Hounslow Town tube station
Encyclopedia
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. Its site is now occupied by Hounslow bus garage.
(MDR, now the District Line
) on 1 May 1883 as the terminus of a new extension of the MDR from Acton Town
. The station was constructed with the intention of continuing the line south to join the tracks of the London and South Western Railway
(L&SWR) close to Hounslow station
. To facilitate this the tracks were built at an elevated level in readiness to cross the High Street via a bridge. The L&SWR objected to the MDR connecting to its tracks as the new MDR route to central London would compete with its own route to Waterloo
and the extension was never undertaken.
In 1884 a branch was constructed from shortly north of Hounslow Town to Hounslow Barracks
(now Hounslow West). The branch line was constructed as single track and at first had no intermediate stations between the terminus and Osterley & Spring Grove
(now Osterley).
Following its failure to extend south from Hounslow Town, the MDR turned its attention to the new Barracks branch and closed Hounslow Town station on 31 March 1886 less than three years after it had been opened. A new station, Heston & Hounslow
(now Hounslow Central), was opened on the Barracks branch as its replacement the following day, 1 April 1886.
In 1903 Hounslow Town was reopened. Trains were 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 a new Hounslow Town
station (now Hounslow East) about 300m west of the loop to the old station. The old Hounslow Town station and its two loop tracks were closed for good.
Today, nothing remains of the old Hounslow Town station and the site is now occupied by Hounslow Bus Station (operated by London United Busways), and a sign in front of the bus station gives a brief history of the station. The Garage itself is now planned to be extensively rebuilt 2007.
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 was at the east end of Hounslow High Street at the junction with Kingsley Road. Its site is now occupied by Hounslow bus garage.
History
Hounslow Town 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 1 May 1883 as the terminus of a new extension of the MDR from Acton Town
Acton Town tube station
Acton 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:...
. The station was constructed with the intention of continuing the line south to join the tracks of 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) close to Hounslow station
Hounslow railway station
Hounslow railway station, on the Hounslow Loop Line, is in the London Borough of Hounslow, in west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. It was opened by the London and South Western Railway on 1 February 1850 on completion of...
. To facilitate this the tracks were built at an elevated level in readiness to cross the High Street via a bridge. The L&SWR objected to the MDR connecting to its tracks as the new MDR route to central London would compete with its own 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 extension was never undertaken.
In 1884 a branch was constructed from shortly north of Hounslow Town 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 and at first had no intermediate stations between the terminus 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).
Following its failure to extend south from Hounslow Town, the MDR turned its attention to the new Barracks branch and closed Hounslow Town station on 31 March 1886 less than three years after it had been opened. A new station, Heston & Hounslow
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...
(now Hounslow Central), was opened on the Barracks branch as its replacement the following day, 1 April 1886.
In 1903 Hounslow Town was reopened. Trains were 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.
This method of operation was unsuccessful and short-lived. On 2 May 1909 the track between Hounslow Central and Osterley was reopened with a new Hounslow Town
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 (now Hounslow East) about 300m west of the loop to the old station. The old Hounslow Town station and its two loop tracks were closed for good.
Today, nothing remains of the old Hounslow Town station and the site is now occupied by Hounslow Bus Station (operated by London United Busways), and a sign in front of the bus station gives a brief history of the station. The Garage itself is now planned to be extensively rebuilt 2007.