Wikipedia

Royal Oak tube station

Royal Oak is a station of the London Underground, on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines, between Westbourne Park and Paddington stations.[6] The station is on Lord Hill's Bridge and is in Travelcard Zone 2 for the London Underground. Although not heavily used at other times, the station is extremely busy during the annual Notting Hill Carnival. There is no wheelchair access to the platform. It is classed as a "local station" in Transport for London's "Fit for the Future" development outline.[7]

Royal Oak London Underground
Royal Oak is located in Central London
Royal Oak
Royal Oak
Location of Royal Oak in Central London
LocationWestbourne Green
Local authorityCity of Westminster
Managed byLondon Underground
Number of platforms2
Fare zone2
London Underground annual entry and exit
2019Increase 2.61 million[1]
2020Decrease 1.25 million[2]
2021Decrease 1.19 million[3]
2022Increase 1.98 million[4]
2023Increase 2.14 million[5]
Key dates
1871Opened (GWR & H&C)
1934Ended (GWR)
1970Transferred to London Transport
2009Started (Circle line)
Other information
External links
Coordinates51°31′09″N 0°11′17″W / 51.519167°N 0.188056°W / 51.519167; -0.188056
London transport portal

The station opened on 30 October 1871,[8] although the Metropolitan Railway extension to Hammersmith had opened in 1864. It is close to the elevated Westway section of the A40 road. The station is named after a nearby public house, "The Royal Oak"[9] (later "The Railway Tap" and now "The Porchester"). There was a small newsagents kiosk next to the ticket office from the 1950s to 1986, when it was closed to make room for ticketing machines needed for the Underground Ticketing System (UTS).[10]

History

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A 1911 Railway Clearing House map, showing the GWR main line from Paddington to Acton (yellow), the Hammersmith & City Railway (yellow and blue), and other railways in the vicinity of Royal Oak (right of upper centre)

The station

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When the Great Western Railway (GWR) main line was first opened in June 1838, the first stop out of Paddington was at West Drayton,[11] 13 miles 18 chains (21.28 km) from Paddington.[12] Intermediate stations were opened over the years, and the first stop became progressively closer to Paddington: a station at Ealing Broadway (5 miles 58 chains (9.21 km) from Paddington)[13] was opened in December 1838,[14] and one at Acton Main Line (4 miles 19 chains (6.82 km) from Paddington)[15] in 1868.[14] In the meantime, the Hammersmith and City Railway had opened from Green Lane Junction (near the present Westbourne Park) to Hammersmith on 13 June 1864, with the first stop on that route originally at Ladbroke Grove,[16] 1 mile 61 chains (2.84 km) out,[17] although one opened at Westbourne Park (1 mile 22 chains (2.05 km) out)[18] in 1866.[19][20]

An agreement between the GWR and the Metropolitan Railway (who had co-owned the Hammersmith & City with the GWR since 1867)[21] came into force on 1 July 1868, although it did not become legal until the following year. Under the agreement, various improvements were to be made; these included the provision of a station at Royal Oak, and the reconstruction of Westbourne Park.[22] On 30 October 1871 the station at Royal Oak opened,[8][20][23] 53 chains (1.07 km) out;[17] it was situated between Ranelagh Bridge and Lord Hill's Bridge, and access was from the latter.[24] As originally built, it had three platform faces; one for down trains and two, each side of an island, for up trains.[24] It was served by both main line and Hammersmith & City trains, and, for over sixty years, this was the first stop out of Paddington for main line trains; it remains the first stop for Hammersmith & City services. The station was hit during the 1940-41 blitz, with track, the platform and a nearby main-line train taking bomb damage.[25]

During the quadrupling of the Great Western Main Line (GWML) in 1878, a dive-under, known as Subway Tunnel, was constructed between Royal Oak and Westbourne Park. This was for Hammersmith & City services, allowing them to cross the main line without interfering with the flow of traffic; it was brought into use on 12 May 1878.[20] To accommodate the additional track of the main line, it was necessary to reduce Royal Oak station to two platform faces; the former down platform was removed (its track becoming the up main), and the southern of the two former up platforms became the down platform.[26]

Trains along the GWML ceased to call at Royal Oak from 1 October 1934,[27] but the Hammersmith & City service remained.[28] Ownership of the station was not transferred to London Transport until 1 January 1970.[29] The first GWML stop out of Paddington is now Acton Main Line.

Ranelagh Bridge depot

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There had been a locomotive depot at Westbourne Park since 1855, which was replaced by the Old Oak Common depot in 1906.[30] To avoid the need for locomotives to make the 6-mile (9.7 km) round trip from Paddington just to be turned, coaled and watered, a small maintenance facility for locomotives was constructed on the southern side of the line, directly opposite Royal Oak station, which occupied part of the site of Westbourne Lodge and its grounds. It was known as Ranelagh Bridge depot, and opened in 1907.[31] There was a turntable, a water tower, a coaling stage and sidings where about 15 locomotives could be held awaiting their next trip west.[32] The turntable was removed in April 1964, and the depot facilities were altered to suit Diesel locomotives; the depot closed in 1980.[33]

Coach station proposal

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At the end of 2018 residents became aware that Royal Oak was under consideration as a possible location for a new coach station to replace Victoria Coach Station, to be built on land north of the station (previously used for soil handling machinery used in construction of the nearby Crossrail tunnels). This was strongly opposed by Westminster's main political parties,[34][35][36] given the limited capacity of Royal Oak tube station and other local transport links, and the predominantly residential nature of the area. No firm details were published by Transport for London, but opponents of the scheme claimed that Royal Oak was the preferred site, that the scheme would occupy a 10,000 sq m site stretching from Lord's Hill Bridge (Royal Oak) to Westbourne Terrace, that a road bridge crossing the area would be closed and removed, and (in letters sent to local residents) that the tube station would have to be closed for an extended period while construction was in progress, since the coach station proposal included step-free access to the platform.[37] On 13 March 2019 the Mayor of London informed local groups that use of the site had been considered but it was not a viable site for this purpose and TfL would not take their plans forward.[38] The Mayor has subsequently told the London Assembly that the area of land may instead be used for other purposes such as sustainable housing and improvements to accessibility at the station.[39]

Preceding station   London Underground Following station
Westbourne Park
towards Hammersmith
 Circle line
 Paddington
towards Edgware Road via Aldgate
Hammersmith & City line Paddington
towards Barking
Historical railways
Westbourne Park
towards Hammersmith
 Metropolitan line
Hammersmith branch (1864–1990)
 Paddington
Terminus
Preceding station   National Rail Following station
Westbourne Park
Line and station open 		  Great Western Railway
Great Western Main Line 		  London Paddington
Line and station open
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  • The station appears in the 2006 film Kidulthood.[40]
  • Lord Hills Bridge is mentioned in the song "Nature Springs" on the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen.[41]
  • Royal Oak is mentioned in Peter Ackroyd's 1987 novel Chatterton (Part I, Chapter 4)

Connections

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The station is served by London Buses day and night routes.

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  •  
    Platform of the Royal Oak tube station looking westbound
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    Platform eastbound towards Paddington main line station. Note the six numbered approach lines
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    Construction equipment for the Royal Oak Crossrail Portal, looking East along the eastbound platform, 2010
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    Construction equipment for the Royal Oak Crossrail Portal, looking West under Lord Hill's bridge from the eastbound platform, 2010
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    Construction of the Crossrail Portal at Royal Oak, seen from a footbridge to the west of Royal Oak Station, July 2011
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    A later view from the same position, February 2012
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    Construction equipment west of the footbridge, February 2012.
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    The second Tunnel Boring Machine "Ada" en route to the Royal Oak Portal, June 2012
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    Conveyor belt system for soil from tunnels, from station platform, August 2012
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    Conveyor belt system for soil from tunnels, from Lord Hill's Bridge, September 2012
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    The station platform from Lord Hill's Bridge, April 2013
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    The Crossrail portal after completion of tunnelling, September 2014

Notes and references

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2019. Transport for London. 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2020. Transport for London. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2021. Transport for London. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2022. Transport for London. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2023. Transport for London. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  6. ^ Baker 2007, p. 21, section B1
  7. ^ "Fit for the Future: Future Stations". Transport for London. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  8. ^ a b Butt 1995, p. 200
  9. ^ Harris 2006, p. 60
  10. ^ TFL Corporate Archives ref. LT000726/045
  11. ^ MacDermot 1927, p. 55
  12. ^ Peacock 1970, p. 105
  13. ^ Peacock 1970, p. 101
  14. ^ a b MacDermot 1927, p. 57
  15. ^ Peacock 1970, p. 100
  16. ^ MacDermot 1931, pp. 7, 628
  17. ^ a b Peacock 1970, p. 103
  18. ^ Peacock 1970, p. 104
  19. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2000, Figure 63
  20. ^ a b c Croome 2003, p. 17
  21. ^ MacDermot 1931, p. 7
  22. ^ Peacock 1970, p. 38
  23. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2000, Figure 48
  24. ^ a b Mitchell & Smith 2002, Figure IX
  25. ^ Bomb Damage Royal Oak Near Paddington c.1940 at the Steam Museum of the Great West Railway.
  26. ^ Peacock 1970, p. 67
  27. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2000, Figure 52
  28. ^ Peacock 1970, p. 15
  29. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2000, Figure 56
  30. ^ Lyons 1974, p. 56
  31. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2000, Figure 45
  32. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2000, Figure 46
  33. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2000, Figure 47
  34. ^ "Save Bayswater Village - Stop the Royal Oak Coach Station". Westminster Conservatives. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  35. ^ "Westminster Labour calls for Royal Oak Coach Station option to be taken off the table in favour of Heathrow and East London alternatives". Westminster Labour. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  36. ^ "Campaigners battle transport chiefs over £350m plan to move Victoria Coach Station". Evening Standard. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  37. ^ "Proposed Coach Station and skyscraper will adversely affect local people in Little Venice". Proposed Coach Station and skyscraper will adversely affect local people in Little Venice. Westminster Conservatives. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  38. ^ Khan, Sadiq. "Letter from the Mayor of London" (PDF). Westminster Labour Party.
  39. ^ Khan, Sadiq. "Update on TfL Royal Oak proposal". London Assembly.
  40. ^ Kidulthood page at the British Railways Movie Database
  41. ^ Nature Springs lyrics on Lyricsjonk.com

References

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  • Baker, S. K. (April 2007) [1977]. Rail Atlas Great Britain & Ireland (11th ed.). Hersham: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-86093-602-2. 0704/K.
  • Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  • Croome, Desmond F. (2003). The Circle Line: An Illustrated History. Harrow Weald: Capital Transport. ISBN 1-85414-267-4.
  • Harris, Cyril M. (2006) [1977]. What's in a name? (4th ed.). Harrow Weald: Capital Transport. ISBN 1-85414-241-0.
  • Lyons, E. T. (1974) [1972]. An Historical Survey of Great Western Engine Sheds 1947. Headington: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-902888-16-1.
  • MacDermot, E. T. (1927). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. I: 1833–1863. Paddington: Great Western Railway.
  • MacDermot, E. T. (1931). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. II: 1863–1921. Paddington: Great Western Railway.
  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (January 2000). Paddington to Ealing. Western Main Lines. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 1-901706-37-0.
  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (April 2002). Paddington to Princes Risborough. Western Main Lines. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 1-901706-81-8.
  • Peacock, Thomas B. (1970) [1968]. Great Western London Suburban Services. Locomotion Papers (2nd ed.). Oakwood Press. LP48.
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