Ealing Broadway is a major single-level
interchange station
An interchange station or a transfer station is a train station for more than one railway route in a public transport system that allows passengers to change from one route to another, often without having to leave a station or pay an additiona ...
in
Ealing in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, England. It is in the
London Borough of Ealing
The London Borough of Ealing () is a London borough in West London. It comprises seven major towns: Acton (W3), Ealing (W5, W13, NW10), Greenford (UB6), Hanwell (W7), Northolt (UB5), Perivale (UB6) and Southall (UB1, UB2). With a population ...
,
West London
West London is the western part of London, England, north of the River Thames, west of the City of London, and extending to the Greater London boundary.
The term is used to differentiate the area from the other parts of London: North Londo ...
, and is served by the
London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.
The ...
and also
National Rail
National Rail (NR) is the trading name licensed for use by the Rail Delivery Group, an unincorporated association whose membership consists of the passenger train operating companies (TOCs) of England, Scotland, and Wales. The TOCs run the ...
on the
Great Western Main Line. On the Underground, it is one of three western termini of the
District line
The District line is a London Underground line running from in the east and Edgware Road in the west to in west London, where it splits into multiple branches. One branch runs to in south-west London and a short branch, with a limited serv ...
, the next station being , and it is also one of two western termini of the
Central line, the next station being . On the National Rail network, it is a through-station on the
Great Western Main Line, down the line from , between and .
The station is managed by
Transport for London and is served by Great Western Railway and
Elizabeth line
The Elizabeth line is a high-frequency hybrid urban–suburban rail service in London and its suburbs. It runs services on dedicated infrastructure in central London from the Great Western Main Line west of Paddington to and via Whitechapel ...
services. , the station is being upgraded and expanded as part of the
Crossrail
Crossrail is a railway construction project mainly in central London. Its aim is to provide a high-frequency hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system crossing the capital from suburbs on the west to east, by connecting two major railway l ...
project, with a rebuilt ticket hall and the provision of step free access.
History
The
Great Western Railway (GWR) opened its pioneering
broad gauge tracks through Ealing Broadway between and on 6 April 1838, although Ealing Broadway station did not open until 1 December of that year. As the only station in the area when it opened, it was initially named 'Ealing', but was renamed Ealing Broadway in 1875.
District Railway (DR, now the District Line) services commenced on 1 July 1879, when the DR opened a branch from on its line. The DR built its own three-platform station (including a siding) to the north of the GWR one. However, following the installation of a connection between the two railways to the east of the stations, DR trains also served the GWR station from 1 March 1883 to 30 September 1885, on a short-lived service running to station, which quickly became unprofitable.
It was also intended to use the connection for a service to station (via ), but this was never introduced.
Following
electrification
Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source.
The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic histor ...
of the main District line route through to in 1903, the section to Ealing Broadway was electrified in 1905, and the first
electric
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...
trains ran to Ealing Broadway on 1 July 1905. The original brick-built DR station was replaced with a stone-faced building in 1910.
Prior to
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, plans were made by the GWR to construct a new, mainly freight, line between
Ealing and
Shepherd's Bush, to connect west-to-south with the
West London Railway
The West London Railway was conceived to link the London and Birmingham Railway and the Great Western Railway with the Kensington Basin of the Kensington Canal, enabling access to and from London docks for the carriage of goods. It opened in 18 ...
. The
Central London Railway
The Central London Railway (CLR), also known as the Twopenny Tube, was a deep-level, underground "tube" railwayA "tube" railway is an underground railway constructed in a cylindrical tunnel by the use of a tunnelling shield, usually deep below g ...
(CLR, now the Central Line) would use the line by extending its tracks the short distance north from its terminus at
Wood Lane
Wood Lane (A219, formerly A40) is a street in London. It runs north from Shepherd's Bush, under the Westway (A40) past Wormwood Scrubs where it meets Scrubs Lane. The road is wholly in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham ( W12 postal ...
(now closed), to meet the new GWR tracks. CLR services to two new platforms at Ealing Broadway, built between the GWR and DR stations, started on 3 August 1920, with, initially, just one intermediate stop at . The line also carried GWR steam freight trains until 1938, when the links at Ealing Broadway and west of were removed, and the line was fully transferred to London Underground.
Originally separate companies, by 1920 the DR and the CLR were both owned by the
Underground Electric Railways Company of London
The Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited (UERL), known operationally as the Underground for much of its existence, was established in 1902. It was the holding company for the three deep-level "tube"A "tube" railway is an und ...
(UERL). Despite this, the CLR services operated via the GWR station building, not the Underground one.
The GWR-built station was demolished in 1961 and replaced by a low concrete structure containing shops and a ticket hall, opened in 1965, with a high-rise office building above. The new station building serves all the lines, and the separate District Line station ticket hall was closed, although the building remains, and the original station facade is now the entrance for multiple shops.
On Platform 9 (District line) there are some roundels of a style dating from , three of which are replicas made in 1992.
In the mid 1990s, the
Great Western Main Line through the station was electrified as part of the
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express is a high-frequency airport rail link operating between London Heathrow Airport and . Opened in 1998, trains run non-stop, with a journey time of 15 minutes. The service is operated jointly by Great Western Railway and Heathrow ...
project.
In the early 1990s, the
Crossrail
Crossrail is a railway construction project mainly in central London. Its aim is to provide a high-frequency hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system crossing the capital from suburbs on the west to east, by connecting two major railway l ...
project was proposed to serve Ealing Broadway. After many years of planning, the project was approved in 2007. An interim
TfL Rail
TfL Rail was the concession which operated commuter services on two separate railway lines in London, England and its environs whilst the Crossrail construction project linking these lines was underway. On 24 May 2022, upon the opening of th ...
service between suburban stations and
London Paddington
Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a Central London railway terminus and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services provided by the Great ...
began in 2018, transferring to the
Elizabeth line
The Elizabeth line is a high-frequency hybrid urban–suburban rail service in London and its suburbs. It runs services on dedicated infrastructure in central London from the Great Western Main Line west of Paddington to and via Whitechapel ...
on 24 May 2022, with services underneath Central London due to begin in the first half of 2022.
Accidents and incidents
*On 16 November 1937, a
steam railcar overran signals and crashed into the
signal box.
*On 20 December 1973, an express passenger train
was derailed when an unsecured inspection door on the locomotive hauling it struck point rodding, causing a set of points to move under the train. Ten people were killed, 94 were injured.
*On 19 July 2000, a
Real IRA
The Real Irish Republican Army, or Real IRA (RIRA), is a dissident Irish republican paramilitary group that aims to bring about a United Ireland. It formed in 1997 following a split in the Provisional IRA by dissident members, who rejected the ...
bomb was planted near tracks in the station. It was discovered and destroyed by police under a
controlled explosion
A controlled explosion is a method for detonating or disabling a suspected explosive device.
Methods which are used to set off a controlled explosion include clearing the area and using a bomb disposal robot to attach a shaped charge to the susp ...
.
*On 2 March 2016, a District Line train derailed just outside the station due to a set of points set incorrectly. There were no injuries.
Modern station
Layout
The combined station has nine platforms:
* Two National Rail platforms (1 and 2). These are only used by Great Western Railway (GWR) trains between Didcot Parkway and London Paddington, except during engineering works or a disruption.
* Two Elizabeth line platforms (3 and 4). Platforms 1, 2, 3 and 4 all are mostly in the open, but have small canopies and shelters. These platforms can be used by GWR too.
* Two Central line (5 and 6), which have a shared awning canopy.
* Three District Line (7 to 9). District Line platforms 8 and 9 are partially covered by a short canopy, and retain one original example and a number of replicas of early solid-disc Underground signs, used before
Edward Johnston
Edward Johnston, CBE (11 February 1872 – 26 November 1944) was a British craftsman who is regarded, with Rudolf Koch, as the father of modern calligraphy, in the particular form of the broad-edged pen as a writing tool.
He is most fa ...
designed the familiar
roundel
A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of diff ...
in 1919.
All platforms are accessed through a gateline of ticket barriers.
Crossrail upgrades
As part of the
Crossrail
Crossrail is a railway construction project mainly in central London. Its aim is to provide a high-frequency hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system crossing the capital from suburbs on the west to east, by connecting two major railway l ...
project, the station has been upgraded and expanded to meet increased passenger numbers, improve the interchange between various rail and local bus services and provide step free access.
Initially, only minor station improvements were planned as part of the Crossrail project, such as platform lengthening. However, after local and regional campaigning, the station will be upgraded and step free access provided. After further criticism by local people of poor design, the station entrance was redesigned with a large glass frontage and a long curved canopy to the street.
Designed by
Bennetts Associates
Bennetts is a specialist insurance broker for motorcycles headquartered in Peterborough, with a contact centre in Coventry, England, owned by Saga plc.
On 17 February 2020 it was announced that The Ardonagh Group had agreed to purchase Benne ...
, the station upgrade has involved demolishing the old cramped ticket hall and staircases, replacing them with:
* A new double height ticket hall, twice as large as the previous ticket hall.
* Improved and enlarged public realm outside the station with new paving, seating and street trees.
* Step free access from street to platform via new lifts, making the station fully accessible.
* Refurbishment and upgrade of existing platforms, including new signage, waiting rooms and customer information screens.
* Platform extensions to accommodate the longer
Class 345 trains used by
Crossrail
Crossrail is a railway construction project mainly in central London. Its aim is to provide a high-frequency hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system crossing the capital from suburbs on the west to east, by connecting two major railway l ...
.
* New footbridge at the eastern end of the station linking platforms 1–4.
After several periods of delay, construction on the upgrade began in 2018 by
Network Rail
Network Rail Limited is the owner (via its subsidiary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, which was known as Railtrack plc before 2002) and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is an "arm's leng ...
. On 27 May 2021, the majority of the new station facilities, including the station building and ticket office, were completed and opened to the public.
Future development
In the early 2010s, the
West London Business group backed a Surbiton-to-Brent Cross
light metro tube line, called the
West London Orbital
The West London Orbital is a proposed extension to the London Overground railway system in London, UK. The extension would make use of a combination of existing freight and passenger lines including the Dudding Hill Line, North London Line and ...
underground railway, based on
Copenhagen Metro
The Copenhagen Metro ( da, Københavns Metro, ) is a 24/7 rapid transit system in Copenhagen, Denmark, serving the municipalities of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, and Tårnby.
The original system opened in October 2002, serving nine stations on t ...
technology, which would include a station underground at Ealing Broadway. The
London Borough of Ealing
The London Borough of Ealing () is a London borough in West London. It comprises seven major towns: Acton (W3), Ealing (W5, W13, NW10), Greenford (UB6), Hanwell (W7), Northolt (UB5), Perivale (UB6) and Southall (UB1, UB2). With a population ...
does not support the proposal, saying "no consensus to progress this project
ueto extremely high costs".
In 2008, the London Group of the
Campaign for Better Transport published a plan for an off-road orbital
North and West London Light railway (NWLLR), sharing the
Dudding Hill Line freight corridor, and using the middle two of the six track beds at
North Acton
North Acton is a part of Acton in west London, and is within the London Borough of Ealing. It runs adjacent to the industrial district of Park Royal. Historically part of the Municipal Borough of Acton in the county of Middlesex, it has formed p ...
. In April 2009 Ealing Council voted to call on Transport for London to look into the proposal.
The station would have been served by the
West London Tram
The West London Tram (also known as West London Transit) was a proposed on-street light rail line that was to run along the Uxbridge Road ( A4020) corridor in West London, England. The scheme was promoted by Transport for London (TfL). It wa ...
, however this proposal was cancelled in 2007 as it was opposed by the councils of all three London Boroughs that would have been served by the line.
Services
![Train of S7 stock arrives into Ealing Broadway](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Train_of_S7_stock_arrives_into_Ealing_Broadway.jpg)
Ealing Broadway is served by a mixture of
National Rail
National Rail (NR) is the trading name licensed for use by the Rail Delivery Group, an unincorporated association whose membership consists of the passenger train operating companies (TOCs) of England, Scotland, and Wales. The TOCs run the ...
and
London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.
The ...
services. National Rail services are operated by the
Elizabeth line
The Elizabeth line is a high-frequency hybrid urban–suburban rail service in London and its suburbs. It runs services on dedicated infrastructure in central London from the Great Western Main Line west of Paddington to and via Whitechapel ...
and
Great Western Railway and London Underground services are provided by the
District
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...
and
Central lines.
Services at the station are as follows.
Great Western Railway
The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:
* 2 tph to
* 2 tph to (semi-fast)
Great Western Railway services are operated using
EMUs.
Elizabeth line
The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:
* 8 tph to
* 2 tph to
* 2 tph to
* 4 tph to of which 2 continue to
From May 2023, the station is due to also be served by services to and from .
Elizabeth line services are operated using EMUs.
London Underground
![Ealing Broadway station MMB 12 1992 Stock](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Ealing_Broadway_station_MMB_12_1992_Stock.jpg)
The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:
* 9 tph to
Newbury Park of which 6 continue to
Hainault (
Central line)
* 6 tph to via
Earl's Court
Earl's Court is a district of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London, bordering the rail tracks of the West London line and District line that separate it from the ancient borough of Fulham to the west, the ...
(
District line
The District line is a London Underground line running from in the east and Edgware Road in the west to in west London, where it splits into multiple branches. One branch runs to in south-west London and a short branch, with a limited serv ...
)
The Central line also operates a night service on Friday and Saturday nights as part of the
Night Tube
The Night Tube and London Overground Night Service, often referred to simply as Night Tube, is a service pattern on the London Underground ("Tube") and London Overground systems which provides through-the-night services on Friday and Saturday ni ...
. The station is served by a train every 20 minutes to and from
Loughton
Loughton () is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex. Part of the metropolitan and urban area of London, the town borders Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill, and is northeast of Chari ...
.
Connections
London Buses routes
65,
112,
207,
226,
297
__NOTOC__
Year 297 ( CCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valerius and Valerius (or, less frequently, year 1050 '' ...
,
427,
483
__NOTOC__
Year 483 ( CDLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aginantius without colleague (or, less frequently, ...
,
607,
E1,
E2,
E7,
E8,
E9,
E10,
E11, and night routes
N7,
N11,
N65,
N83 and
N207 serve the station.
References
External links
London Transport Museum Photographic Archive**
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{{Crossrail navbox
Central line (London Underground) stations
District line stations
London Underground Night Tube stations
Railway stations in the London Borough of Ealing
Tube stations in the London Borough of Ealing
London Underground stations located above ground
Former Great Western Railway stations
Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1838
Former Metropolitan District Railway stations
Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1879
Great Western Main Line
Railway stations served by Great Western Railway
Railway stations served by the Elizabeth line
1838 establishments in England