Lost Stations of Uxbridge!

[@HenrysAdventures]

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[@philipwilliams7197]

Hi, I worked as a clerk at Uxbridge Vine St 1958-59, to cover for holidays I did a week assisting at Cowley. In my lunch break I worked down to the High St station, it was a coal yard at the time with wagons arriving each morning on a trip from Southall. I remember the working at High St was the engine uncoupled, run along the line towards the old elevated passenger station, the wagons were run down a gradient to the coal yard, the engine then ran back to the single line to shunt the yard from the North/Denham end. You could walk the brach alongside the river with the G.W. Main line on a viaduct in the distance.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for sharing you memories! Very interesting reading!

[@philipwilliams7197]

If I can add to your knowledge please ask, I worked at a number of stations over the years, with regards to Uxbridge High Street you may find a story in the local paper when in 1959 a shunt of wagons closed the road when they ran through the buffers, @@HenrysAdventures

[@peterobrien7179]

Thanks for the video. I used to wander around Uxbridge High Street station in its final years, there was a weekly coal train for the coal merchant at the station. I still have one of the station signs which I "rescued" a few years after the line closed and the wooden building was a ruin. I used to travel regularly between Vine Street and Cowley, Vine Street was gaslit to the end. I remember the last train from Vine Street. It was another world. The broad gauge track was roughly put together to promote an exhibition at Brunel University a long time ago.

[@clairesmith1964]

Randall's was recently on salvage hunters,..such a lovely building, I remember it Back in the day..I'm now 65 and the memories of those times are wonderful

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching! I do sometimes watch Salvage Hunters but didn't see that episode, I'll look out for it. Thank you for letting me know. I'd glad a did visit Randall's a couple time when it was still open.

[@rtillyer]

I lived in Cowley from 1958 and took the train from Cowley to Uxbridge several times. As you say, it would have been a great asset for the students at Brunel even if they had left the section to West Drayton

[@suzyqualcast6269]

! Almost 'snap' : lived down Iver Lane, no 16, from 59/60 til moving to Derbyshire in 72 with my family. I loved it down there, was often up in Cowley or watching boats through the lo ks down near The Shovel. Indeed, fondest memories are from those years.

[@QHarefield]

@@suzyqualcast6269 It's called The Malt Shovel, now. A few weeks ago, looking for somewhere to park, we inadvertently discovered Little Britain Lake and had a delightful walk around it. Spring was happening everywhere, with lots of birds and nests.

[@stephenluscombe2208]

Hiya Henry, just a small addition to your otherwise excellent story. The trolleybuses (only the route 607 btw) did not turn outside the LT station. They had their own small terminus at the bottom of High Street, near to High Street Station. The turning circle at the front of the LT Station was the first stop after the bus station, for buses going to Cowley, HIllingdon and beyond. Including the Trolleybus stop opposite the old Market.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Hi Stephen! Thank you for the info on the trolleybuses. I stand corrected there!

[@ManCave1972]

Your level of knowledge on all this stuff is remarkable. Heaven knows how you’ve managed to absorb so much detail! Fascinating stuff.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you very much! Once we're out of lockdown I'll do a few more videos like this one!

[@Mgameing123]

im pretty sure many railfans like me knows the lost stations of uxbridge

[@benfinan7790]

My grandfather actually made/installed the stained glass windows

[@suzyqualcast6269]

At the Underground/High Street entrance ¿?

[@captainboing]

when I was a young kid, the old station site at vine street was a car park and I remember clearly parking there with my dad and the platform raised above me as we walked out into Uxbridge. There were red post office vans parked on the top of the platform on the "Randalls" side of the site. The other platforms were gone and it was all flat. I have no memory of any station building. The cutting to Vine Street was around for years until it gradually got filled in and built on, going down The Greenway, there was a bridge with a clear view of the cutting both ways. Then as a kid in the 70s, we used to get everywhere on our bikes. We often ended up in the Alderglade and exploring that old trackbed heading back to Uxbridge High Street, we ended up on top of some "units" underneath the elevated terminus. No railway building other than that as i remember it. My memory is vague but I think it was ballasted. On the Vine Street side of things, we were at the coal concentration depot in the loop between the GW Main line and the Staines branch. The line to Uxbridge had been cut back to a spur and there were some old tank wagons parked on it. I don't remember much detail - there was maybe two or three and they were black. It is a great shame that both this line and that to Staines were chopped - think, today both towns would have easy access to Crossrail, despite the other options of local travel and access to Heathrow.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for joining me and sharing your memories! Interesting reading.

[@earthvisitor3]

thank you yet again Henry for a wonderful tour of this area....

[@HenrysAdventures]

You're welcome! Thank you for joining me!

[@marklees8742]

Enjoyed the video , very informative ! I grew up in Eastcote ( retired Suffolk ) , knew Uxbridge fairly well, so bought back a few memories, although sadly the railway’s covered , had long gone , but recognised the locations.

[@JonBlower]

My vape shop is just behind Randals in the Arcade. Was lovely to see where the old stations were! Thanks for the video!

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching! :)

[@rogeringlis8079]

Gosh! Having been born in Uxbridge in 1938 and living on and off there for 25 years, finally departing in early 1971 it came as a shock to see how much had changed. Apart from the bit of Randall's still standing and the frontage of the underground station there was nothing I recognised. A tale relative to the video - my maternal grandfather, Fred Batts, was Foreman at Hayes & Harlington GWR main line station. I lived with my grandparents during WWII on Cleveland Rd. He arranged for me to be dropped off at Vine St Station and put in the goods section of the 0-4-0 tank engine 'Push & Pull' train that went to West Drayton and then onward to H&H where I spent the day in the signal box until my grandfather finished his shift. My grandfather had an allotment adjacent to Whitehall Road where there was a deep cutting that had been excavated in preparation for taking the connecting line from Uxbridge High Street Station. Also at the entrance to the allotments was an old brick built stables that at the end of the war German Pow were billeted. After my grandfather retired from the railways he worked at Lowe & Shoyer's (spelling?), a vast greenhouse growing tomatoes and flowers. It was used by the Luftwaffe as a navigational aid, currently the site of Brunel University.

[@foxmulder6303]

I worked at Randalls until it closed, in the bed dept which is the part that has been demolished

[@HenrysAdventures]

I used to love visiting Randalls!

[@chris50259]

At Uxbridge station, you walked past two (preserved but disused) silver cigarette vending machines (on your left as you exited the station) which are worth pointing out. The route 607 trolleybuses didn't terminate at Uxbridge Met station but ran on down the High Street to a turning loop close to Uxbridge High Street station.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for the info.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

There used to be a trolleybus turn around/pull in point just across the road from the Odeon cinema.

[@peterobrien7179]

@@suzyqualcast6269 There was also a trolleybus turn by Fountains Mill adjacent to Uxbridge High Street station. Us little herberts used to cheer when the collector arm came off the wires, which it often did! The conductor had a long pole to put the collector arm back - lots of sparks of course.

[@gringotom242]

Thanks for this. I grew up living opposite brunel university so this was absolutely fascinating!

[@HenrysAdventures]

You're welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Remember them infilling the railway for an entrance or something to Brunel. Went to the Uni's opening day with my M&D. Particarly recall visiting some department where plastic bottles were being made from pellets ! Brought a couple of these home which probably remain in my parents loft l

[@gringotom242]

@@suzyqualcast6269 that's funny i remember that exact same bottle demonstration. I think my dad still has the bottle!

[@timkearsley]

fantastic very interesting and great knowledge Henry i learnt more in your 20 mins than from any other KZbin vids re forgotten stations in Uxbridge found else where

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you very much!

[@davidcann4329]

I vaguely remember seeing remains of the High Street viaduct in the 1970s' when my parents used to take my sister to Uxbridge, it's a pity that the through route plan didn't come to fruition because of the Metropolitan Railway, trams, buses and the like. I remember the station buildings being at Belmont Road into the 1980s' and parts of the platforms at Vine Street could also be seen (think it was part of a Royal Mail depot then). I used to play Sunday football for a team in the Hayes and Hillingdon District league in the late 1970s and early 1980s and the cutting near Cowley Station was virtually clear of vegetation then; one of my team mates lived in the road adjacent to it. My dad told me it used to be a railway and that he'd travelled on it many times, sometimes in the ubiquitous "flying banana" diesel railcars. I went to Brunel University for work experience in 1984 and the pond had obviously been there for some time, but I was able to walk down into the cutting up to the site of the bridge. Cowley Station itself was long gone and the site filled in to make a green space - I'd heard that has been redeveloped since. One lunchtime, I walked towards West Drayton and the site of the next road over rail bridge before heading back to the university. I'm pretty sure that the railway track in the cutting that's there now was an exhibition celebrating an anniversary of Brunel himself. Also, if I remember right hopefully, the Uxbridge Vine Street branch was built to broad gauge originally and much later on became a double track standard gauge line.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for sharing you memories of the railways after the closed but got lost to redevelopment. Very interesting to hear.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Vine Street Station site became a Saturday Market site, used to go with my Mum.

[@lorirocks777]

Great video. I love abandoned lines.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching! :) I've always enjoyed exploring abandoned lines!

[@giotapapageorgiou489]

I have walked through most of them but I had no idea of other paths aka that one at the beginning in Oxford Road and definitely recognised the buildings. Guessing these old stations (Vine, Belmond, High Street, Cowley) merged to the existing Metropolitan and Piccadilly line. Correct?

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching. Not really, they were simply lost and only the Met Station is still open.

[@angelsone-five7912]

The best bit of this, though I didn`t expect it, is Randall`s. I love stream line art deco and it`s disappearing fast.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Used to go to Randall's, in the 60's, for Action Man stuff !!

[@lucyberry9087]

Really enjoyed this thank you x

[@HenrysAdventures]

You're welcome! Thank you very much for joining me!

[@christinaburton9297]

Brilliant!

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you very much!

[@Andrewjg_89]

Very interesting video. Plus Uxbridge before it became part of Greater London (London Borough of Hillingdon) in 1965 was in fact actually in Middlesex before. And could also been in Buckinghamshire as well which isn't too far away via using the M40 motorway.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching! I've always been fascinated by the lost county of Middlesex!

[@Andrewjg_89]

@@HenrysAdventures Couldn’t agree more. Keep up the good work Henry. I really do like your videos as always.

[@HenrysAdventures]

@@Andrewjg_89 Thank you very much! More videos on the way!

[@jameskirwin]

Great video, well worth watching

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you very much!

[@stuartmilerosborne]

Just an update about Uxbridge High Street station - in the 1970s there was a wall that would have received the viaduct from Vine Street - only a few yards away was the Uxbridge Odeon a lovely modernist cinema with was disgracefully demolished - I once witnessed one of the Carry On films being made here - during this time one could walk along the largely open area where the tracks used to be - re Sandersons I played football there for the factory and cannot remember any sidings - there was obviously a road that led into the town but no trace of any sidings..hope this helps. Re Belmont Road the old station building were there in the 1970s and were used by a company with connections to the Covent Garden fruit and veg people - my sister worked there for a while. You were right about Vine Street as there was a Saturday market there for many years and the remains of the platforms could be made out. - also the railway cuttings could be clearly seen as the area had not been developed and the university was much smaller then. Last boring comment - the 1970s movie All the Right Noises starring Tom Bell and Olivia Hussey was partially filmed at the tube station ,,,, Thanks for the video SMO

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching another one of my videos and giving more interesting comments. All good reading and glad it brough back some more memories.

[@christopherwright4573]

Good stuff these vids always make me feel slightly melancholy and bit angry that back then they never had the foresight that one day they would be needed again after the Car had reached its zenith . Imagine that link to day to Heathrow bypassing coming into town etc . I wonder if the walk from Uxbridge to Chiltern mainline is doable ? they closed the link further up the line at Bourne / High Wycombe aswell the assholes .

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching! If would be great if there was a Heathrow to Watford and onwards orbital railway.

[@colinrooney8992]

I agree that had the link between the 2 stations been completed then the line probably would have survived. Apparently once the link was abandoned. GWR gave the land that was to be the new station to the council and it became Rockingham Rec

[@QHarefield]

That is interesting (= I did not know that!). Thank you.

[@nickbrown2556]

Trolley buses numbered 607 (later replaced by routemasters 207) used to terminate sweeping around a semi circle in front if where the high street station was. Right opposite was where the odeon cinema was. 607 trolley buses ceased operation on the 9th november.... Not sure what year though.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching and the information!

[@BumOff24]

Is that Braybourne close you pop out into? I never knew there was anything there other than some woods.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Yes, Braybourne Close is built on the site of the station throat to Uxbridge High Street.

[@railwaychristina3192]

Happy New Year, Henry

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you! Happy New Year to you to!

[@QHarefield]

Thank you, Henry. The building opposite The Crown & Treaty (one of the oldest buildings in Uxbridge) ... you said it was built to look like an ocean liner. Did you mean to say precisely that, or just that it *looks* like a liner (which it certainly does)?

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you for watching the video! As far as I'm aware it was built to look like an liner when looked at from the angle I was standing!

[@QHarefield]

@@HenrysAdventures Well I never ... ! Frankly, I am amazed that anyone should even think of constructing a building to look like a ship; perhaps I should know better! Do you have any idea how you came by that information?

[@HenrysAdventures]

@@QHarefield Not sure when the idea came from but as a child I was always told it was built to look like an ocean liner!

[@peterobrien7179]

@@HenrysAdventures Hello, the building you are discussing stands beside the Grand Union Canal - it has its own slipway for launching boats which was there when the building was constructed. I launched my boat from it in the mid 1960's! It was the headquarters of an insurance company (Laurentian Life if I remember correctly) and the architect designed the building as an ocean liner complete with decks and balconies, also funnels with heating exhausts etc inside them. The insurance company went bust and a pharmaceutical company called Paraxel was there for a long time. You will see the full liner effect best from the canal towpath. Regards, Peter O'Brien

[@oldman1734]

I believe the Crown & Treaty pub was where some sort of agreement was made between King and Oliver Cromwell.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

The metropolitan line tube station also has Uxbridge joining alongside the Piccadilly line as far as rainers lane

[@paulanderson79]

In peak hours Piccadilly line trains go right through to Uxbridge.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

paulanderson79 yes paul and some turn back at rainers lane

[@paulanderson79]

@@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329 I know. And it's Rayner's Lane

[@jimmyedwards1639]

At least three Piccadilly line trains run beyond Rayners Lane to Uxbridge all day.

[@fishw]

The bit of broad gauge track in the cutting by the university. Apparently cording to a friend of mine who attended the university in the late 70s says there was a group of students who laid the track with plans to build a loco and keep it under the old bridge....needless to say never happened beyond the track

[@HenrysAdventures]

That would have been amazing if they had succeeded!

[@fishw]

@@HenrysAdventures certainly would have been interesting

[@Spikeybaby64]

Henry, in answer to your question about if the High street line was single or multi track, here's a link to a fabulous map site that you can alter dates and overlay old and new via a slider. It shows that by Sandersons it did indeed become multi track with what look like sidings near the station. Copy and paste this... maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.53999999999999&lat=51.55365&lon=-0.48032&layers=193&b=1

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you very much for this. Interesting to see at the time of the map there is no track on the East curve with the junction with the main line.

[@peterwarren5412]

Interesting video I had no idea Uxbridge had more stations. As David Cann below suggests I think it was originally broad gauge as this wikipedia (ok not perfect) article seems to agree - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uxbridge_(Vine_Street)_branch_line#:~:text=The%20Uxbridge%20(Vine%20Street)%20branch,to%20standard%20gauge%20in%201871.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for the link.

[@tramsylweriusz5740]

Good video. Like 57.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Thank you!

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

What stations do you see within Uxbridge

[@HenrysAdventures]

Now only Uxbridge Met.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Henrys Adventures only Uxbridge met station

[@lamiaitaly2549]

Hi, Isn’t there a bridge still standing which carried the line over the Frays river? There’s a lot of HS2 work in the area so hope they haven’t done anything stupid

[@HenrysAdventures]

The line crossed the Frays River just South of Denham Lock Wood, I believe its still there on private land. The HS2 works are on the other side of the Grand Union Canal so it shouldn't have affected the bridge.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

@@HenrysAdventures : Does HS2 further affect the village of Iver (well it was still a village when I lived down Iver Lane up until 72). I know the M25 cut right across the top of the village just by Bridgefoot), but whether its still a village '¿?

[@HenrysAdventures]

@@suzyqualcast6269 HS2 won't be going anywhere near Iver.

[@rogermuggleton8127]

There was a bridge carrying the Vine Street branch over the Grand Union Canal and the River Pinn close to where the Slough Arm joins the main canal - all gone now. The Staines West Branch still has the bridge over the River Colne just east of Thorney Weir. This part of the line is still in use and runs as far as Poyle where level crossing signs and lights still exist. It also runs under the GW main line - as do various farm tracks and footpaths. The bridge at Thorney Weir is a flimsy-looking affair and public footpaths give access, they run through the private grounds of Thorney Weir House but there is a button to open the gate! I've travelled on both the branches from West Drayton, and on the trolleybuses that went to Uxbridge tube station that frequently became disconnected from the overhead lines (there was a long pole on each bus to enable realignment!).

[@HenrysAdventures]

@@rogermuggleton8127 Interesting to hear! My Father remembers the trolley buses in Uxbridge. I'll have to have a look in the Thorney area in the future and possibly make a video. I did once travel on the Staines West Branch as far as the gates to the oil terminal on a charter back in 2014.

[@maryannewambuinjeru-bogdan4926]

WEST WYCOMBE HELLS FIRE GATE...tell 🔥 ♥ me more

[@HenrysAdventures]

Hell Fire Caves as in West Wycombe! Thank you for watching!

[@maryannewambuinjeru-bogdan4926]

@@HenrysAdventures yes in West Wycombe

[@PJFreeman369]

Hi, Are you still in Hillingdon?

[@HenrysAdventures]

No, I'm currently in Germany.

[@PJFreeman369]

@@HenrysAdventures We would like you to join us at Hillingdon Tv - Hillingdon Vision. I like your videos. Just what we looking for. Keep up the good work. Look forward to meeting you someday. Thank you.

[@HenrysAdventures]

@@PJFreeman369 Thank you! I'm back in the UK next week. Sounds interesting. I'll look up Hillingdon TV.