please empty your brain below

Very interesting and well researched article. Although I am old enough to remember the shuttle I never rode on it. I did not realize the platform was still there at Acton Town hidden behind advertising.
There are some pictures at http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/South_Acton_station.html that provide an interesting accompaniment to this.

There's a map on the eastbound platform wall at Acton Central that displays the spider's web of lines in the Acton and Chiswick area. A great way to while away some time waiting for the next Overground service.
"We have no plans to close South Acton station", says the quote in the newspaper from LU, probably the most interesting part of that article - because i want to say *cough* Olympia, *cough*

it's the Great British Beer festival this week, which means there is a shuttle service running to Olympia, yet when someone i know called them to ask if this was the case, the answers they got were:

- "There is always an exhibition service running for all exhibitions" (There isn't only selected ones, if the exhibition is prepared to pay for it)
- "There is an exhibition service, it will run every 15 minutes" (Wrong, it's every 30 minutes)

and finally, my favorite:

- "I can confirm that there will not be a special District line service during the Great British Beer Festival. London Overground services do stop at Kensignton Olympia regularly and is the best way to travel to the venue."

Which is utter nonsense. Deliberate mis-information so that District Line services to Olympia can be closed because they make it so confusing to use...
Ah, the days when LU would run a one carriage train. Hard to imagine these days.
@geofftech - it seems even the drivers don't know when the Olympia shuttle is running.
http://www.districtdavesforum.co.uk/thread/22440/exhibition-service?page=1#scrollTo=373051
@Geofftech
"We have no plans to close South Acton station", says the quote in the newspaper from LT"

Eleven months later, they did just that. Olympia-lite has lasted twenty so far......
That closure notice http://www.flickr.com/photos/17889585@N03/4426442893/

suggesting the No 55 bus (renumbered E3 in 1968 - the original number was almost immediately recycled in east London) provides a suitable alternative.......
It's a very circuitous route,
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/?r=E3
and a long walk from South Acton to the nearest bus stop - almost certainly quicker to walk to Chiswick Park station.
Unless I'm mistaken there was a time when South Acton had four platforms, the fourth one serving the Hammersmith & Chiswick branch.
A bit more info here.
i think Olympia will surely go at somepoint. surely, surely? the passenger useage on non-exhibition days will warrant it so.

unfortuantely from my point of view (and we all know what that is!) is they still continue to run it on exhibition days only, that's a pain because it'll mean i can only indulge on my favourite 'hobby' on those selected days. i'd prefer it if they really did just close it to all passenger traffic completely.
Yes, it's ridiculous that a popular event like GBBF doesn't warrant a proper District Line service to Olympia, if such an event doesn't warrant a proper service then what does?
In the early 1970s I was in digs near South Acton. The fare from S. Acton to Euston via Willesdan Jnc was 23p, from Acton Town to Euston via Green Park, 25p.
The District used to be even more "branchy", with westbound trains through Earls Court heading off to all of Wimbledon, Olympia, Richmond, Hounslow Town, Hounslow Barracks, Ealing Broadway and Uxbridge (although I don't think Hounslow Town and Olympia were both served by the District at the same time).

I used to live next to the track bed of the H&C branch near the N&SWJR junction, but had no idea what it was, and in those pre-internet days no real way of finding out. In the late 70s it was just waste ground, but a useful cut through to Turnham Green.
I remember the single carriage train that ran from South Acton to Acton Town which we used to travel on frequently when visiting relatives when I was a child in the 50's. The train was called Ginny. Anyone else remember it?










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