South Acton - Hammersmith and Chiswick

SOUTH ACTON - HAMMERSMITH & CHISWICK

(1857-1962?)

This line veered eastwards from what is now the North London Line just north of the existing South Acton station.
Almost immediately the route runs along the north edge of Southfields Recreation Ground where a noticeboard has
thoughtfully been provided with the following explanation of the railway:

"The North and South West Junction Railway (now the Silverlink North London Line) was opened in 1853. The
Hammersmith branch, running along the north of the park was opened in 1857. Railway halts, opened in 1909
were located at Bath Road, Woodstock Road and Rugby Road to encourage passenger use. This was unsuccessful
and ended in 1916. Freight trains continued to use the line until the 1950s."

The accuracy of this has been disputed by Peter Bloomfield who states: "Clinker's Register of
Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots shows that it was closed to passenger
trains on 1 Jan 1917, goods trains on 3 May 1965 and closed entirely on 3 May 1965."

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The sign in Southfields Recreation Park.

The track bed in 1980 or so, looking south at the junction with the North London Line just north of South Acton station.

How the north of the park above looked on a dismal and wet day in Jan 2004.
The track bed follows a path approximate to the line of trees: South Acton is to the left and the rest of the route to Stamford Brook on the right.

The site of Rugby Road Halt.

The path here cuts across the track bed. Trains from South Acton to Hammersmith and Chiswick would have run from left to right.

(Jan 2004)

View south from Rugby Road Halt. The track bed here is in use as a narrow but very long car park that leads all the way down to Woodstock Road Halt.

The track bed between Woodstock Road and Bath Road halts is given to allotments now.

(photo Jan 2004).

This view is looking north from the north end of where Hammersmith & Chiswick station would have been. The bridge carries the District and Piccadilly lines - the small mini tunnel on the left and the two large gaps in the centre and on the right, all had tracks passing through as indicated by the map below.

For more photos of this station: www.disused-stations.org.uk

Rail side of station building nearly hidden by a mound of old televisions.

Photo courtesy of Denis Lewis.

Bulidings in goods yard.

Photo courtesy of Denis Lewis.

View of yard entrance shortly after site clearance commenced.

Photo courtesy of Denis Lewis.

The District and Piccadilly lnes are shown running horizontally.
Notice the fanning out of the lines of the Hammersmith and Chiswick railway.

For another site dealing with this railway, click here.

Staines West - West Drayton

Photos taken Jan 2004 except where stated.