Heathrow Junction railway station
Encyclopedia
Heathrow Junction was a short-lived railway station built to serve London Heathrow Airport
in the United Kingdom.
Between 1988 and 1998, the Heathrow Express
shuttle service was built to connect Paddington station
to Heathrow Airport. A new spur was built from the existing Great Western Railway
mainline to the airport, running mostly in tunnel. To save costs, the tunnel was built using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method
(NATM). Unfortunately, the construction was not a success and in 1994 parts of the not yet opened tunnels near the airport collapsed.
The collapse not only delayed the finishing of the railway tunnel beneath the airport, but caused the suspension of Piccadilly Line
services to the airport. With no rail service, a decision was made to open a temporary surface level station at the edge of the airport, whilst construction continued. The line to the new station followed the route of a long-disused canal
known as "Broad's Dock". Heathrow Junction station was situated in Stockley Park, slightly to the north of the station. Class 332
trains (branded as "Heathrow Fast Train") carried passengers from Paddington to Heathrow Junction (a journey of 12 minutes) while a fleet of high-speed shuttle buses carried the passengers the remaining distance to the airport.
On 23 May 1998 the tunnels to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3 railway station
and Heathrow Terminal 4 railway station
stations opened and two days later on 25 May 1998 the Heathrow Express
service commenced to the new stations. Trains no longer called at Heathrow Junction and within ten days the track leading to the station had been dismantled.
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
in the United Kingdom.
Between 1988 and 1998, the Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express is an airport rail link from London Heathrow Airport to London Paddington station in London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority, a wholly owned subsidiary of BAA. It was opened by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998...
shuttle service was built to connect Paddington station
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...
to Heathrow Airport. A new spur was built from the existing 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...
mainline to the airport, running mostly in tunnel. To save costs, the tunnel was built using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method
New Austrian Tunnelling method
The New Austrian Tunnelling method was developed between 1957 and 1965 in Austria. It was given its name in Salzburg in 1962 to distinguish it from old Austrian tunnelling approach. The main contributors to the development of NATM were Ladislaus von Rabcewicz, Leopold Müller and Franz Pacher...
(NATM). Unfortunately, the construction was not a success and in 1994 parts of the not yet opened tunnels near the airport collapsed.
The collapse not only delayed the finishing of the railway tunnel beneath the airport, but caused the suspension of Piccadilly Line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
services to the airport. With no rail service, a decision was made to open a temporary surface level station at the edge of the airport, whilst construction continued. The line to the new station followed the route of a long-disused canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
known as "Broad's Dock". Heathrow Junction station was situated in Stockley Park, slightly to the north of the station. Class 332
British Rail Class 332
The British Rail Class 332 is the type of electric multiple unit train used on the Heathrow Express between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport.-Description:The fleet was built in 1997-1998 by Siemens and CAF at the latter’s factory in Zaragoza, Spain...
trains (branded as "Heathrow Fast Train") carried passengers from Paddington to Heathrow Junction (a journey of 12 minutes) while a fleet of high-speed shuttle buses carried the passengers the remaining distance to the airport.
On 23 May 1998 the tunnels to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3 railway station
Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3 railway station
Heathrow Central is a railway station located in London Heathrow Airport. It was formerly known as Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 and the station signage sports the subtitle Terminals 1, 2 & 3....
and Heathrow Terminal 4 railway station
Heathrow Terminal 4 railway station
Heathrow Terminal 4 is a railway station located in London Heathrow Airport.The station is served by the Heathrow Express 'shuttle' service providing a train every 15 minutes between Terminal 4 and Heathrow Central. Some early morning, late evening and most Sunday services are operated by Heathrow...
stations opened and two days later on 25 May 1998 the Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express is an airport rail link from London Heathrow Airport to London Paddington station in London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority, a wholly owned subsidiary of BAA. It was opened by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998...
service commenced to the new stations. Trains no longer called at Heathrow Junction and within ten days the track leading to the station had been dismantled.