North Acton Junction

[Deleted]

To this day, the formation of the old freight tracks from Viaduct Junction to North Acton Junction can still be seen from the Central Line. IIRC they were installed sometime around the construction of the Ruislip branch of the Central Line, mainly to separate the milk trains from the tube trains.

'The Twopenny Tube' states that North Acton Junction was originally a double junction that allowed trains on the E&SBR to run onto the Bimingham Direct route to the Greenford triangle, or alternately to Ealing Broadway via the existing route. What was the layout of North Acton Junction in between the construction of the Ruislip branch and the loss of the freight tracks?

[piccadillypilot]

(sigh, it's 'im ag'in ) ;D

Images and text courtesy of "Railways Then and Now: The Changing Railway Scene in Britain, Edwin Course, BT Batsford, 1979.

www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/NActonJnc/NActonJnc1.jpg (490Kb)

www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/NActonJnc/NActonJnc2.jpg (508Kb)

North Acton Junction, formerly Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway (TQ 203821), in September 1920 (above) and 24 August 1957 (below)

Reference has already been made to the extension of Central line tube trains along new tracks, running parallel to the GW, as far as West Ruislip. Most of the work was completed before the war, but the track was temporarily removed, and it was 1947 before tube trains reached Greenford, with the final section to West Ruislip being opened in 1948.

The views of 1920 and 1957 are both taken looking down the line from the bridge carrying Park Royal Road. The 1920 view shows the E&SB diverging from the GW Birmingham direct line, with a connection enabling GW trains to gain their own tracks. The signal cabin, and the signals on the steam lines are of typical GW design. However, the signal which appears above the front of the tube train is one of the 3-position upper quadrants, which were installed on the E&SB. The 3-rail electric track has already been mentioned, and it will be noted that a central live rail necessitated elaborate arrangements in the track crossing in the foreground. To the right the wooden cooling towers of the GW electric power station which supplied the E&SB are visible above the roof line.

By 1957 the Birmingham line had been slewed to the north, to give room for a burrowing junction between the tube train lines to Ealing and to Ruislip. A new GW signal box in their 1930s style had been provided. In addition to the steel bridge carrying the Ealing line over the west-bound Ruislip there was a concrete bridge visible to the left of the signal box, carrying a private siding. In 1957 everything on the GW side was still traditional, with manually operated points, semaphore signals and a steam-hauled train. One interesting survival on the electric side is the oil lamp on the back of the tube train to West Ruislip. The view illustrates plainly the contrast between two types of London railway.

(I suppose you'll be wanting info on the flyover between East Acton and White City next won't you?

See Wood Lane Flyover thread in this board.)

[Deleted]

Thanks PP! The arrangements are exactly as I suspected them to be.

It's unfortunate that the junction between the Birmingham Direct line and the freight tracks is not visible in the second photo.

[piccadillypilot]

Here's another shot, courtesy of LT photo archive.

www.piccadillypilot.co.uk/NActonJnc/LRT-NActon.jpg

It's a bit small 'cause it's only a reference scan but it might give you some clues.

The picture is undated but given that the loco still has a GWR/BR cast number plate it's not one of those that passed to LT. In view of the amount of rail it's carrying it could be making a delivery to the West Ruislip extension works.

[Deleted]

Thanks again PP!

What did North Acton station look like before the eastbound platform was converted into an island?

[piccadillypilot]

I've got some photos but I'll have to find and scan. Give it a few days.

[Deleted]

Piccadilly said:

I've got some photos but I'll have to find and scan. Give it a few days.

There's no need to go to any trouble. I was just curious as to what the eastbound platform looked like.

[Tom]

It's been a few years but as I remember it had a wooden shelter similar to the one on the WB platform.

[q8]

It's been a few years but as I remember it had a wooden shelter similar to the one on the WB platform.

Yeah it did have a wooden shelter and the side on the main line (Now the eastbound) had green painted iron railings along the edge. The high arched bridge was used by bus'es for layover and sometime crews could be seen on the top deck watching the railway activity below. If you gave them a toot on the whistle they gave you a "V" sign in return. ;D