London Electric Railways : Operating Manager's Personal Letter No. 11 : PIccadilly line Western Extensions : 30 March 1931
During the late 1920s and into the 1930s, at a time of huge expansion of the London Underground system, a series of "letters" to varous grades of administrative staff explaining issues of policy were issued. Starting in 1927, these 'personal' letters from the 'Operating Manager' blossomed into quite sizeable publications, complete with extensive maps, drawings and plans - especially of the massive schemes connected with the London Passenger Transport Board's "New Works Programme, 1935 - 40. This, Number 11, was issued on 30 March 1931 and looks at the works in connection with the western extensions of the Piccadilly line beyond its original terminus at Hammersmith. This was to help 'balance' the northern extension of the line as well as add large swathes of west London and Middlesex into the catchment of the Piccadilly's central area deep tube.
This involved a complex piece of engineering work tunnelling under Hammersmith Broadway and alongside the Brook Green sewer, alongside the exitsing District Railway, before the line rose and joined with the then disused ex-LSWR tracks leased from the Southern Railway. These works allowed an effective four-tracking of the railway as seen on this track diagram west from Hammersmith to Acton Town allowing 'express' running of the Piccadilly line along this section. The works involved extensive track works to allow segregation of the junctions of the Richmond and South Acton branch, access to Acton Works and west of Acton Town more 'flying junctions' to minimise conflicts between the Hounslow and Ealing/Harrow branches. Various of the stations along this section of route were to be reconstructed, notably here Acton Town itself along with Chiswick Park. Others saw platforms repositioned to allow the workings of the 'all-stations' District and non-stopping Piccadilly. The diagram also shows the connections into the new Northfields Depot that serviced the extended line and allowed closure of the operational depot at Lillie Bridge, then to be used as engineering works.
It was, all in all, a fine piece of work a one that still serves the Underground in west London well.
London Electric Railways : Operating Manager's Personal Letter No. 11 : PIccadilly line Western Extensions : 30 March 1931
During the late 1920s and into the 1930s, at a time of huge expansion of the London Underground system, a series of "letters" to varous grades of administrative staff explaining issues of policy were issued. Starting in 1927, these 'personal' letters from the 'Operating Manager' blossomed into quite sizeable publications, complete with extensive maps, drawings and plans - especially of the massive schemes connected with the London Passenger Transport Board's "New Works Programme, 1935 - 40. This, Number 11, was issued on 30 March 1931 and looks at the works in connection with the western extensions of the Piccadilly line beyond its original terminus at Hammersmith. This was to help 'balance' the northern extension of the line as well as add large swathes of west London and Middlesex into the catchment of the Piccadilly's central area deep tube.
This involved a complex piece of engineering work tunnelling under Hammersmith Broadway and alongside the Brook Green sewer, alongside the exitsing District Railway, before the line rose and joined with the then disused ex-LSWR tracks leased from the Southern Railway. These works allowed an effective four-tracking of the railway as seen on this track diagram west from Hammersmith to Acton Town allowing 'express' running of the Piccadilly line along this section. The works involved extensive track works to allow segregation of the junctions of the Richmond and South Acton branch, access to Acton Works and west of Acton Town more 'flying junctions' to minimise conflicts between the Hounslow and Ealing/Harrow branches. Various of the stations along this section of route were to be reconstructed, notably here Acton Town itself along with Chiswick Park. Others saw platforms repositioned to allow the workings of the 'all-stations' District and non-stopping Piccadilly. The diagram also shows the connections into the new Northfields Depot that serviced the extended line and allowed closure of the operational depot at Lillie Bridge, then to be used as engineering works.
It was, all in all, a fine piece of work a one that still serves the Underground in west London well.