Post by piccadillypilot on Apr 5, 2005 12:34:40 GMT
Images and text courtesy of "Railways Then and Now: The Changing Railway Scene in Britain, Edwin Course, BT Batsford, 1979.
Wood Lane Flyover, formerly Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway (TQ 226811), in September 1920 (above), on 6 April 1957 (centre) and 2 July 1976 (below)
www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/flyover/Flyover1.jpg
www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/flyover/Flyover2.jpg
www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/flyover/Flyover3.jpg
The Central London Railway, once known as the Twopenny Tube, was opened from the Bank to Shepherd's Bush in 1900. In order to accommodate exhibition traffic to the White City, passenger services were extended in 1908 to Wood Lane. The existing tube tunnel to the depot was used in one direction, and a new tunnel with an easier curve was constructed, crossing the original line, thus enabling trains to return to the City by running round a loop instead of reversing. The Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway was originally designed to give improved access from the Great Western Railway to the West London Railway near Shepherd's Bush. However it was agreed to add a spur at Wood Lane Junction, joining the Central London Railway, and enabling that company's trains to run through to Ealing Broadway.
A difficulty arose as the tube trains had run round the loop in an anti-clockwise direction at Wood Lane, and when leads were taken off from each side of the loop they ran on the right hand. To remedy this a flyover was provided at Wood Lane Junction, so that, before the shared tracks were reached, the tube trains were back on the left hand side. In 1938, in anticipation of more tube trains to serve the Ruislip Extension, the line from Wood Lane Junction to North Acton was quadrupled.
Subsequently GW and LT trains used different tracks, but the flyover was retained. By the early 1960s traffic from the GW to the West London line, including milk traffic, had declined sufficiently to enable the GW tracks on the Ealing and Shepherd's Bush lines to be removed, traffic reverting to the old route via North Pole Junction. But, in order to maintain normal running arrangements on the tube tracks west of Wood Lane, the flyover was still retained.
In 1920 a footbridge was provided crossing the Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway near the flyover, and all three photographs were taken from this viewpoint. The 1920 view shows the electrified lines with a 3-rail system, the live rail being in the centre. The down steam track from the West London line joins the down electric with an unworked trailing point. In slack periods the standard 6- car sets of the Central London Railway were divided at Wood Lane, and 3-car sets ran between there and Ealing Broadway. The photograph shows an eastbound train of 3 cars, of the type made up of motor cars of 1903 with the original trailer cars of 1900. An evocative feature is the grindstone alongside the platelayer's hut, used for sharpening the scythes for cutting lineside grass.
The 1957 view shows a westbound train for Ealing approaching the flyover. The separate GW tracks of 1938 are in use, and coloured light signals have replaced semaphores. Standard London Transport 4-rail track has replaced 3-rail; this change was completed by 1940. At the same time many platforms were lengthened to take 8- car trains, and an 8-car train constructed for the London Electric Railway in 1927 appears in this view. The telegraph poles have hardly changed, but in 37 years the trees have grown and railwaymen's allotments have appeared. The 1976 view also shows a westbound train bound to Ealing, consisting of 8 cars built for London Transport in the 1960s. Nine years have brought little change to the electric lines, but houses are being constructed where the GW once ran.
Wood Lane Flyover, formerly Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway (TQ 226811), in September 1920 (above), on 6 April 1957 (centre) and 2 July 1976 (below)
www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/flyover/Flyover1.jpg
www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/flyover/Flyover2.jpg
www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/flyover/Flyover3.jpg
The Central London Railway, once known as the Twopenny Tube, was opened from the Bank to Shepherd's Bush in 1900. In order to accommodate exhibition traffic to the White City, passenger services were extended in 1908 to Wood Lane. The existing tube tunnel to the depot was used in one direction, and a new tunnel with an easier curve was constructed, crossing the original line, thus enabling trains to return to the City by running round a loop instead of reversing. The Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway was originally designed to give improved access from the Great Western Railway to the West London Railway near Shepherd's Bush. However it was agreed to add a spur at Wood Lane Junction, joining the Central London Railway, and enabling that company's trains to run through to Ealing Broadway.
A difficulty arose as the tube trains had run round the loop in an anti-clockwise direction at Wood Lane, and when leads were taken off from each side of the loop they ran on the right hand. To remedy this a flyover was provided at Wood Lane Junction, so that, before the shared tracks were reached, the tube trains were back on the left hand side. In 1938, in anticipation of more tube trains to serve the Ruislip Extension, the line from Wood Lane Junction to North Acton was quadrupled.
Subsequently GW and LT trains used different tracks, but the flyover was retained. By the early 1960s traffic from the GW to the West London line, including milk traffic, had declined sufficiently to enable the GW tracks on the Ealing and Shepherd's Bush lines to be removed, traffic reverting to the old route via North Pole Junction. But, in order to maintain normal running arrangements on the tube tracks west of Wood Lane, the flyover was still retained.
In 1920 a footbridge was provided crossing the Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway near the flyover, and all three photographs were taken from this viewpoint. The 1920 view shows the electrified lines with a 3-rail system, the live rail being in the centre. The down steam track from the West London line joins the down electric with an unworked trailing point. In slack periods the standard 6- car sets of the Central London Railway were divided at Wood Lane, and 3-car sets ran between there and Ealing Broadway. The photograph shows an eastbound train of 3 cars, of the type made up of motor cars of 1903 with the original trailer cars of 1900. An evocative feature is the grindstone alongside the platelayer's hut, used for sharpening the scythes for cutting lineside grass.
The 1957 view shows a westbound train for Ealing approaching the flyover. The separate GW tracks of 1938 are in use, and coloured light signals have replaced semaphores. Standard London Transport 4-rail track has replaced 3-rail; this change was completed by 1940. At the same time many platforms were lengthened to take 8- car trains, and an 8-car train constructed for the London Electric Railway in 1927 appears in this view. The telegraph poles have hardly changed, but in 37 years the trees have grown and railwaymen's allotments have appeared. The 1976 view also shows a westbound train bound to Ealing, consisting of 8 cars built for London Transport in the 1960s. Nine years have brought little change to the electric lines, but houses are being constructed where the GW once ran.
