Wembley Central station
Encyclopedia
Wembley Central is a Network Rail
station served by London Underground
(LU) Bakerloo Line
, London Overground
(LO), Southern
and a few London Midland
services. It is located in the High Road of Wembley
, northwest London. LO trains (2 trains per hour) use the Watford DC Line
platforms on the west side of the station with Milton Keynes/Watford Jn to East Croydon
services (operated by Southern
), running 1 tph normally using the Slow Line platforms on the east side (5 and 6). In addition to the 4 London Midland
services a day, many more stop here in occurrence with events at Wembley Stadium
, platforms 5&6.
of the West Coast Main Line
. It is the first station out of Euston to have platforms on all three pairs of tracks and the combination of the confined space and through trains passing at speed on platforms 3 through 6 (the main line platforms) create a wind tunnel effect which can be dangerous for passengers.
As a result, the 4 mainline platforms (for Southern services and for extra stops on services for Wembley Stadium
matches) are locked out for most of the day and entrance is only allowed when trains are due, generally the Southern
services, which use platforms 5 and 6 (on the slow main line). When you alight from the Southern service, you must make your way to the end of the platform and staff will lead you out of the station. Gate into these platforms open 10 minutes before the train is expected to arrive.
The station was modernised in 2006 with additional safety features.
When a major event occurs at Wembley Stadium
, such as a high-profile sporting event, rally
or concert
; additional services which usually run fast, also stop here. These trains will stop frequently at platforms 5&6. Virgin Trains
' services are usually formed of trains which are too long for the platforms and take longer to set down and pick up. As a result, these services will make additional stops at Watford Junction or Milton Keynes
, for cutomers to change onto London Midland
services.
Fast London Midland
services using platforms 5&6, are usually too long for the platforms. So, when trains are formed of more than 6 coaches, customers wishing to board and alight the train must do so from the front 4 coaches only. British Transport Police
officers maintain a high presence on match days, particularly at this station and on all train services between Watford Junction and London Euston.
; the everyday access is at the "country" end of the platforms. In practice, this means the bridge is usually locked and out of use, only being opened when the stadium itself is in use.
Other recent works include the resurfacing of platforms 1 and 2 complete with the installation of curved steel cladding panels. The station's staff received refurbished messing facilities and new public toilets have also been installed. The Central Square area is still to be fully regenerated.
(the council of the local area where the station is) planned that the station was going to be demolished for re-development, as part of the Wembley Central Square
plan, by St. Modwen construction company (although the plan also included new apartments, shops and open space surface).
routes 18
, 79, 83
, 92, 182
, 204
, 223, 224
, 297
, H17 and night route N18.
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
station served by London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
(LU) Bakerloo Line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
, London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
(LO), Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
and a few London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
services. It is located in the High Road of Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, northwest London. LO trains (2 trains per hour) use the Watford DC Line
Watford DC Line
The Watford DC Line is a commuter railway line from London Euston to Watford Junction. Services on the line are operated by London Overground....
platforms on the west side of the station with Milton Keynes/Watford Jn to East Croydon
East Croydon station
East Croydon station is a railway station and tram stop in Croydon, 10.35 miles south of London Bridge in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the largest and busiest station in Croydon and the busiest in London outside Travelcard Zone 1 in terms of the number of passengers entering and exiting...
services (operated by Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
), running 1 tph normally using the Slow Line platforms on the east side (5 and 6). In addition to the 4 London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
services a day, many more stop here in occurrence with events at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, platforms 5&6.
History
Brief Details- 20 July 1837: London and Birmingham RailwayLondon and Birmingham RailwayThe London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
line opened - 1842: Station opened as "Sudbury"
- 1 May 1882: re-named "Sudbury & Wembley"
- 1 November 1910: re-named "Wembley for Sudbury", coincident with construction of the "LNWR New LineWatford DC LineThe Watford DC Line is a commuter railway line from London Euston to Watford Junction. Services on the line are operated by London Overground....
" - 16 April 1917: Bakerloo LineBakerloo LineThe Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
service commenced over New Line - 1936 Street level building reconstructed with shopping arcade
- 1948 Further work in preparation for Olympic Games at Wembley StadiumWembley StadiumThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
- 5 July 1948: re-named "Wembley Central"
- 1960s Station Square constructed on raft over station, providing most of current layout.
- 24 September 1982: Bakerloo LineBakerloo LineThe Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
service withdrawn - 4 June 1984: Bakerloo LineBakerloo LineThe Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
service re-instated - November 2007: Station management transferred from Silverlink Trains to London Underground
- June 2008: 1936/1948 surface buildings in process of being demolished for redevelopment
- February 2009: Southern services to East Croydon stop here more regularly (every hour Mon-Sat daytime).
Services
Wembley Central has the appearance of an underground station due to the elevated position of the High Road (where the main entrance was until recently located behind a 1940s shopping arcade) and the enclosed nature of the platforms below the raft upon which Station Square is built; it is actually generally at or above the local ground level, having been reconstructed in its current form during the 1960s electrificationRailway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
of the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
. It is the first station out of Euston to have platforms on all three pairs of tracks and the combination of the confined space and through trains passing at speed on platforms 3 through 6 (the main line platforms) create a wind tunnel effect which can be dangerous for passengers.
As a result, the 4 mainline platforms (for Southern services and for extra stops on services for Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
matches) are locked out for most of the day and entrance is only allowed when trains are due, generally the Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
services, which use platforms 5 and 6 (on the slow main line). When you alight from the Southern service, you must make your way to the end of the platform and staff will lead you out of the station. Gate into these platforms open 10 minutes before the train is expected to arrive.
The station was modernised in 2006 with additional safety features.
When a major event occurs at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, such as a high-profile sporting event, rally
Rally
Rally refers to a gathering, as in:* Political rally, a demonstration, march, or parade* Pep rally, an event held at a United States school or college sporting eventRally as a sports term can also refer to:* Rallying, a category of motorsport...
or concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
; additional services which usually run fast, also stop here. These trains will stop frequently at platforms 5&6. Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
' services are usually formed of trains which are too long for the platforms and take longer to set down and pick up. As a result, these services will make additional stops at Watford Junction or Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes Central railway station
Milton Keynes Central railway station serves Central Milton Keynes and the surrounding area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The station is located on the West Coast Main Line between the stations of Bletchley and Wolverton, both of which are also within Milton Keynes. The station is served by...
, for cutomers to change onto London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
services.
Fast London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
services using platforms 5&6, are usually too long for the platforms. So, when trains are formed of more than 6 coaches, customers wishing to board and alight the train must do so from the front 4 coaches only. British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
officers maintain a high presence on match days, particularly at this station and on all train services between Watford Junction and London Euston.
Station works
The station has now undergone some improvements, most notably the new passenger footbridge at the London end of the station. Completed in late 2006 by civil engineers C Spencer Ltd., its purpose is to carry extra foot traffic to and from the platforms during event days at the nearby Wembley StadiumWembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
; the everyday access is at the "country" end of the platforms. In practice, this means the bridge is usually locked and out of use, only being opened when the stadium itself is in use.
Other recent works include the resurfacing of platforms 1 and 2 complete with the installation of curved steel cladding panels. The station's staff received refurbished messing facilities and new public toilets have also been installed. The Central Square area is still to be fully regenerated.
Re-development
In June 2008, the London Borough of BrentLondon Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
(the council of the local area where the station is) planned that the station was going to be demolished for re-development, as part of the Wembley Central Square
Wembley Central Square
Wembley Central Square is a finished re-development plan by the London Borough of Brent, which took place in Wembley, in northwest London, England.The square was redeveloped by St. Modwen construction company...
plan, by St. Modwen construction company (although the plan also included new apartments, shops and open space surface).
Buses
London BusesLondon Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
routes 18
London Buses route 18
London Buses route 18 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to First Centrewest.-History:...
, 79, 83
London Buses route 83
London Buses route 83 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to First Centrewest.-History:...
, 92, 182
London Buses route 182
London Buses route 182 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:The current route 182 was introduced on 13 June 1970...
, 204
London Buses route 204
London Buses route 204 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 223, 224
London Buses route 224
London Buses route 224 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, UK. The service is currently contracted to First Centrewest.-History:Route 224 was introduced on 24 February 1990 using MCW Metrobus double-deckers...
, 297
London Buses route 297
London Buses route 297 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, H17 and night route N18.