2012 when the Olympic Tennis Tournament will be held at the All England Club. Overall refurbishment and extension works to the station started in March 2009, and finished in late 2010. The shops formerly located on the eastern side of the street-level building were demolished and the site used for a new ticket office, relocated from the western side of the booking hall. A new standard Underground ticket gateline has been installed.
Future developments
If CrossrailCrossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
Line 2 is built, it may follow the Chelsea-Hackney line
Chelsea-Hackney Line
The Chelsea–Hackney line is a safeguarded route for an underground railway running from south-west London to north-east London...
route which would see it go through Southfields Station and supplement or replace the existing District Line service.
Design Changes
Southfields Station and station are of almost identical original design, although a mirror image of one another, but both stations have since been altered. Southfields Station has changed the most due to high passenger traffic during Wimbledon TennisThe Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
. The left side of the staircase at Southfields was widened (with the extension being built out of wood rather than brick construction) the pillar in the left side of the staircase was originally an external feature. A second doorway was opened up to the west of the original doorway into the ticket office area and a short footbridge was built from the top of the staircase over the railway to Wimbledon Park Road. (In recent times the footbridge had been closed and used as a storage area but after London Underground took over the station they reopened it as an exit.) The southern end of the waiting room on the platform has been converted into a kiosk and the rest of the building is used for LUL staff accommodation. There is therefore no enclosed public waiting facility on the platform.
When Southfields Station was transferred from British Rail to London Underground a temporary ticket office was built to the west of the station above the track and the parapet wall of the bridge was removed. This temporary ticket office and the floor it was on have now been removed, but the supporting steelwork that held them up is still there and was used to support a number of temporary structures in connection with the station refurbishment works.
The station platform undergoes a makeover each year to coincide with the tournament, funded by a particular company for advertising purposes. For instance, in 2006, the station platform was covered in red flooring, as were the benches, because of American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
's advertising campaign for a credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
that supports an AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. In 2005, Televisions were installed and played non-stop adverts, also for American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
. In 2009, the makeover was funded by HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
. In 2010 it was funded by Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
and advertised their strawberries.
Services and Connections
As well as the District Line, Southfields Station is also served by two bus routes: the 39London Buses route 39
London Buses route 39 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
and the 493.
The 39 bus runs from to station via Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
, Southfields and .
The 493 bus runs from St George's Hospital
St George's Hospital
Founded in 1733, St George’s Hospital is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals. It shares its main hospital site in Tooting, England with the St George's, University of London which trains NHS staff and carries out advanced medical research....
to Richmond via , , , , Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club , also known as the All-England Club, based at Aorangi Park, Wimbledon, London, England, is a private members club. It is best known as the venue for the Wimbledon Championships, the only Grand Slam tennis event still held on grass...
, Southfields, Putney Heath, , , Richmond Bus Station and .
The 156
London Buses route 156
London Buses route 156 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London.-History:...
bus and the N87 night bus route both run along Merton Road, which is five minutes walk from Southfields Station.
During the two weeks of Wimbledon Tennis
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
a shuttle bus runs from Southfields Station to the tennis courts. Travelcards and bus passes are not accepted on this bus.
The 639 limited schooldays-only bus service runs from Clapham Junction to John Paul II School via Southfields.
The automated train announcements on board LUL's trains state, incorrectly, that Southfields is the station at which to alight "for the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club" (the correct short form is "The All England Lawn Tennis Club") as it is an easy 10–15 minutes' walk along a main road to the club and Southfields is better set up for large crowds than Wimbledon Park station.