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Hammersmith (Grove Road) station
Encyclopedia
Hammersmith railway station was on the London and South Western Railway
(L&SWR). It was located in Grove Road (now Hammersmith Grove), Hammersmith
, adjacent to the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines station.
For much of its existence the station was also served by the Metropolitan Railway
(MR, now the Metropolitan line
) and the Great Western Railway
(GWR).
L&SWR trains serving the station ran from Waterloo via Addison Road (now Kensington (Olympia)
) to Richmond
. MR and GWR trains ran from Paddington
via the Hammersmith & City Railway
(H&CR, now the Hammersmith & City line) and also on to Richmond.
(WLJR) north of Addison Road station to Richmond via Turnham Green
.
To the north of Grove Road station the line ran parallel with the H&CR before passing under the line and turning through a wide arc south of Shepherd's Bush
(with its own station
there) before reaching the WLJR at a southward pointing junction. To the west of the station, the line became what is now the District line
to Richmond, starting just to the east of Ravenscourt Park
.
In 1870 Grove junction was built north of the station connecting the H&CR and the L&SWR tracks enabling GWR trains on the H&CR to access Grove Road station and run to Richmond. The GWR service ran for only a few months in 1870.
In June 1877 the Metropolitan District Railway
(MDR, now the District line
) had opened an extension from its own station at Hammersmith to a junction (Studland Road Junction) to connect to the L&SWR tracks east of Ravenscourt Park. From 1 October 1877 the MR began to run trains through Grove Road to Richmond.
From 1 January 1894 also the GWR ran trains through Grove Road to Richmond.
The more direct route of the MDR into central London had a competitive advantage over the other operators of the Richmond service and gradually the other railway companies ended their operations on the Richmond branch. MR services ended on 31 December 1906, shortly after the H&CR tracks from Paddington were electrified. GWR services continued until 31 December 1910 and L&SWR services continued until 3 June 1916 when the loop line between Studland Road junction and Addison Road was closed. The section west of the junction remains part of the District line.
In 1919 the Central London Railway
(CLR, now London Underground's Central line
) published plans to build a tunnelled link from west of its Shepherd's Bush station to the disused tracks north of the station so that it might run trains to Richmond
via Grove Road and Turnham Green
. Although authorisation was granted in 1920, the connection was never realised.
Grove Road station has been demolished and the loop line to the WLJR has been removed although remnants of the viaduct at Studland Road junction where the L&SWR tracks turned north-east are visible west of Hammersmith Piccadilly and District line station.
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). It was located in Grove Road (now Hammersmith Grove), Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, adjacent to the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines station.
For much of its existence the station was also served by the Metropolitan Railway
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
(MR, now the Metropolitan line
Metropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
) and the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR).
L&SWR trains serving the station ran from Waterloo via Addison Road (now Kensington (Olympia)
Kensington (Olympia) station
Kensington station is a station in West London managed and served by London Overground and also served by Southern and London Underground. It is in Travelcard Zone 2...
) to Richmond
Richmond station (London)
Richmond station is a National Rail and London Underground station in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London which is managed by South West Trains....
. MR and GWR trains ran from Paddington
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
via the Hammersmith & City Railway
Hammersmith & City Line
The Hammersmith & City line is a subsurface London Underground line. It connects Hammersmith in the west with Barking in the east, running through the northern part of central London. It is coloured salmon pink on the Tube map...
(H&CR, now the Hammersmith & City line) and also on to Richmond.
History
Grove Road station was opened on 1 January 1869 by the L&SWR when it opened a new branch line from a junction with the West London Joint RailwayWest London Line
The West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
(WLJR) north of Addison Road station to Richmond via Turnham Green
Turnham Green tube station
Turnham Green is a London Underground station in Chiswick in west London. The station is located on Turnham Green Terrace, but the actual green is much closer to Chiswick Park station. The station is served by the District and Piccadilly Lines although Piccadilly Line trains normally only stop at...
.
To the north of Grove Road station the line ran parallel with the H&CR before passing under the line and turning through a wide arc south of Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
(with its own station
Shepherd's Bush railway station (L&SWR)
Shepherd's Bush is a closed London and South Western Railway station in Shepherd's Bush, west London. The station was situated on the L&SWR's line between Richmond and the West London Joint Railway...
there) before reaching the WLJR at a southward pointing junction. To the west of the station, the line became what is 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...
to Richmond, starting just to the east of Ravenscourt Park
Ravenscourt Park tube station
Ravenscourt Park is a London Underground station located in west Hammersmith, west London. The station is served by the District Line and is between Hammersmith and Stamford Brook stations....
.
In 1870 Grove junction was built north of the station connecting the H&CR and the L&SWR tracks enabling GWR trains on the H&CR to access Grove Road station and run to Richmond. The GWR service ran for only a few months in 1870.
In June 1877 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...
) had opened an extension from its own station at Hammersmith to a junction (Studland Road Junction) to connect to the L&SWR tracks east of Ravenscourt Park. From 1 October 1877 the MR began to run trains through Grove Road to Richmond.
From 1 January 1894 also the GWR ran trains through Grove Road to Richmond.
The more direct route of the MDR into central London had a competitive advantage over the other operators of the Richmond service and gradually the other railway companies ended their operations on the Richmond branch. MR services ended on 31 December 1906, shortly after the H&CR tracks from Paddington were electrified. GWR services continued until 31 December 1910 and L&SWR services continued until 3 June 1916 when the loop line between Studland Road junction and Addison Road was closed. The section west of the junction remains part of the District line.
In 1919 the Central London Railway
Central London Railway
The Central London Railway , also known as the Twopenny Tube, was a deep-level, underground "tube" railway that opened in London in 1900...
(CLR, now London Underground's Central line
Central Line
The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
) published plans to build a tunnelled link from west of its Shepherd's Bush station to the disused tracks north of the station so that it might run trains to Richmond
Richmond station (London)
Richmond station is a National Rail and London Underground station in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London which is managed by South West Trains....
via Grove Road and Turnham Green
Turnham Green tube station
Turnham Green is a London Underground station in Chiswick in west London. The station is located on Turnham Green Terrace, but the actual green is much closer to Chiswick Park station. The station is served by the District and Piccadilly Lines although Piccadilly Line trains normally only stop at...
. Although authorisation was granted in 1920, the connection was never realised.
Grove Road station has been demolished and the loop line to the WLJR has been removed although remnants of the viaduct at Studland Road junction where the L&SWR tracks turned north-east are visible west of Hammersmith Piccadilly and District line station.