Greenford Curve

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 5 May 2008

This is one of those odd stretches of railway that it is very difficult for the lay person to understand what its purpose is! It forms the eastern side of the triangle of railways at Greenford and is a Network Rail line that curves off northwards and then eastwards from the line between South Greenford and Greenford stations. It then heads off back towards London paralleling the London Underground Central Line from Greenford past Perivale, Hanger Lane, etc. It is certainly not a route used by scheduled passenger trains, so possibly it is now some means of reversing trains in the Paddington area through 180˚. What is certain is that it is shown as the Great Western Railway's Greenford Curve on the Ordnance Survey's maps of 1920, long before any residential or industrial development took place in the area, and its alignment has dictated the similar curved shape of the more recent road to the east, the residential Conway Crescent. On the skyline in the distance, around the curve towards South Greenford, is a semaphore signal. This photograph was taken from the Lyon Way industrial estate.

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