End of the Line No.4 - West Ruislip

Time to visit the other end of the Central Line as I take a trip again into the depths of Zone 6, to have a look at ... West Ruislip. What is there? Do you know about the train that only goes there once-a-week on a Wednesday, and is there a secret connection to the Metropolitan line?
Harefield Road Tube Station : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harefie...
Download the Bingo Sheet here to play along : geofftech.co.uk/downloads.html

[@geofftech2]

Altogether now, “CAR PARK!”

[@transporttechtv]

"CAR PARK"

[@josefmairhofer6036]

„CAR PARK!“

[@B9TL205]

"CAR PARK"

[@thechilledonion9313]

"CAR PARK!"

[@VascoRoblox-yp5rw]

"CAR PARK!"

[@strikeyz]

I've only just realised we're gonna have "End Of The Line - Waterloo" and "End Of The Line - Bank" because of the waterloo & city. God, that'll be fun

[@MercenaryPen]

Bank at least might feature the DLR as well, but there's also End of the Line- Elephant and Castle (and if Geoff does commit to the DLR as well, End of the Line- Tower Gateway)

[@strikeyz]

@@MercenaryPen Also, end of the line - Aldgate..

[@michaeldwyer3352]

Yes, but don't expect Geoff to do both ends of the line on the same day - he works quite hard enough as it is.

[@strikeyz]

@@michaeldwyer3352 I definitely don't expect that :)

[@randomstuff5676]

And End of The Line: Lewisham

[@lewisclark1122]

Oh, the number of times I fell asleep on the Central Line and woke up in West Ruislip... (Luckily, I used to live in South Ruislip, so I only had to go back two stops. Woo!)

[@nathantransitj]

The mixed-up colors on the tube map at 0:22 really tripped me up.

[@michaeldwyer3352]

Thanks Geoff. This stretch of line was immortalised in John Betjeman's poem which begins: 'Swiftly into Ruislip Gardens/ Runs the red electric train/ With a thousand ta's and pardons/Daintily alights Elaine...

[@peterbrown7092]

Lovely to see my old home station on the edge of the green belt. Yes. An extension to Denham was proposed, but the lines through the bridge portals were not actually installed until the late 70's as a post-Moorgate disaster safety measure. The embankment including the next bridge down the line (over the old canal feeder) was actually widened to accommodate the Central Line but that was as far as the extension works went. The works required to get to Denham over the Colne Valley would have been massive!

[@stephensaines7100]

Yes, I was just checking that out on Google Earth, detail is all there.

[@mitchelldoesthings7023]

I'm a Wirral based fella but got friends who live in Ruislip 5 minutes away from West Ruislip station, so much quieter than the usual hustle and bustle of London. Quite a nice area too.

[@tomcarroll2244]

A former yank expat here. West Ruislip used to have a full US armed forces base nearby (mostly naval personnel). As a teen, I went there every Saturday morning for a number of years during the mid 1970s (from Beaconsfield on the main line side). Ickenham was nearby as well, and was a good option if I had to travel to South London afterward. Based on this video, West Ruislip seems largely unchanged from my time there. Thanks for the video!

[@henrychealtv8945]

Not one to comment much on videos but loving your content, Geoff. As someone with autism, this quirky but great content is something I greatly enjoy viewing. Enjoyed this one in particular as I commute into London some days via Gerrards Cross which stops off here. Keep up the great work and will continue to watch hours and hours of your content.

[@isaywhatilikeandilikewhati1117]

At 2:00 if you look carefully there is to the far left a track without buffers. I don't know now, but in the 1970s this track was used to receive new rolling stock made up north. It would be hauled by a diesel loco south on the now Chiltern line and enter West Ruislip along that single track just able to be seen at 2:00. This track would pass in front of a London Underground signal box (not involved in the train movements) and the track led into and through Ruislip depot and led to the track you mention that is between the Central and Met/Piccadilly line. This track connection was able to provide the means for brand new rolling stock to be delivered into the Underground system.

[@harry-]

That connection still there and used by freight trains delivering ballast etc

[@railotaku]

It was used for S Stock in the 2010s - 2009 stock came in by road, but that's because it's too big to fit along the Picc line to the connection to the Vic line.

[@JustDave69]

@@harry- sometimes two engines sit there whilst running and pump out clouds of stinky smoke in to the tube carriages. Not pleasant. Wouldn’t want to live in those flats.

[@stephensaines7100]

Clearly visible on Google maps.

[@katbryce]

@@railotaku Surely the S stock would be able to come in via Amersham?

[@anthonygrice]

I used to be a central line driver based at West Ruislip but I left nearly 3 years ago. Nothing really much has changed apart from the amount of work done on HS2. Thanks for the video.

[@paulhoughton5266]

Another great film. FYI guys don't make mistake I did the other week. I parked in West Ruislip on a Saturday afternoon, done the Nightshine Marathon walk, which I finished at 4 am with aim to take Central Line straight back to West Ruislip. HOWEVER the Central Line night service (from Bank) only runs to Ealing Broadway and out as far as White City. No train to WR until gone 7 am on a Sunday!

[@75ajw]

Very nostalgic! I lived in Ickenham for a while some years ago, and made the daily walk to West Ruislip for the Central Line into work.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

There is indeed a connection from West Ruislip depot to the Met. It is used by engineers trains from the PW depot at the rear of the passenger depot. It has been traversered several times by Underground railtours in times past. As for Denham, they even got as far as making the enamel dfestination plates, i brought one back in the 1980s at a transport collectors fair, one wonder how many still exist?......

[@matthewclaridge611]

Wonderful Geoff. I’m watching this from New Zealand, and it’s 8 years since I last rode the tube, so watching your videos is a real pleasure and a reminder of days gone by

[@Kausan1]

Ditto

[@stuartdouce]

same here ;)

[@davidrobert2007]

Loved the cameo in Jay Foreman's video 10/10

[@87shots]

so good

[@ANJamesPhD]

Loving this series. I'm from the US, but have worked in London a lot and use the tube. Always wondered what some of the places look like that we hear letting us know which direction the train is going in.

[@ajstubbs1248]

It's so strange to see this video as someone who grew up with West Ruislip as my nearest station!

[@quintuscrinis8032]

U10 is a great little route. And the 278 was introduced as part of the bus network improvements to connect people to the purple train/Elizabeth line along with innovations such as cutting the 140 service from the Bakerloo trrminus at Harrow and Wealdstone off from Heathrow.

[@highpath4776]

The 140 was a most useful service in RT days

[@Smart1529]

I really do like 278. But they missed the opportunity to make it run 24 hours everyday due to it being a Heathrow bus and no night service at Ruislip except for 114 at weekends.

[@quintuscrinis8032]

@@Smart1529 pretty sure it was originally proposed as a 24hr service in the original consultation. Wonder why they didn't decide to go through with it in the end? Mind you they could also have freed up space at Ruislip Station for it by extending the E7 and probably the 398 to the Lido?

[@Smart1529]

@@quintuscrinis8032 yeah that as well. So weird to walk to the station when other buses stop in front of it.

[@willingshelf]

One thing I don’t think many people notice is that the map on the background of the title screen changes. Last time it was upside down, now it changed colours!

[@maplady572]

✅ Double bin bag shot ✅ Nice roundel Shadow ✅ Pretty wild flowers blowing in the breeze Very good video! Look forward to the rest of these, Geoff.

[@theshopaholic1997]

I used to go to university in London and change from a Chiltern line train from High Wycombe to a central at West Ruislip every morning, then having to change at North Acton to get to Ealing Broadway. The way home always used to be a rush to get back to West Ruislip the way I'd come to get a train back to High Wycombe, sometimes I'd make the train and then other times I sadly had to wait around for an hour in the cold for the next one, just because I wanted to avoid as much of central London as possible. Thank god my teacher told me to go from Ealing Broadway to Paddington and get to Marylebone that way a couple of weeks into the term.

[@JBFlytography]

These videos are a pretty cool idea and actually inspired me a little. I’m heading down to London in next week for a few days for work but find myself with nothing to do in the afternoons. Think I’m go have to visit some “ends of lines” 😂 thanks again Geoff for another interesting series of videos!

[@user-qx8nt4fr6n]

Enjoyed your video of West Ruislip, made me think of my Dad back in the 1950s coming home after a night out on the town. He never made it home that night and woke up early the next morning in the West Ruislip yards. Soon after the line opened ,I remember as a 9 year old my curiosity led me to try out the line and a round trip to Ruislip Gardens. A long way now from Vancouver British Columbia where I've lived since the 1960s. Thanks for bringing back memories!

[@HuggyBob62]

Earlier this year I stayed in Ruislip and travelled from West Ruislip to Ealing Broadway (via North Acton), then the Elizabeth line to Abbey Wood (changing at Paddington, of course). Coming back from Marlebone on the Chiltern Railways was much quicker, due to limited stops, and I could still use my Oyster card.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I do think ‘Car Park’ has steadily taken over the ubiquity of ‘Allotment’ on this channel.

[@martyonline1957]

See those maisonettes to your left at 1.52 ? Many years ago, 1978 ish, I was driving to West Ruislip to get the tube into London, it was a cold frosty Jan/ Feb morning, just getting light, there was a bus in the stop, I drew near to the end of the bus to let it pull away from the kerb, I touched the brakes and with that, hit a patch of black ice, skidded along, went up the kerb, across the pavement, through the chain link fence, and then down the embankment and the car ended up on it's side outside those maisonettes. A somewhat stunned me, concussed at it happened, managed to clamber the car and I manged to get up the railway embankment and phoned my sister, who lived in the RAF estate just up the road, couldn't get hold of her, so ran around to her house. My brother in law then returned to the car, it wasn't going anywhere was it ? The police in attendance, as was the bloke who's front door I'd nearly arrived at, I told then what happened, and they called and ambulance. By chance on the other side of the road by the station a fella on his motor bike had hit black ice and dropped it and skidded along on his backside for a few yards. He seemed to be in better shape that the concussed me. We both ended up in Mount Vernon for observation. Sadly the car was a write off, it was my first car, and the insurance too care of the damage caused by the crash, but not the car. I was third fire and theft. Always a wry smile whenever I either drive past of get the train into Marylebone these days. Not often you get a tale of life or death on these pages I bet ?

[@bonskieur5558]

Great video Geoff and it was great to meet you on the platform whilst you were filming this episode! Hope you had a chance to stop by Northolt on your way home and see a train swapping ends in the central siding! Also, when I returned to West Ruislip later in the day, the 1962 stock train was coming out of the depot and pulled up alongside the station, it then headed off up the central line, ahead of the train I was catching!

[@bonskieur5558]

@@geofftech2 I did notice that. A shame after waiting so long for that train to eventually depart! Looks like you had plenty of other good footage to work with though.

[@travelswithjess]

I found that shot of the train doors opening very satisfying! Well done for capturing that Geoff 😀

[@maplerice6226]

I haven't been to Ickenham in years, thanks for the brief clips of it!

[@MrGreatplum]

Excellent video, Geoff - but I couldn’t get over how quiet the station and the tube was!

[@gregmichael8473]

Just the gentle sound of bin bags blowing iin the wind!

[@londonplayer]

Me last month: I don't understand why people watch videos about the Tube network on KZbin. Haven't they got anything else better to do? Me, now: Hold everything! Geoff has released a new Tube video. I have to watch this immediately.

[@jasonwyland5198]

A bit sentimental on this one. Before it closed I had the chance to spend a summer working at a US base (RAF West Ruislip). On some Fridays I would head south on the Central to enjoy other sights. Thank you for this.

[@quintuscrinis8032]

Are you thinking of RAF Northolt? Just opposite Ruislip Gardens Station, the next station south on the line.

[@carlinglis7705]

@@quintuscrinis8032 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_West_Ruislip "See West Ruislip station for adjacent tube and railway station" - when my dad lived in West Ruislip I dated an american lass from that base for a little while.

[@highpath4776]

@@quintuscrinis8032 There are some other US bases in the area , mostly command and intel places rather than flight operations.

[@jasonwyland5198]

@@quintuscrinis8032 it was at West Ruislip - US Navy leased a base there 1975-2006 (demolished in 2007 after Navy vacated) it was the end of the line.

[@TonsOfTrackmasters]

loving this series, geoff, 100% bingeble

[@tonychan8558]

To be fair, knowing there is a "CAR PARK!" at the end of a line is quite useful for someone like me, who travels from out of London via car, but does not want to drove into London. At the moment, I park at Slough, and take National Rail or Elizabeth Line into London, but that is getting more and more difficult because of limited parking spaces. Knowing there is a car park at places like West Ruislip gives me more options. Good work, Geoff!

[@DaveInBridport]

Used to love sitting on platform with my dad in 1960s watching a variety of BR locos passing through.

[@DavidJones-kn9zb]

Aussie here. Great series Geoff. I was absolutely surprised by the cost of parking at West Reislip - 42 pounds for a week!!! In OZ station car parking is usually free.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I’ve always been curious of the Ruislip Stations so it’s nice to see a video on it. Well, almost.

[@jonathanbeale3978]

Oh Geoff. You missed the ride on train track at Ickenham, beside the pub opposite the pump. V narrow garage rail. To be fair it only runs about 9 Saturdays a year. Also the housing estate on the left hand side ( W Ruislip it Ickenham walk) used to USAF staff housing.

[@arthwys]

I see a bin bag blowing in the wind, I click like. That's just how it is.

[@daveelrod7229]

Being retired I have a lot of time to watch videos on KZbin, and I subscribe to several. When I see a new Geoff Marshall video it is automatically the number one must watch. Thanks Geoff.

[@marksinthehouse1968]

Yes due to health I have had take earlier retirement and now I have it on my Tv it’s really enjoyable ,once my legs get better I’ll use my new founded time to goto these places .

[@dblyth5098]

Fun fact Ickenham, Way WAY back, the Govenment was looking at suitable sites to construct a new Exhibition Hall type complex. Land near Ickenham was on the list, but they went with an area near Birmingham Airport instead, what is now the NEC.

[@allabouttrains5867]

One of his Best Series thanks Geoff.

[@sara.othman]

I used to live between Eastcote and Ruislip, such amazing areas

[@AGKoole]

Great series like it would never be if someone will make a series like this for Rotterdam. Allthough, we have an end of a line where a whale statue has saved a train which went through the blocks. That would be an good story.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Good to see you in my manor! Behind that pump in Ickenham is another railway station. Ickenham St Giles, home of the Ickenham Miniature Railway.

[@photomcphotofacepoole1286]

Hi Geoff, This is a great series and I am looking forward to the Ealing Broadway episode, as I grew up in Ealing, although it’s about 10 years since I was last in Ealing, not counting going through on either Heathrow Express from LHR after flying in from New York, or on the local service. I know Ealing and Ealing Broadway station has changed a lot since I was last there, but it has such an interesting history, being two separate stations at one time, although that predates me. I believe you can still see where the entrance to the District Railway station from Haven Green.

[@philrusling4617]

Brought back great memories as I used to live in Ickenham and married "first time round" in Saint Giles

[@walkalongwithanna]

Travelled these routes last month and it was awesome experience...easy for all to access ❤❤

[@michaelocyoung]

There's a water pump at Longford just north of Heathrow T5 - whether you could walk to it or not out along the Bath Road is another matter.

[@TikTokBrian]

Wonderful video Geoff. I used to get the train here every morning on my way to school in Ealing. Every schoolday from September 1957 to July 1964. It was red Standard Stock (built between 1923 and 1927) in use back then.

[@davidhamm7909]

When I worked in High Wycombe, colleagues going for a night out in London would get the Chiltern line to West Ruislip then continue their journey on the Central Line. It was easier than faffing about at Marylebone.

[@chrisdavies7494]

Use to catch trains back to West Ruislip as a kid in the 1980'2. Been in Australia for 18 years. Great to see the old town

[@Spydominator]

I've been to Chesham, Amersham and Edgware so far. I intend to see the rest of the end of the line stations one day.

[@johnburns5424]

I lived in Ickenham Close right next to the station in the 70s.. Took main line to school in High Wycombe and later for work into Holborn. Could stand on the end of the BR platform, next to the then operational signal box, and wave at my house sometimes with a family member waving back. The car park used to be a builders yard and there was never an entrance from the platform at ground level. Always had to go up the stairs to the concourse. What was not mentioned was the large U.S. base the other side which is now housing. Used to often watch new and old rolling stock via the link north of the station being delivered and collected. Amazing that HS2 stuff. Destroyed the golf course. Good video Geoff as years later used to drive down from Suffolk to Epping every workday to again go to Holborn. So know both ends well.

[@Gary0557]

Regular users of the Central Line might be aware that for as long as I can remember from my boyhood days living in Woodford, the line is run as two with Epping branch trains running to the West Ruislip branch, and Hainault trains running to Ealing Broadway. The only time they mix and match a little is at Monday to Friday rush hours.

[@amethyst7084]

Thanks for the video Geoff. Good to kniw that Ickenham is not too far off. A handy interchange where the Central Line crosses the Metropolitan and Piccadilly Lines, would have been great, but such is life. Interesting that HS2 works are on-site too. BTW - seeing the 278 bus route is very interesting. An older 278 bus route used to run between Forest Gate and Plaistow in east London back in the 80s and 90s (probably from earlier too). It would be interesting to see which bus routes in London have been re-used / reassigned.

[@symy92]

Love this series, but really I love all of your videos. Keep up the great work!

[@RichardWells1]

Great series, @Geoff Marshall. Often wondered why there was a piece of un-electrified track joining the Underground with the Chiltern Main Line. Now I know!

[@jay9021]

Enjoying these Videos a lot, a great idea. I have been to Cockfosters, Upminster, the Heathrows but loads more still to do.

[@andrewmpachetti]

These are coming out quickly!

[@feedtheflameforfacts]

This is an excellent series - great job, Geoff!

[@viridimontes]

Geoff, you are loved. May your channel never end.

[@iaintaylor9040]

Oh what memories ! Next to the station on RHS as one arrived was the Air Ministry Unit, RAF West Ruislip. At demob parties we went to a pub just down the road and on the way back to the camp we did the conga round and round the booking hall..

[@tardismole]

We used to live in Uxbridge/Denham. We stopped holding our breaths decades ago for the 'promised' connection with the Central Line.

[@TransportForLuka]

This series is great, love it Geoff!

[@NMF1969]

This is an outstanding series Geoffrey. I’m loving it.

[@marcusrashid]

Never heard someone call him Geoffrey 😅

[@NMF1969]

@@marcusrashid I’ll do it more often 😂😂😂

[@andrewholloway231]

This is a great series Geoff. Thank you.

[@Thornaby37]

Excellent series 👍

[@brettpalfrey4665]

There used (1980) to be a wine bar right next to West Ruislip station , and as a "Ruislip Gardener", we often used to take the tube down here, have a few(!) bottle of cheap wine, then stagger down to Ickenham for a curry...So your walk to Ickenham brought back many alcohol induced memories! Looking forward to Uxbridge now...

[@philipbrailey]

This show deserves an Oscar. I love it! From Australia

[@peterrussell830]

Such enthusiasm Geoff, great video.

[@michallikesadidas6942]

Geoff I love your videos. Keep it up and keep on uploading videos for as long as you can.

[@DavidJones-kn9zb]

This series is excellent and has hit a chord with many of us. Also I have really enjoyed reading all the comments. Looking forward to the next episode.

[@Technics68]

Brilliant video thanks Geoff

[@Nai4God]

This is cool. I'm a Tube driver for the Central Line and West Ruislip is my depo, so it's nice to know a bit about the history of this end of the line. Thanks for doing thus series. Its great!

[@Big.Al.3]

Like this new series Geoff. Will be doing some of these stations in the near future. Keep up the good work 👍

[@MrSHWP1]

Another masterpiece! The carpark that is....Lovin' it Geoff!

[@brunostransportjourneys2807]

Excellent video Geoff! I've been to West Ruislip a couple of times. Also I did the connection between West Ruislip and Ickenham by walking.

[@A2ZviaBLT]

My local EOTL stop living in Greenford. A lot of trains don't quite go all the way tho. A lot stop at Northolt or Ruislip Gardens instead. Fun fact. West Ruislip is also a perfect anagram of Purist Lewis.

[@roberthatcher2773]

As always, great stuff Geoff!

[@marksinthehouse1968]

It was always in your ‘Jeans’ to goto Denham (yes I know it’s spelt different )😂,I love that route to brum lovely countryside along the route .

[@PhilipEnglandYT]

Really enjoying this series of videos @Geoff

[@lolfulls]

I love this series! thanks Geoff 😀

[@marcelwiszowaty1751]

As part of my own quest to visit every end station (performed over *very many* years when I had some spare time) I did make use of the walking connection to Ickenham in order to make a more speedy return to central London on the Metropolitan. I had "done" Uxbridge some years previously.

[@CertifiedSlamboy]

Watching from Australia but grew up in West Ruislip - awesome to see this.

[@rafidaraslan2924]

brilliant West Ruislip looks like an ideal station to film trains on the Chiltern Mainline ill have to check that out one day

[@Nayson]

That turnback siding beyond the tube lines is where a lot of the S-Stock trains arrived on the underground network from Derby works where they were built.

[@kurgerbingsteve]

Anyone else noticed how the tube lines on the title card keep changing with each episode? Very cheeky, Geoff

[@westlondontransportwildlif5810]

Great video Geoff. I've been to West Ruislip many times including on the Chiltern Parliamentary train back when it was running from Paddington. I have always wondered how the engineers trains for the Underground get from the Central to Metropolitan but now I know! Keep up the great work!

[@trevawgathinny1114]

I didn't know about the weekly West Ealing to Ruislip ghost train.You can travel between these 2 stations via the shuttle train that runs between Greenford and West Ruislip.Presumably that's another service that's not run for purely commercial reasons.

[@TheNapalmFTW]

I love the effort you put into your B roll

[@chucktheevilcoloist]

West Ruislip was my local station when I studied abrod in London. Really is a gem of a station!

[@johnhood3172]

Hi Geoff , This video brought back memories, my grandmother lived in Denham in the 60s, I use to take the tube to West Ruislip and get picked up , I miss those days , London was far better then, I live in Devon now, but I miss London but not the crime, if it wasn’t for that I would return. Your videos are great I enjoy them a lot Thanks keep it up. regards JH

[@patrickdoran621]

One interesting fact that may have been overlooked.But, just outside of West Ruislip station, there use to be a USAF base. Many years ago, a famous American actor served there. He was Larry Hagman, who starred in Dallas as JR Ewing and Major Anthony Nelson in I Dream a Jeannie.

[@andreartymiuk]

Gosh, West Ruislip hasn't changed in the 60 years since I used to catch a train home from school 60 years ago !

[@Smart1529]

Ive been to every single end of the line stations on the tube except for Epping, Amersham, Chesham and Watford. I really do like to travel

[@jdmhexagon2584]

I think that might be the best ever "binbag blowing in the breeze" shot you've ever treated us to. Sterling work.

[@JudsonMatt88]

Thanks for this series Geoff. It's a nice place and station West Ruislip and the area Ickenham close by. I'm looking forward to Cockfosters and Upminster. There's Trent Park in Cockfosters and a nice high street and residential suburbs in Upminster. Both great places in Greater London. :)

[@Ibis117]

In the late eighties/early nineties, the Central line used to run trains after 11pm that served Chancery Lane, Holborn, and West Ruislip only. Or so it seemed.