Underground, Overground and No Wombles!

The Tale Of The Shepherds

It was very much Overgound but it is now Underground.

The Central London Railway claimss to be the very first "proper" Underground line in the world by which is meant and line that is still operational. We now call it the Central Line. It ran from Bank to Shepherds Bush and was later extended to start at Liverpool Street.

At its western end there were two extensions.

The first was just one stop to Wood Lane, followed by a more significant push to Ealing. Here are the relevant dates.

There was a depot immediately north of the Shepherds Bush terminus so when the need for a one-stop extension came the company just built a loop round the depot ...

... and plonked a station, called Wood Lane, on the top left of the loop. It was on a curve as seen here much much later.

Why 1908? White City is why!

In 1908 land to the west of Wood Lane was the site of a big "Exhibition" with most of the temporary building covered with white plaster - hence the nickname which stuck. There was a huge pedestrian overbridge and walkway to the exhibition entrance from Wood Lane station ...

... also in white.

Exhibitions on the site continued until 1914.

But there was a problem in 1903. The Central London Railway replaced its loco hauled trains ...

... with multiple unit trains in concept similar to today's stock. The coaches had multiple doors and needed a longer platform. But a junction for the depot sidings was in the way. So they built a pivoted moving chunk of platform.

Here is a terminating train with the platform having done it sliding for the siding job.

Or was it going straight on?

But the 1920 extension to Ealing created some more problems.  Instead of just a simple station on the loop, the set-up was now needed for through trains.

Trains departed from Shepherds Bush running conventionally on the left hand line then they dropped under the eastbound tracks via the so-called Caxton Curve, named after a road just west of Shepherds Bush Station.

It is the sharpest "corner" on the Underground.

But now trains were running on the right of the depot and would continue north on the wrong side of the double track.

So, cleverly, after leaving the depot, the track swapped over ...

... and left hand running is restored. 

Some who think they know all about railways in the UK can be caught out as they wait on the wrong platforms at Wood Lane and risk being whisked off in the wrong direction.

Another problem is that the original platforms were on the loop and thus useless for through running to Ealing. This diagram shows what had to be done.

So it was that in 1920 the "loop" platforms closed and were replaced by straight platforms. The loop line was also closed and replaced with a link from the north into the depot, seen below looking south.

The westbound line to Ealing and beyond is on the left of the picture and the line to central London is on the right, The depot link is, guess where, in the middle.

With the lack of exhibitions to serve, the whole station closed in 1947 and remained so until the new Wood Lane, a little further north, opened in 2008 ...

... to offer potential interchange with  White City on the line to Hammersmith.

By now, you are thoroughly confused but this Carto map of the area today might nelp!

... and an enlargement is even better!

But the biggest change to the area came with the opening of the huge (even huger than huge) Shepherds Bush Westfield Centre, retail therapy at its best worst!. The depot was rebuilt as simple sidings and hidden under the shopping centre.

It is the only traditional Underground depot that is under the ground. The Waterloo and City depot always was underground, but that doesn't count as it was built by The Southern Railway! Its annexing by the Underground is a relatively recent development.

The link to the modem sidings at Wood Lane is also now underground.

Of course the old depot was a real depot with repair shops, being the only one on the Central London Railway. Later extensions out east took such work to a new site at Newbury Park.

Here are the original train sheds at Wood Lane (north is on the left) ...

... and the ancillary buildings slightly further north and adjacent to the original Wood Lane platforms.

Those two still stand, sitting somewhat incongruously beside a very modern bus station!

The old road entrance to the depot is still there at  northern end of the aforementioned Caxton Road ...

... but all that exists beyond the big gates is a lower level of the southern walkway alongside the thrill-a-minutes shopping centre.

It is all rather boring compared with what was visible before!

Such is progress!

Isn't it?

Underground Overgound - time for an irrelevant song!!

 Next Underground Overground blog : Friday 9th Jan 

Moving Ahead : Please Tell!

First Bus Founders - Maybe Fails?

Certainly Roger French thinks so! By way of explanation, here is a chunk of a First bus route map (still available on-line - of course) from not that long ago.

With very few exceptions (e.g. London Buses 81) First Bus ran everything in and around Slough. And look at the network now!

So, for completeness, here is the Langley area enlarged and shown more correctly than on previous blogs. Earlier, fbb never found the above most recent version of First's network map! The 7 (BLUE) has become 7 and 7X and the 4 (ORANGE) has become A4.

The Joys Of Privatisation

Other on-line maps are available; An out of date (2014) monstrosity is from Slough and Windsor Council ...

... which shows that the 75/76 (now 7/7X) then ran via Langley Road and the 58 (now 3) then ran via Trelawney Avenue - the opposite of today's routes. Consistency is always to be applauded!

A more recent Council map is more up to date but has not been changed to show the 458.

Of course you could also have a full and up-to-date Carousel map ...

... showing three routes in the Langley area. In addition to the new 458, there is the long standing tendered  585 from Hedgerley ...

... and a branch of the 103, formerly branded Chiltern Hundreds ...

... from High Wycombe; with the other branch to Windsor.

There is an  up-to-date Thames Valley (i.e. Reading Buses) map ...

... which includes the London 702, Heathrow 703 ...

...  the Heathrow 704 ...

... and a Slough local plus Heathrow add-on service 5.

It is all a right mess!

Back To The 458

Roger French has already done a "First Day" and he noted that roadside publicity was excellent for the 458 - except at Uxbridge ...

... where there wasn't any! There was no timetable, not even a departure list and no 458 on the bus stop flag. It is this quality of service which the PTE mega mayors (Steve Rotherham, Tracy Brabin and Andy Burnham etc) are so keen to spread to their areas as they strive to "be like London Transport".

We have already met the 458 map and the timetable is delightfully simple with a tidy 30 minute frequency Monday to Saturday but, as yet, no Sunday service.

We can compare this with First Bus service 3 on-line ...

... brimming with confusion over Christmas! The on-line timetable itself is, as is usual with First, awful beyond measure. This was for 1st January when, presumably, a Sunday service was in operation.

Sorry this is too small to enjoy the detail, but it really wasn't worth the effort to do anything better with what First offers its potential customers. An alternative and much better First timetable did materialise on-line ...

... but it's source was unclear.

Whatever the source the above, it shows that First only runs every 30 minutes on Mondays to Fridays; Saturdays is hourly as well as Sundays. Carousel runs every half hour on Saturdays.

Carousel was enthusiastic and informative in its pre-launch publicity ...

... with clear understandable general information about the new route. It was written in English rather than bus operator new-speak!

But the highlight was racks of timetable leaflets on the buses. Yes, printed material to take home and peruse at you leisure without needing a device or a good wifi signal.

Also available is a timetable booklet for the Slough area ...

It is called "Marketing", and it is what good businesses do to promote their product.

First Bus does nothing to promote its product Because, as its managers say ..

IT'S ALL ON-LINE

Yesterday, Roger |French published his take in Carousels' 458 which included a bit more background to the competitive scene in and around Slough. His headline refers to First's departure from Southampton and Cornwall - but to that you can add Hereford, Northampton, East Lothian, the Scottish Borders area and most of the former Alexander Midland territory.

What a way to run a bus company!

There is an alternative, and it is not franchising and it is not nationalisation.

It is called "working together".

Was it not the great John Betjeman who wrote a celebrated poem about buses in Slough?**

Come, networked bus, and fall on Slough

It isn't fit for travel now,

It's just a mess; you don't know how

To get about!

Sort out the mess they call a town —

Passengers who wear a frown

Poor information gets them down

They rave and shout!

Then there's no published bus's fares

They do not adverise their wares

The cost of travel really scares

And leads to tears,

One simple thing that can be done

Instead if three let's just have one

A single bus firm would be fun

Pin back your ears.

They've done the job up Leicester way

One map, one network, shout hooray

Bright green buses; a fume free day.

They cut the blether!

Come, friendly "bombs", and fall on Slough

It's time for action here and now.

To franchising we need not bow;

Just work together.

But they will need to get rid of the worst of First, first!

** No it wasn't. His poem, which opens with the line "Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough" was a heart-felt tirade against the poor quality industrialisation of what was once a quiet market town.

This 'pastiche' is penned, in Betjeman style, by this blog's resident producer of poignant poesy (or possibly pathetic pseudo-poetic prattle!).

A big thanks to Uncle Roger for extra information as observed in real time on Monday.

 Next Back to the Bush blog : Thurs 8 Jan 

Even More Moving Ahead

3 Versus 458 : Same But Different

Carousel's new route 458 between Slough and Uxbridge is in direct competition with First Bus route 3 but the two are not exactly the same. Bus watchers do wonder why the difference. fbb will, in this blog, contrast and compare the actual routes before moving on tomorrow to look at publicity and promotion.

We begin by looking at routes eastbound  out of Slough where there are three nearly parallel roads.

The A4 London Road carries First Bus route 4 (ORANGE) to Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3. Trelawney Avenue carries route 7 (BLUE) to Heathrow Terminal 5. First's service 3 is the hero of this piece taking its happy passengers to Uxbridge and using Langley Road (PINK).

Langley Road has a mix of property but it is mainly privately built housing of relatively low density.

There are plenty of cars parked in driveways and concreted front gardens!

Carousel's 458 uses Trelawney Avenue sharing its local customers with First's route 7.

fbb is no expert on the anthropology of Slough residents, but is guessing that this estate developed as Council rental property before WW2 and may have been completed after. Property has now been upgraded but the disease of concrete front gardens is still evident here.

Trelawney Avenue has a substantial shopping centre ...

... a Roman Catholic Church ...

... and a Public Library ...

... now under threat of closure from a Council that is "committed to maintaining a good Public Library service."

Yeah, right!

It appears that Trelawney Avenue is better bus territory that Langley Road, so one point to Carousel.

The next excitement is a low bridge at Langley (Bucks) station.

Just prior to the bridge (which is why 3 and 458 are single deck routes) is a footpath and a sign for the station. The roundel tells us the the main service is provided by Elizabeth Line line trains running between Reading and Paddington.

Immediately after passing under the bridge is an anonymous set of steps ...

... which, you would think, might also lead up to the station! 

At the next road junction on the right is another anonymous footpath ...

... which used to boast the double arrow railway logo. Other Streetview "angles" show it as NOT there! But up the path is a real treat. It is the magnificent station building.

At its western end is a humble and utilitarian footbridge ...

... whilst the eastern end provides a shiny new footbridge with lifts.

Note the yellow warning on the two northernmost platforms to warn innocentl6 wandering passengers that fast GWR trains zoom through and that the stopping service leaves from over the footbridges.

Why keep the old footbridge? fbb guesses that it is the only way to get to the platforms from the footpath with the Liz Line roundel!

Sadly bus stops for both the 3 and the 458 are not close enough to the station to encourage interchange.

Spot the stops: spot the rail overbridge!

Next point of call for both routes is Iver Village with the customs barriers being unmanned when Streetview passed by.

Iver was once a pretty rural village; but development into a "Commuter Belt" town has deprived it of some of its historic quaintness. As you enter, you notice a small terrace of shops ...

... and a once picturesque terrace of older properties.

But, before getting to the "village" centre and its shops and services, both routes swing a sharp left and strike off into more open country on Bangors Road South.

They are both, apparently, aiming for Iver Heath

... but things turn out to be a bit different!

The 3 turns left off the rural Bangors Road South aiming for Flowerland ...

... and the pulsating community that really IS Iver Heath. After passing the floral emporium, the route turns right ...

... to make for the road to Uxbridge.

At said junction, the 3 should turn right, but it doesn't.

Instead it turns LEFT and goes for an exciting diversion to U-turn at the Crooked Billet Roundabout.

... before serving the bustling centre (?) of Iver Heath.

The 458 does none of this and only catches the very eastern edge of Iver Heath at this double roundabout ...

... coming in on Bangors Road South from the right after serving almost nobody along the way.

There are aa few posh pads, but they seem unlikely to fill the seats of the 458 with their posh posteriors!

So most definitely one point to First Bus for serving Iver Heath properly.

The only excitement between there and the metropolis of Uxbbridge is the crossing of the M25 ...

... where passengers on the 3 or the 458 can chortle with joy as they pass over four lanes of traffic jammed solid in each direction.

Streetview passed over at a very quiet time for the M25!

Both routes terminate at the Uxbridge Underground Station where there IS excellent interchange! There are buses a-plenty, mainly red London ones with white roofs!

fbb does find it strange that Carousel should miss out Iver Heath completely but, by way of compensation the company should do better on Trelawney Avenue (Slough) than First on the slightly more upmarket Langley Road.

Either way, there isn't anywhere near enough business between Slough and Uxbridge to justify four buses an hour!

Who will blink first, First or Carousel?

Recent history elsewhere suggests a very obvious answer.

More about timetables and publicity in tomorrow's blog.

 Next going ahead blog : Weds 7 Jan