please empty your brain below
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Re Cannon Street - It probably is within the rules - if I've understood correctly the slow speed through station is more about signal distances.
Some better explanations:
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080304040209AAAnlnl
http://uk.railway.narkive.com/D49netQb/passing-through-closed-stations
| 02.08.13 - 2:58 a.m. | #
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They need those three kiosks at Embankment for us to buy all that bottled water we're supposed to carry!
Jim | 02.08.13 - 3:22 a.m. | #
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@Jim: Back in the olden days - say the 1980s - where the only bottled water was "Evian" in glass bottles, how did people manage to get around on underground trains? Were there many deaths?
Briantist | Homepage | 02.08.13 - 6:58 a.m. | #
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Is Baron's Court meant to be in plain black text as opposed to bold and green like the rest of the district line stations?
dg writes: no, and no longer is, thanks.
Rotherhithe | 02.08.13 - 7:10 a.m. | #
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Look again.... there are FOUR kiosks at Embankment. TWO on each platform. Seriously, go look next time you're there.
dg writes: I've looked again, and blimey yes, two each. Blimey.
geofftech | Homepage | 02.08.13 - 8:16 a.m. | #
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@Briantist - also, remember before the yellow line and how we were continually told to stand behind it, there were entire platforms of people hogging the edge and continually falling off onto the track and being killed? how DID we ever manage...
geofftech | Homepage | 02.08.13 - 8:20 a.m. | #
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Did you find any kittens at Victoria?
Leuconoe | 02.08.13 - 8:21 a.m. | #
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There never was another island platform at Stamford Brook, DG. The only island platform served the District in both directions before the Piccadilly was extended westwards in 1932, when the old District eastbound became the new Piccadilly westbound (non-stopping) and a side platform was opened on the new District eastbound.
THC | 02.08.13 - 8:29 a.m. | #
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Gunnersbury's not the most attractive station, it has been altered many times since 1954 when a strong wind blew the roof off.
John | 02.08.13 - 8:34 a.m. | #
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@THC,
What about Chiswick Park?
And why does Ravenscourt Park have two island platforms?
John2 | 02.08.13 - 8:37 a.m. | #
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@John2
Chiswick Park was completely rebuilt in 1931/2, to a design by Charles Holden, ahead of the Piccadilly's westward extension. The booking hall is classic Holden and well worth a visit.
I believe that Ravenscourt Park's pair of island platforms served different lines; the southern island was for District services via Barons Court and the northern island was for Metropolitan/GWR or LSWR services from Richmond via Hammersmith Grove Road to Paddington or Addison Road (Kensington Olympia), over the now disused and partly-demolished viaduct that can be found between the tracks on the journey from Ravenscourt Park to Hammersmith.
Mike Horne's book, "The District Line: an illustrated history", is an excellent source of information if you want to know more.
THC | 02.08.13 - 9:04 a.m. | #
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Nothing to say about Sloane Square, South Ken, and Gloucester Road, except your Polish and Japanese friends? Perhaps not.
"Why is this chap constantly scribbling...? Oh, it's illegible. Must be a nutter. I think I will slowly back off and move down the carriage, just in case. After all, you never know who you are sitting next to; you can't be too careful."
Andrew | 02.08.13 - 9:04 a.m. | #
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The pub at Kew Gardens has a french-window that looks on to the platform; it's not accessible from the platform ;you have to leave the station to go inside. Just managing expectations.
David | 02.08.13 - 9:21 a.m. | #
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This post is meant as a whistlestop journey down the line. I could instead have written a more detailed travelogue reporting on all the stations in depth, but that post would have been 44 days long. Expect a bit more focus on certain stations later in the month.
diamond geezer | 02.08.13 - 9:30 a.m. | #
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From memory Gunnersbury was not always horrible concrete. I recall it being quite a nice stattion in the 1960s with nice benches and those nice green southern railway signs.
Before the developers got hold and ruined it with grey concrete - a process being repeated across London on a larger scale today?
Agent Z | 02.08.13 - 9:31 a.m. | #
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Ok ok. It is your blog :) Rather churlish of me not to say thanks first for all of the great things you do, although I doubt you really need validation from a complete stranger, but I'm sure there is a middle way between "my unwelcome guests ate their sandwiches S we passed through ... " and a full in depth report. Hey ho.
Anyway, thanks for all the great things you do. (And I do mean that.)
Andrew | 02.08.13 - 9:55 a.m. | #
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To add to the Ravenscourt/Stamford Brook story, the line was quadrupled, and four platforms installed at Turnham Green and Ravenscourt, in 1911. LSWR trains used the northern pair of tracks (the diveunder west of Turnham Green to allow them to access the Richmond line can still be seen where the westbound Picc and District line tracks fly over it).
Stamford Brook opened in 1912, by which time the LSWR service was on its last legs, so only one platform was built there, to serve the District. The 1930's concrete platform was made necessary when the tracks were rearranged from west-east-west-east to west-west-east-east, as the existing platform faced both westbound tracks and neither eastbound track already had a platform.
| 02.08.13 - 10:05 a.m. | #
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Enjoyed the video for the Nature Reserve.
Thanks DG
Bronchitikat | 02.08.13 - 10:14 a.m. | #
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I ran from Upminster to Richmond earlier this year and took a photo of every station. However, I couldn't find a sign that said Gunnersbury Station. Maybe you have just explained why or maybe I was too knackered by then to look properly.
Running Correspondent | 02.08.13 - 10:20 a.m. | #
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In addition to the Turnham Green name confusion, Chiswick Park is not the nearest station to "Chiswick Park", a business park opposite Gunnersbury station.
Gunnersbury was presumably rebuilt for the tower block (former(?) BSI building) above it, and it's a very small space with only three gates, unsuitable for the thousands who now commute to and from there. The large car parks alongside (for the tower block staff) will prevent easy expansion too
Michael J | 02.08.13 - 10:45 a.m. | #
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there used to be several pubs on the underground, I think one at Sloane Sq, definitely pubs immediately outside the barriers but on station premises at Baker St and St Johns Wood. it wasn't the most straightforward of pubcrawls, but it was possible to cover all of them in an evening. perhaps that's why I can't remember now where the others were......
amber | 02.08.13 - 11:04 a.m. | #
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Gunnersbury station was destroyed by a tornado in the early 50s. But why it was such an appalling rebuild is anyone's guess! The tornado destroyed a row of local houses too.
Wasn't one of the kiosks on Charing Cross station originally a small bar?
TommyD | 02.08.13 - 11:16 a.m. | #
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The Gunnersbury tornado was on 8 December 1954.
Jack Hopkins | 02.08.13 - 12:15 p.m. | #
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Here is Gunnersbury in the olden days (1907)
http://postcardsthenandnow.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/gunnersbury-station-c1907.html
The two tracks on the left, which went to Kew Bridge, were closed in 1932.
And again in 1955, showing the temporary (post tornado) roof
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2386618
by which time the rack had been remodelled so that the left hand of he two islands shown in the first view is used in both directions by the District.
(The ill-assorted roofline was typical of District Line trains of that era)
@Running Correspondent
There is a sign here.
But can you spot the station entrance itself?
| 02.08.13 - 12:38 p.m. | #
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Yes, I remember Stamford Brook
The name, because one afternoon
Of heat the slow train drew up there . . .
No one left and no one came,
Which was just as well because my youngest son had inadvertently pulled the emergency stop handle from the comfort of his pushchair. The driver was very amicable about the whole thing, and so was Richard Bryers who happened to be sitting across from us. No one seemed to be in any hurry. Apologies if we disrupted anyone's day.
I do hope you've visited the City Barge,especially at high tide with the river lapping up on the pavement.
Lorenzo | 02.08.13 - 1:08 p.m. | #
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You know, I always wondered about that whole Stamford Brook three platform thang.
Now can someone tell me why Turnham Green gets the Picadilly Line at all, yet alone only at late nights and early mornings...
Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 02.08.13 - 1:26 p.m. | #
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The tower block at Gunnersbury is 1960s, not 1980s. There are official LT photos looking down on Chiswick Works (RIP) taken from one of its top floors which show 1st generation Red Arrow buses (1966). It first occupied by IBM for many years.
Kim | 02.08.13 - 1:28 p.m. | #
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To echo Michael J's comments, Gunnersbury really isn't fit for purpose any more for the levels of traffic the station receives at peak times. To make things worse, presently there is a ticket hall refurbishment ongoing, and the ticket gates have been removed and replaced with three standalone Oyster readers. Unfortunately, these have all been placed along the same side which means commuters entering the station are colliding with the people trying to exit and causing up to a five minute wait to validate and reach the platform/street. The queues around 8.40am up the stairs would be something you'd expect from Bank!
James | 02.08.13 - 2:11 p.m. | #
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I've made a couple of alterations to the post regarding Stamford Brook and Gunnersbury. Such an intriguing section of line, judging by your many comments, thanks.
diamond geezer | Homepage | 02.08.13 - 5:40 p.m. | #
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If my memory serves me right, the business site named Chiswick Park, opposite Gunnersbury Station was originally London transport's bus testing centre, where they had their skid patch.
John | 02.08.13 - 6:45 p.m. | #
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"{Gunnersbury] is owned by Network Rail, a legacy of the Overground line that also runs through to Richmond."
The North London line is actually the later arrival at Gunnersbury - the original N&SWJR route from South Acton went to Kew Bridge - the spur between S Acton and Gunnersbury came later.
"the train veers off down a curve past the nature reserve onto the final branch line"
technically, the Richmond line is the senior, and the Ealing branch is a later upstart. (Hounslow and south harrow are even later)
timbo | 02.08.13 - 9:48 p.m. | #
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I worked for IBM in the early 1990s. The BSI building was known as IBM Chiswick. I think they had that horrible car park as well. After BSi renovated it, it still looks ugly.
kissenme | 02.08.13 - 11:06 p.m. | #
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The 18-storey headquarters for IBM were built above Gunnersbury station between 1964 and 1966.
Kim | 02.08.13 - 11:13 p.m. | #
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About Mansion House station, there is a small door marked "Tea Point" near the front of the eastbound platform (and possibly the westbound one too, although I don't know). I always assumed it was for station staff but it could be for drivers too.
Kerry | Homepage | 03.08.13 - 8:29 a.m. | #
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