please empty your brain below

So nobody ever finished the tube quiz from 12 Nov 2004 (linked from the bit about Heathrow Terminal 4).

Kew Gardens isn't really right, that's not the full name of the IRT station though there's an LIRR station called that. The only other answer I can see is Tower Hill, but that's closed.
My dad was a bit of an aviation nut, so I carry the nugget of information that Speedbird is also the call sign for all BA's international flights. Eg: ATC would refer to BA-145 as "Speedbird One Four Five" over the radio.

While I was fact-checking my memory, I was dismayed to find out that they've reused One and Two for the all-business-class flights from London City to JFK. It used to be restricted for use as Speedbird Concorde One and Two.
When I lived out that way, I always remarked how many stations Acton has, but this titbit of trivia I missed entirely, despite all those hours on the Dilly-pic line!

I ain't in a hurry to try it although I have (alas) a trip to Heathrow on the cards soon.
I loved living, studying and working in Hounslow in the 1980s-early 1990s, and would happily do so again. In fact I'm happily walking the Crane in 3 sections at the moment.

While I suppose you can see Hillingon rooftops from Hounslow Central, Hounslow stations are most definitely in the borough of Hounslow, not Hillingdon.
Hounslow Town was a strange aberration in the District's policy of expansion into he south western suburbs. Its design, ending in an abutment above the High Street, clearly stated the conmpany's intention was to extend further towards Twickenham, deep into LSWR territory. The LSWR were evidently not keen on this potential loss of their monopoly in that area, and gently reminded the District whose tracks they relied on (between Hammersmith and Turnham Green) to get to Hounslow in the first place.

The site of Hounslow Town station is still operated by TfL, as it is noew Hounslow bus station.

(The LSWR's modern successors still enjoy a monopoly in the SW suburbs, although I'm not sure "enjoy" would be the first word to occur to their captive market)
Timeline:

May 1883: Line went as far as Hounslow Town

July 1884: Line extended to Hounslow West (Originally called Hounslow Barracks)

April 1886: Hounslow Town closed, Hounslow Central opens instead (Originally called Heston & Hounslow)

March 1903: Hounslow Town re-opens

May 1909: Hounslow East opens (Originally called Hounslow Town) permanently replacing the original Hounslow Town

December 1925: New Hounslow Town renamed to Hounslow East, Heston & Hounslow renamed to Hounslow Central, Hounslow Barracks renamed to Hounslow West

July 1975: Hounslow West station moved to current location with extension to Heathrow being built
"Until 1975 this used to be the end of the line, and you probably wouldn't have ridden this way to Heathrow at all."

Oh yes I did. There was an A1 'express' bus (I think it cost £1) from the old station at Hounslow West to the bus station in the middle of Heathrow. It worked very well, even on Sundays.
It continued to run after the first bit of the Heathrow extension opened, because that was only to Hatton Cross, so you still needed the A1 from Hounslow West until the rest of the extension was working -- but it was the NEW Hounslow West. I remember using it a few days after the Hatton Cross service started, and being amazed to find that all traces of the old Hounslow West had been bulldozed and covered up.
@Alan Burkitt-Gray - The original flat fare on the A1 was 1/- (5p after decimalisation). The other suburban flat fare routes charged 6d (or 3d for children).
I've made two tweaks to the text (Hillingdon rooftops and A1 buses), thanks.
Alan,
The original Hounslow West (well, the 1930's Art Deco) Station is still the one being used, it was only the platforms that were removed when the line was re-aligned.
Infact, there is still some evidence of the old platforms at the back of the station.
@Timz -- yes, I meant the platforms, and the canopy and all the stuff along the platforms. All vanished in a matter of days.










TridentScan | Privacy Policy