Wembley Stadium railway station
Encyclopedia
Wembley Stadium railway station is a Network Rail
station in Wembley
, Greater London
on the Chiltern Main Line
. At a quarter of a mile (400m) south west of the sports venue it is the nearest station to Wembley Stadium
.
on 28 April 1923 as The Exhibition Station (Wembley). It had one platform, and was situated on a loop
which forked off the Chiltern Main Line
between Neasden Junction
and Wembley Hill station (now Wembley Stadium station, see below); it then curved round in a clockwise direction to regain the Chiltern Main Line at a point slightly closer to Neasden Junction. The connections faced London to allow an intensive service with no reversing. It was renamed several times to become Wembley Stadium Station in 1928. The station closed on 18 May 1968. Traces of the line can be seen on maps and in aerial photographs. The line was normally used only for passenger services for events at the stadium or the Empire Pool
within the estate built for the 1924 British Empire Exhibition
. Temporary sidings led into the "Palace of Engineering" exhibition hall where both the Great Western Railway
's locomotive Caerphilly Castle
and the London and North Eastern Railway
's Flying Scotsman
were displayed with each claimed by its owners as the most powerful passenger locomotive in Britain.
On 20 November 1905 the Great Central Railway
opened a new route for freight trains between Neasden Junction
and Northolt Junction. Passenger services from Marylebone
began on 1 March 1906, when three new stations were opened: Wembley Hill, and South Harrow
. On 2 April 1906 these services were extended to Northolt Junction
.
Wembley Hill station was renamed Wembley Complex on 8 May 1978 in order to indicate its proximity to the nearby sports facilities, as well as to a recently-opened conference centre, before getting its present name Wembley Stadium on 11 May 1987. There were originally four tracks with the two platforms on passing loops outside the inner non-stop running lines; the current two-track layout dates from the 1960s.
and run from Marylebone towards High Wycombe
and Birmingham Snow Hill. The service to central London is quicker than from other stations in the area. Trains can reach London Marylebone in ten minutes. During busier periods (usually due to an event at the stadium) a seven carriage shuttle operates between Marylebone and Wembley Stadium using the turnback siding just to the north of the station to return to London.
would run between Brent Cross
and Surbiton
. The railway is still on the proposal stage and is neither approved nor funded.
The proposed North and West London Light Railway (NWLLR),possibly a light rail
service, would also call at this station.
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 in 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...
, Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
on the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
. At a quarter of a mile (400m) south west of the sports venue it is the nearest station to 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...
.
First Wembley Stadium station
The first station to bear the name Wembley Stadium, at (51.558638°N 0.273010°W), about one kilometre ENE of the present station, was opened by the LNERLondon and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
on 28 April 1923 as The Exhibition Station (Wembley). It had one platform, and was situated on a loop
Balloon loop
A balloon loop or turning loop allows a rail vehicle or train to reverse direction without having to shunt or even stop. Balloon loops can be useful for passenger trains and unit freight trains, such as coal trains....
which forked off the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
between Neasden Junction
Neasden Junction
Neasden Junction is a railway junction in Neasden, London. This is where the mainline from Marylebone diverges into two main lines: the Chiltern Main Line, which runs towards and Birmingham, and the London to Aylesbury Line....
and Wembley Hill station (now Wembley Stadium station, see below); it then curved round in a clockwise direction to regain the Chiltern Main Line at a point slightly closer to Neasden Junction. The connections faced London to allow an intensive service with no reversing. It was renamed several times to become Wembley Stadium Station in 1928. The station closed on 18 May 1968. Traces of the line can be seen on maps and in aerial photographs. The line was normally used only for passenger services for events at the stadium or the Empire Pool
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
within the estate built for the 1924 British Empire Exhibition
British Empire Exhibition
The British Empire Exhibition was a colonial exhibition held at Wembley, Middlesex in 1924 and 1925.-History:It was opened by King George V on St George's Day, 23 April 1924. The British Empire contained 58 countries at that time, and only Gambia and Gibraltar did not take part...
. Temporary sidings led into the "Palace of Engineering" exhibition hall where both 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...
's locomotive Caerphilly Castle
GWR 4073 Class 4073 Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly Castle is a member of the GWR 4073 Class built in 1923. Its first shed allocation was Old Oak Common. Its August 1950 shed allocation was Bath Road, Bristol. Its last shed allocation was Cardiff Canton in March 1959...
and the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
's Flying Scotsman
LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman
The LNER Class A3 Pacific locomotive No. 4472 Flying Scotsman was built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway at Doncaster Works to a design of H.N. Gresley...
were displayed with each claimed by its owners as the most powerful passenger locomotive in Britain.
Present station
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
opened a new route for freight trains between Neasden Junction
Neasden Junction
Neasden Junction is a railway junction in Neasden, London. This is where the mainline from Marylebone diverges into two main lines: the Chiltern Main Line, which runs towards and Birmingham, and the London to Aylesbury Line....
and Northolt Junction. Passenger services from Marylebone
Marylebone station
Marylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
began on 1 March 1906, when three new stations were opened: Wembley Hill, and South Harrow
Sudbury Hill Harrow railway station
Sudbury Hill Harrow railway station is a National Rail station in the London Borough of Harrow in northwest London.The station is served by Chiltern Railways trains from Marylebone towards High Wycombe and Birmingham Snow Hill, and is in Travelcard Zone 4. This station also has an Oyster card...
. On 2 April 1906 these services were extended to Northolt Junction
South Ruislip station
South Ruislip is a station served by London Underground and Chiltern Railways in South Ruislip in west London. The station is owned, managed and staffed by London Underground. The station is in Travelcard Zone 5.-History:...
.
Wembley Hill station was renamed Wembley Complex on 8 May 1978 in order to indicate its proximity to the nearby sports facilities, as well as to a recently-opened conference centre, before getting its present name Wembley Stadium on 11 May 1987. There were originally four tracks with the two platforms on passing loops outside the inner non-stop running lines; the current two-track layout dates from the 1960s.
Services
Train services are operated by Chiltern RailwaysChiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
and run from Marylebone towards High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
and Birmingham Snow Hill. The service to central London is quicker than from other stations in the area. Trains can reach London Marylebone in ten minutes. During busier periods (usually due to an event at the stadium) a seven carriage shuttle operates between Marylebone and Wembley Stadium using the turnback siding just to the north of the station to return to London.
Future developments
The proposed West London Orbital would call at this station. The underground railwayUnderground railway
Underground railway may refer to:*The Underground Railroad, a network of clandestine routes by which African slaves in the 19th century United States attempted to escape*Rapid transit, urban railways that sometimes use tunnels...
would run between Brent Cross
Brent Cross
Brent Cross is an area of north London, in the London Borough of Barnet. It is located near the A41 Brent Cross Flyover over the A406 North Circular Road. Brent Cross is best known for its shopping centre and the proposed Brent Cross Cricklewood development....
and Surbiton
Surbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
. The railway is still on the proposal stage and is neither approved nor funded.
The proposed North and West London Light Railway (NWLLR),possibly a light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
service, would also call at this station.