West Ealing railway station

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West Ealing Crossrail National Rail
Platforms 3 and 4 at West Ealing 2021.jpg
Platforms facing east, 2021
West Ealing is located in Greater London
West Ealing
West Ealing
Location of West Ealing in Greater London
LocationWest Ealing
Local authorityLondon Borough of Ealing
Grid referenceTQ166807
Managed byTfL Rail[1]
Station codeWEA
DfT categoryE
Number of platforms3
AccessibleYes[2]
Fare zone3
National Rail annual entry and exit
2016–17Decrease 0.924 million[3]
2017–18Increase 1.035 million[3]
– interchange Increase 84,457[3]
2018–19Increase 1.078 million[3]
– interchange Decrease 65,972[3]
2019–20Increase 1.182 million[3]
– interchange Increase 69,361[3]
2020–21Decrease 0.340 million[3]
– interchange Decrease 15,194[3]
Railway companies
Original companyGreat Western Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
4 June 1838Line opened
1 March 1871 (1871-03-01)Station opened as Castle Hill
1875Renamed Castle Hill Ealing Dean
1 March 1883District Railway service introduced
30 September 1885District Railway service ceased
1 July 1899Renamed West Ealing
Other information
External links
WGS8451°30′49″N 0°19′13″W / 51.5137°N 0.3203°W / 51.5137; -0.3203Coordinates: 51°30′49″N 0°19′13″W / 51.5137°N 0.3203°W / 51.5137; -0.3203
Underground sign at Westminster.jpg London transport portal

West Ealing railway station is on the Great Western Main Line in Ealing, situated in west London. It is 6 miles 46 chains (10.6 km) down the line from London Paddington and is situated between Ealing Broadway to the east and Hanwell to the west. Its three-letter station code is WEA.

Most trains serving the station are operated by TfL Rail running between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4. Services on the Greenford branch line to Greenford are normally operated by Great Western Railway, but one service per day is operated by Chiltern Railways. Once Crossrail opens fully, the TfL Rail service will become part of the Elizabeth line and run through central London to Abbey Wood and Shenfield.

History[]

The original station building visible in the distance, on the far right, in 1962. The milk dock is visible near the centre; platform 1 and its siding are visible on the extreme right.
The original station building in 1978

The station was opened on 1 March 1871 as Castle Hill on the Great Western Railway, which was constructed from London Paddington through Ealing to Maidenhead in 1836–1838.[4][5] The station was renamed Castle Hill Ealing Dean in 1875.[5] From 1 March 1883, the station was served by District Railway services running between Mansion House and Windsor. This service was discontinued as uneconomic after 30 September 1885.[6][7] On 1 July 1899, the station was renamed West Ealing.[5]

Originally the station consisted of four platforms in a staggered layout: platform 1 (along with a siding) and the island comprising platforms 2 and 3 to the west of the Drayton Green Road bridge, and platform 4 on the east side.[8] The station was located next to the London Co-operative Society's main creamery, and so was equipped with a dedicated milk train platform in the mid-1900s.

Platform 1 and its siding were demolished in the late 1960s; platform 4 was demolished and moved west of the bridge by early 1990, partially covering the site of the then long-closed milk depot;[9] platform 2 was partially demolished and fenced off by early 1991 as trains on the main line no longer served the station.

From around 1985 to 1990, access to the original platform 4 was opposite the station building, across Drayton Green Road bridge. The previous station building (which is now closed) was completed in early 1987, following demolition of the previous century-old building a year earlier.[citation needed]

Since October 2008, Oyster "pay as you go" can be used for journeys originating or ending at West Ealing.[10]

In December 2018, Chiltern Railways commenced operating a once per day parliamentary service on weekdays from South Ruislip and to High Wycombe via the Greenford line.[11][12] It replaced a service to London Paddington via the Acton–Northolt line.[13]

Crossrail[]

West Ealing was first proposed to be part of the Crossrail project in the 1990s.[14] In 2003, initial public consultation proposed that no Crossrail services would stop at the station.[15] Following criticism,[16] it was proposed that services would call at the station 7 days a week, with station improvements including a new ticket hall and step-free access. However, the Greenford branch line would terminate at the station at a new platform, to allow for a greater number of services to run into Paddington.[17] In May 2011, Network Rail announced that it would deliver improvements and alterations to prepare the station for Crossrail services.[18]

In 2015, the station design was approved by Ealing Council, allowing construction to commence.[19] The work would include a new station building designed by Bennetts Associates[20] with access from Manor Road, a new platform for the Greenford branch, platform extensions and step-free access to all platforms.[21][22] Outside the station, public realm improvements funded by Transport for London and Ealing Borough Council would include a raised speed table with granite paving, widened pavements, street trees and cycle parking.[23][24]

New station building facing Manor Road, opened 2021

In September 2016, Great Western Railway began operating services from Paddington with Class 387 trains, which led to most Greenford services that had previously run to Paddington to terminate at West Ealing. In June 2017, it was announced that completion of the station was delayed until 2019.[25] In December 2017, MTR Crossrail took over management of the station from Great Western Railway, with TfL Rail services running from May 2018 in preparation for the full operation of the Elizabeth line.[26] In 2019, contracts for the new station building was awarded, allowing construction of the new station building.[27]

Following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[28] the new station building opened on 25 March 2021, providing step free access to all platforms. The existing station building on Drayton Green Road was permanently closed.[29][30]

Accidents and incidents[]

On 5 August 1989, an express passenger train travelling from Oxford to Paddington collided with a piece of rail left on the track, probably by vandals, and the locomotive, Class 50 50025 Invincible, was derailed along the points near to platform 2 (these points were removed by November of that year). There were no serious injuries.[31][32]

Services[]

TfL Rail Class 345s at West Ealing

Timetable[]

Trains at West Ealing are operated by TfL Rail and Great Western Railway with a very limited service provided by Chiltern Railways.

The typical daily service (trains per hour – tph) is:[33]

TfL Rail

Great Western Railway

  • 2tph to Greenford

Since May 2019, the station has been served on Sundays.[34] There is also one train per day on Mondays-Fridays only to West Ruislip, operated by Chiltern Railways.[13]

Preceding station   Crossrail roundel.svg National Rail logo.svg Crossrail   Following station
Hanwell   TfL Rail
Paddington-Heathrow Terminal 4 		  Ealing Broadway
Hanwell
   TfL Rail
Paddington – Hayes & Harlington 		  Ealing Broadway
First Great Western
Drayton Green   Great Western Railway
Greenford line
Monday – Saturday only 		  Terminus
South Ruislip   Chiltern Railways
Greenford line (limited service)
Monday - Friday only 		  Terminus
  Future developments  
Preceding station   Crossrail roundel.svg National Rail logo.svg Crossrail   Following station
Hanwell
towards Heathrow Airport
Crossrail
Elizabeth line
Ealing Broadway
towards Abbey Wood
  Historical services  
Preceding station   Underground no-text.svg London Underground   Following station
Hanwell
towards Windsor
District line
Ealing Broadway
towards Mansion House

Connections[]

London Buses routes E7 and E11 serve the station.

References[]

  1. ^ Station facilities for West Ealing
  2. ^ Standard Tube Map (PDF) (Map). Not to scale. Transport for London. January 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
  4. ^ MacDermot, E.T. (1927). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. I: 1833-1863. Paddington: Great Western Railway.
  5. ^ a b c Quick, Michael (2020). Railway passenger stations in Great Britain : a chronology (PDF) (Fifth edition, version 5.02 ed.). Oxford: Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 448. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ Rose, Douglas (December 2007) [1980]. The London Underground: A Diagrammatic History (8th ed.). Harrow Weald: Capital Transport. ISBN 978-1-85414-315-0.
  7. ^ Day, John R.; Reed, John (2008) [1963]. The Story of London's Underground (10th ed.). Harrow: Capital Transport. p. 26. ISBN 978-1-85414-316-7.
  8. ^ Law, John. "glc - west ealing station gwr" on Flickr. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  9. ^ Mitchell, V; Smith, K (2000). Branch Lines of West London. Midhurst: Middleton Press. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-901706-50-5.
  10. ^ "Oyster PAYG on National Rail" (PDF). National Rail Enquiries. 20 October 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2009.
  11. ^ 2V27 1102 South Ruislip to West Ealing Real Train Times 10 December 2018
  12. ^ 2M27 1147 West Ealing to High Wycombe Real Train Times 10 December 2018
  13. ^ a b Marius, Callum (25 May 2021). "London's ghost trains that are hidden on the Tube map and how to see them". MyLondon. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Crossrail – from its early beginnings". Crossrail. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Round 1 Consultation Information Panels" (PDF). Crossrail. September 2003. Retrieved 8 September 2021. It is not proposed that Crossrail services would stop at Acton Main Line, West Ealing, Hanwell & Elthorne or Southall stations. They would continue to be served by train services to/from Paddington.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ "Public Awareness and Public Consultation Round 1: Results and Crossrail's Response" (PDF). Crossrail. August 2004. Retrieved 8 September 2021. Why are there no stopping services at some stations on the Great Western, particularly at West Ealing, Acton Main Line or Southall?{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Round 2 Consultation Information Panels" (PDF). Crossrail. August 2004. pp. 41–42. Retrieved 7 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Crossrail Station Design Contract Awarded". Crossrail. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  19. ^ Sadler, Katie (7 August 2015). "Approval given for Crossrail overhaul of West Ealing station". www.railway-technology.com. Retrieved 8 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "Crossrail Surface Stations • Projects • Bennetts Associates". Bennetts Associates. Retrieved 7 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Mann, Nick (7 August 2015). "Green light for new station building at West Ealing". Crossrail. Retrieved 8 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "West Ealing station". Crossrail. Retrieved 8 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "Places and Spaces - Urban Realm on the Crossrail route" (PDF). Crossrail. March 2014. pp. 20–21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ McDougall, Hamish (3 June 2014). "Crossrail exhibits design proposals for areas around stations". Crossrail. Retrieved 7 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "Crossrail stations in west London delayed until 2019". BBC News. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  26. ^ "Heathrow Connect out as TfL Rail comes in". Railway Gazette International. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ O’Connor, Rob (8 May 2019). "Network Rail announces new contracts for Crossrail project". Infrastructure Intelligence. Retrieved 7 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ Horgan, Rob (22 October 2020). "'Substantial progress' made at late running Crossrail stations". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  29. ^ "Step-free access available at West Ealing station as upgrade works complete". Network Rail. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  30. ^ Kouimtsidis, Dimitris (26 March 2021). "GALLERY: West Ealing station upgrade works complete". ealing.nub.news. Retrieved 8 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ "Photo of 50025 at West Ealing, August 1989". Rail Blue. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  32. ^ "Accident at West Ealing in August 1989". Railways Archive. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  33. ^ "Paddington to Heathrow Airport (TfL Rail)" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  34. ^ "Paddington to Heathrow Airport (TfL Rail)" (PDF). Transport for London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.

External links[]

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