Hounslow East tube station
Encyclopedia
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 bus garage is a short walk to the south. It is in Travelcard Zone 4
.
The route through Hounslow East station was opened by the Metropolitan District Railway
(MDR, now the District Line
) on 21 July 1884 as a branch to Hounslow Barracks
(now Hounslow West). The branch line was constructed as single track from the MDR's existing route to Hounslow Town
station located at the eastern end of Hounslow High Street where the bus garage is now located. That station had opened in 1883. Initially the branch to Hounslow Barracks had no stations between there and Osterley & Spring Grove
(now Osterley).
Hounslow Town station was closed on 31 March 1886 and Heston & Hounslow station (now Hounslow Central), opened as its replacement the following day, 1 April 1886.
In 1903 Hounslow Town was reopened and trains would be divided at Osterley with part running to Hounslow West and the other part to Hounslow Town as a short shuttle. 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. When the branch was electrified, the track between Osterley and Hounslow Central was closed and a new loop was opened from Hounslow Town back to Hounslow Central. Trains would run from Osterley to Hounslow Town then reverse and run to Hounslow West.
This method of operation was unsuccessful and short-lived. On 2 May 1909 the track between Hounslow Central and Osterley was reopened with Hounslow East station (initially called Hounslow Town) as a new station located about 300m west of the loop to the old station. The old Hounslow Town station and its two loop tracks were closed for good.
On 1 December 1925 the station was given its present name at the same time that Hounslow West and Hounslow Central received their current names.
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 From this date, the branch was operated jointly by both lines until District Line services were withdrawn on 9 October 1964.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 station has recently been rebuilt with a modern glass enclosed ticket hall on the south side of the tracks replacing the small 1909 station entrance located on the north side.
It frequently plays classical music on the platforms PA system as part of an experiment to discourage unsocial activities at the 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 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...
designed by Acanthus LW Architects.
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 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...
and Osterley
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...
. The station is located on Kingsley Road about 400m north of Hounslow High Street. Hounslow bus garage is a short walk to the south. It is in Travelcard Zone 4
Travelcard Zone 4
Fare zone 4 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...
.
History
- The history of the station is linked to that of Hounslow TownHounslow Town tube stationHounslow 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...
which it replaced in 1909.
The route through Hounslow East station was opened by 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...
(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 as a branch to Hounslow Barracks
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...
(now Hounslow West). The branch line was constructed as single track 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 located at the eastern end of Hounslow High Street where the bus garage is now located. That station had opened in 1883. Initially the branch to Hounslow Barracks had no stations between there 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).
Hounslow Town station was closed on 31 March 1886 and Heston & Hounslow station (now Hounslow Central), opened as its replacement the following day, 1 April 1886.
In 1903 Hounslow Town was reopened and trains would be divided at Osterley with part running to Hounslow West and the other part to Hounslow Town as a short shuttle. 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. When the branch was electrified, the track between Osterley and Hounslow Central was closed and a new loop was opened from Hounslow Town back to Hounslow Central. Trains would run from Osterley to Hounslow Town then reverse and run to Hounslow West.
On 1 December 1925 the station was given its present name at the same time that Hounslow West and Hounslow Central received their current names.
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.
The station has recently been rebuilt with a modern glass enclosed ticket hall on the south side of the tracks replacing the small 1909 station entrance located on the north side.
It frequently plays classical music on the platforms PA system as part of an experiment to discourage unsocial activities at the station.