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Acton Main Line railway station

Coordinates: 51°31′02″N 0°16′00″W / 51.5171°N 0.2668°W / 51.5171; -0.2668
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This article is about the National Rail station on the Great Western Main Line. For other stations in Acton, see Acton station (disambiguation).

Acton Main Line Elizabeth line
New station building in 2021
Acton Main Line is located in Greater London
Acton Main Line
Acton Main Line
Location of Acton Main Line in Greater London
LocationActon
Local authorityLondon Borough of Ealing
Grid referenceTQ203812
Managed byTfL Rail[1]
Station code(s)AML
DfT categoryE
Number of platforms3
AccessibleYes[2]
Fare zone3
National Rail annual entry and exit
2016–17Decrease 0.239 million[3]
2017–18Increase 0.264 million[3]
2018–19Increase 0.311 million[3]
2019–20Increase 0.351 million[3]
2020–21Decrease 0.126 million[3]
Railway companies
Original companyGreat Western Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
1 February 1868 (1868-02-01)Opened as Acton
26 September 1949Renamed Acton Main Line
Other information
External links
Coordinates51°31′02″N 0°16′00″W / 51.5171°N 0.2668°W / 51.5171; -0.2668
London transport portal

Acton Main Line is a railway station on the Great Western Main Line in Acton, west London. Located 4 miles 21 chains (6.9 km) down the line from London Paddington between Paddington and Ealing Broadway stations, the station is served and managed by TfL Rail. The station was rebuilt with step-free access as part of the Crossrail project. It is Travelcard Zone 3.

History

The Great Western Main Line opened through Acton in 1838, however the Great Western Railway (GWR) was initially focused on long distance traffic.[4] The station was opened by the GWR on 1 February 1868.[5] Originally simply named Acton, it was operated by the Western Region of British Railways following nationalisation in 1948. On 26 September 1949 it was renamed Acton Main Line.[5] When sectorisation was introduced, the station was served by Network SouthEast until the privatisation of British Railways in 1994.

Together with the underground stations at West Acton and North Acton, Acton Main Line serves the GWR garden estate. This large area of family housing, bordered on three sides by the stations named and on the fourth side by the A40 road, was developed by GWR in the 1920s to accommodate its staff, particularly drivers from the Old Oak Common depot.[6]

By 1947 the station had four platforms, all partially covered along their length by wooden canopies, as well as a siding next to platform 1.[7][8] Both platform 1 and its siding were demolished in the late 1960s, whilst the imposing Victorian station building was pulled down and replaced with a small booking office in 1974.[9][10] Platform canopies were also removed, with platforms numbered 2, 3 and 4. The platform 1 permanent way is still intact, and is used as a fast through line for non-stopping trains; all trains on the Great Western Main Line pass through the station. The frequency of trains was also reduced in the 1960s to a peak hour only service.[11]

In the 1990s, the Great Western Main Line was electrified through Acton Main Line as part of the Heathrow Express project.[12] A new station building was completed in early 1996;[citation needed] there was also extensive renovation of the adjacent bridge on Horn Lane. In 2004, a cut in the number of services to 2 trains an hour by First Great Western Link was criticised by local residents, who called for the station to be served by Crossrail services.[13][14] In 2008, Oyster pay as you go became available for passengers at the station.[15]

Crossrail

New (2021) and old (1996) station buildings at Acton Main Line

Acton Main Line was first proposed to be part of the Crossrail project in the 1990s.[16] In 2003, initial public consultation proposed that no Crossrail services would stop at the station.[17] In 2004, it was proposed that services would call at the station 7 days a week, but no stations improvements were planned. The number of seats available into Central London from the station would double, due to longer and more frequent trains.[18] Following criticism,[19] it was announced in 2005 that a new station building and step free access would be built as part of the project.[20]

In May 2011, Network Rail announced that it would deliver improvements and alterations to prepare the station for Crossrail services.[21] In 2016, the station design was completed, and submitted to Ealing Council for approval.[22] The work would include a new station building designed by Bennetts Associates[23] with level access from Horn Lane, platform extensions, new platform canopies and step-free access to all platforms.[24][25] Outside the station, public realm improvements funded by Transport for London and Ealing Borough Council would include a new roundabout with zebra crossings, widened pavements, street trees and covered cycle parking.[26][27]

In mid-2013 a gated barrier was built along the entire length of platforms 2 and 3, protecting passengers from the fast lines. In June 2017, it was announced that completion of the station was delayed until 2019.[28] 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.[29] In 2019, contracts for the new station building was awarded, allowing construction of the new station building.[30]

Following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[31] the refurbished station opened on 18 March 2021, providing step free access to all platforms.[32]

Services

A GWR Class 387 with a service to London Paddington

The typical daytime service from the station is:

Since May 2019, the station has been served on Sundays.[33]

Preceding station   Crossrail   Following station
Ealing Broadway
 style="background:#Template:LCR color; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" |   TfL Rail
Paddington - Heathrow Terminal 4 		style="background:#Template:LCR color; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" |   London Paddington
Ealing Broadway
 style="background:#Template:LCR color; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" |   TfL Rail
Paddington – Hayes & Harlington 		style="background:#Template:LCR color; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" |   London Paddington
  Future service  
Preceding station   Crossrail   Following station
Template:LCR lines
Future service when a station is built at Old Oak Common (e.g. for HS2)
Preceding station   Crossrail   Following station
Template:LCR lines
  Historical railways  
Ealing Broadway
Line and station open 		  Great Western Railway
Main Line 		  Westbourne Park
Line and mainline station closed

Connections

London Buses routes 260, 266 and 440 serve the station.

References

  1. ^ Station facilities for Acton Main Line
  2. ^ Standard Tube Map (PDF) (Map). Not to scale. Transport for London. April 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
  4. ^ Bolton, Diane; Hicks, M A; Croot, Patricia E C (1982). Elrington, C R; Baker, T F T (eds.). A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7, Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden. Victoria County History. pp. 2–7.
  5. ^ a b 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. 43. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ See section "The Railway Expansion" at Acton History.
  7. ^ "Wall's Ice Cream and Sausage Factory and environs, Acton, from the west, 1947". Britain from Above. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Acton Main Line Railway Station, the Wall's Ice Cream and Sausage Factory and environs, Acton, 1947. This image was marked by Aerofilms Ltd for photo editing.". Britain from Above. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  9. ^ Lane, Kevin (July 2017). "Hanimex Hymek" on Flickr. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Acton Main Line station, 1960 & 2012" on Flickr. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  11. ^ "Oral Answers to Questions — Railways – in the House of Commons - Acton Main Line Station". TheyWorkForYou. 12 June 1968. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Heathrow Express". Railway Technology. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  13. ^ Clements, James (3 November 2004). "Train franchise could hit buffers". Ealing Times. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Acton Mainline train station not safe yet". Acton W3. August 2004. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Smartcard extended to rail route". BBC News. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Crossrail – from its early beginnings". Crossrail. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Round 1 Consultation Information Panels" (PDF). Crossrail. September 2003. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 September 2021. 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.
  18. ^ "Round 2 Consultation Information Panels" (PDF). Crossrail. August 2004. p. 46. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Public Awareness and Public Consultation Round 1: Results and Crossrail's Response" (PDF). Crossrail. August 2004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 September 2021. 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?
  20. ^ "Pre-Bill Information Round Panels" (PDF). Crossrail. February 2005. pp. 40–41. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  21. ^ "Crossrail Station Design Contract Awarded". Crossrail. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  22. ^ "Modernisation of Acton main line station approved as part of Crossrail project". www.railway-technology.com. 23 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  23. ^ "Crossrail Surface Stations • Projects • Bennetts Associates". Bennetts Associates. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  24. ^ MacLennan, Peter (18 March 2016). "Major improvement plans for Acton Main Line station unveiled". Crossrail. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  25. ^ "Acton Main Line Station". Crossrail. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  26. ^ "Places and Spaces - Urban Realm on the Crossrail route" (PDF). Crossrail. March 2014. pp. 24–25. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 September 2021.
  27. ^ McDougall, Hamish (3 June 2014). "Crossrail exhibits design proposals for areas around stations". Crossrail. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  28. ^ "Crossrail stations in west London delayed until 2019". BBC News. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  29. ^ "Heathrow Connect out as TfL Rail comes in". Railway Gazette International. 21 May 2018. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  30. ^ O’Connor, Rob (8 May 2019). "Network Rail announces new contracts for Crossrail project". Infrastructure Intelligence. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  31. ^ Horgan, Rob (22 October 2020). "'Substantial progress' made at late running Crossrail stations". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  32. ^ "Acton Main Line station latest in the TfL network to be made step-free as upgrade works complete". Network Rail. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  33. ^ "Paddington to Heathrow Airport (TfL Rail)" (PDF). Transport for London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
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