An Underground train leaves for Epping

Image: © Marathon Taken: 20 Apr 2016

On 20th November 1905 the Great Central Railway opened a new route for freight trains between Neasden Junction and Northolt Junction (just to the east of here), and on 1st March 1906 passenger services began from High Wycombe to the Great Central's then new terminus at Marylebone. The line was built though open country, yet impressive stations were provided. However, passengers tended to opt for the parallel (now Piccadilly) line, and by 1968 the service was said to be the sparsest in London. Plans were afoot to close it between Neasden and South Ruislip and direct trains into Paddington, but the line has survived. Another line was built between 1903 and 1906 from the Great Western Main Line at Old Oak Common to the Chiltern Main Line at South Ruislip. A full history of these lines can be seen at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acton-Northolt_Line In no area at a comparable distance from London was development so slow. In the hamlet of West End at Northolt only three houses were built between 1837 and 1935. It was not until the late 1950s that most of the area out to West Ruislip had become built over. The Great Western Railway provided a number of halts in addition to Greenford and West Ruislip and served them by infrequent trains right up to 1947, in spite of the rising tide of suburban development after 1935. One of these was opened in May 1908 and originally known as Northolt Junction. The station became South Ruislip & Northolt Junction from September 1932 and received its present name in July 1942. The present Underground station was built for the Central line extension of the 1935-40 New Works Programme of the London Passenger Transport Board which was designed to improve transport in London. An extra pair of tracks were built to the south of the old tracks from Acton to Denham for the exclusive use of Central line trains. The widened lines were opened to Greenford on 30th June 1947 and on to West Ruislip on 21st November 1948. The section to Denham was not proceeded with because of the introduction of the London Green Belt after the Second World War. South Ruislip Underground station opened on 21st November 1948. This view looks up the line from the Underground station. The Central line tracks veer off to the right along with the track used mainly by freight trains and a once-daily passenger service provided by Chiltern Railways - see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4121740 Veering off to the left are the Chiltern Railway tracks towards Northolt Park and Marylebone. A Central line train has just left on its way to Epping. West Ruislip to Epping is the longest journey which can be made on London Underground.

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