Uxbridge branch history

[jimbo]

I notice in the current edition of Underground News that within less than three months of its formation in 1933, London Transport was defining official names for sections of its railways. The Metropolitan Line was limited to Rayners Lane from Baker Street, whilst the Piccadilly Line included Cockfosters to Uxbridge. I think this was based upon the previous through service being provided by the District Railway, which was superseded by the Piccadilly Line. The reversing siding at Rayners Lane was provided for short workings of Metropolitan Railway trains. This probably didn't please former Metropolitan Railway employees, who recalled the Company's original construction of that branch line when the District Railway could not raise finance!

Only a fortnight after that meeting, discussion centered upon a level crossing between Hillingdon and Uxbridge on the Metropolitan Line, so the newly adopted naming convention was not followed! At some stage in the following quarter-century the branch again became Metropolitan, because the Piccadilly line service reversed in the Rayners Lane siding except at peak hours.

[revupminster]

When the underground had a divisional structure ABCD the District and Piccadilly line was C based at Earls Court. I as a Leave Cover clerk based at Bow Road could be sent as far as Hounslow West or South Harrow even though District trains had not run there for years. Piccadilly staff only worked Knightsbridge to Cockfosters although when spare I was once sent to Finsbury Park, for a evening concert return traffic, as a Relief Clerk had gone home early.

When the four divisions were abolished to individual lines the Piccadilly took over staffing all the wholly served Piccadilly Line stations.

[vincenture]

Hey jimbo, I am also a Wikipedia editor and bought a book called the Piccadilly tube. I have never heard of all of this but that's interesting. The only thing I know was that the District Railway operated the South Harrow to Uxbridge shuttle for quite a while before the Piccadilly could run through to Uxbridge.

[revupminster]

The Metropolitan opened the Uxbridge branch on the 4 July 1904 with steam trains for the first six months before electric trains took over. The District Line arrived at Uxbridge 1 March 1910 when an extension spur from South Harrow to Rayners Lane opened. The spur had been built by the Met in 1904 but arguments with the District stopped it opening for six years. The District went as far as South Harrow from 28 June 1903.

The Picc arrived at Uxbridge in two stages; Hammersmith to South Harrow 4 July 1932 and Uxbridge 23 October 1933 after which the District service was withdrawn, yet as I said before staffing to South Harrow and Hounslow West was District.

The Met as far as I can find always ran to Uxbridge without a break in service. I have the Charles E Lee booklets which he produced in the late 60s and early 70s.

[vincenture]

Except for the 2014 break where major track replacement work was done between Uxbridge and Ickenham XD