Olympia

Kensington (Olympia) is a combined rail and tube station. The station is managed by London Overground, hence the orange roundel instead of the more familiar red one of the Underground. On the underground it is the terminus of a short District Line branch from Earl's Court.  On the main line railway it is on the West London line between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction avoiding the need to go through Central London.

The station has had many changes over the years. It began life in 1863 with the name Kensington and was connected to the West London railway.  Then the name was changed to Addison Road to avoid confusion with the other Kensington stations. In 1946 the station was renamed Kensington (Olympia) which is how it appears on the tube maps and station signage but it is announced as just Olympia on the District line tube. The station is positioned alongside its namesake Olympia Exhibition Centre.

In 2011, Transport for London decided that the District Line shuttle from Earl's Court would close on weekdays. Some services do run when there are large exhibitions on at the centre. 

I travelled to Olympia early on a Saturday morning, catching the shuttle from Earl's Court. The tube was empty as due to Covid all exhibitions have been cancelled.

As soon as you step off the tube you can see the large glass windows of the Olympia Exhibition Hall. Olympia is a collection of seven event spaces. It opened as a much smaller National Agricultural Hall in 1884 and became Olympia two years later.  

It is a huge building, the main hall being 10,000 sq metres.

Walking round the corner you can see this impressive entrance on Hammersmith Road. It was built in the 1930s and forms a façade to the original exhibition hall which lies behind.

Part of the complex is being transformed into a leisure and entertainment destination. The plan includes a four screen cinema, a 1400 seat performing arts theatre, a 4000 capacity music venue, hotels, cafes, restaurants and a 2.5 acres of public space which will include pedestrianised squares and a sky garden.

This is inside the Grand Hall. I was there in January for the Travel Show planning my 2020 trips. That seems a lifetime away now!

I walked around the Olympia complex and at the far end was this small garden  area, Lyons Walk. There was nothing special about it other than an information board to the right of the trees.  It noted that this was where 'LEO'(Lyons Electronic Office) was developed and first used. J. Lyons and Co. was Britain's largest catering company with restaurants and cafes all over the country. In the 1930s the chief accountant, John Simmons, wanted to find a way to automate some of the tedious, time consuming processes necessary to keep track of profit and loss. Each day the managers of the 200 Lyons teashops had to phone head office and notify them of any changes needed to the standard order of goods for the following day. Lyons was the first company in the world to see that computers could be used to make businesses more efficient. LEO took up all the space in a large room. It attempted its first business programme in 1951. It was called Bakery Valuations and computed the costs of all the ingredients that went into the bread and cakes produced at the Lyons factory in SW London. This was a world's first use of a real time office application. Soon afterwards LEO began to run the payroll from the Lyons Company. You can meet LEO at the Science Museum which in ordinary times I would have popped into the museum (which isn't very far away) to get a photo of LEO but that will have to wait till post Covid.

 I continued walking and came out on Blyth Road to see this incredible grand building known as Blyth House. It was originally built to house the Post Office savings bank. In 1963 the bank moved to Glasgow and the government purchased it to provide storage for galleries and museums.  Presently the building is being used by the Science Museum, the  British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. There are more than 170,000 objects stored here from the Science Museum. The Museum describes Blyth House as follows..'with the buildings blacked out to help preserve the objects, the building is now a dark and brooding space filled floor to ceiling with thousands of weird and wonderful things that most people will never see'. 

The centenary of the Savings Bank was celebrated in 1961 with a visit from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The centenary gates show a crown on each post with the date 1861 on one and 1961 on the other.

At the corner of the building there is still a part of it belonging to the Royal Mail and that is the West Kensington delivery office.

This part of the building is Olympia Auctions. Pity it wasn't open as I would have loved to see inside.

I walked round to the other side of Blyth House. It seemed to go on for ever. The area is mainly residential so not much of interest out of the ordinary. It was mainly Victorian housing. 

As I wandered through the streets I noticed a number of people going into a primary school on Addison Road, so I followed them into the playground and was surprised to find a food market. I was hungry and ready for a sit down. Cafes now require booking in advance or are closed so this was the ideal opportunity for me to find something to eat for lunch. I chose a delicious homemade bacon and gruyere cheese tart followed by a berry tart. Far too much!!!  

There were wooden tables scattered around so I was able to sit down at a safe distance from others. Chatting to one of the stall holders I was told that the traders were all local people and the market had come together during lockdown when they were able to make local home deliveries of their food.

There was even music to listen to as I ate my lunch.

I thought it was a very enterprising venture as both the school and the local community will benefit.

I made my way back to the station and walked over the bridge to have a look at some gardens that ran alongside the station.

The notice said that they were community gardens where local people share the work and the produce. Another successful community venture. I am pleased to be able to visit the Underground stations once again but I am taking many precautions. I only travel early on Saturday or Sunday mornings when the trains into London are virtually empty. I try and walk as close as possible to the Underground station I want to visit. As far as using the tube network I am limiting my journeys so that I am never on the tube for more than 10 minutes. If the tube looks busy I will get off and walk. I feel these simple actions will help to keep me safe. Face masks are compulsory on all forms of transport.

Earl's Court

I always think of Earl's Court station as being the gateway to West London. I can remember being here in the early 70s with its transient population of  Australians. It used to be known as 'Kangaroo Valley' then, but I haven't heard that term for a long time. The streets were always busy and the roads congested. Will it be any different today, I wondered. The first thing you might notice is the name of the station, which has an apostrophe, unlike the area which is usually spelt without an apostrophe. The name is derived from the Earls of Warwick and Holland who owned the land. The station (although not this one) has been a part of this area for 150 years. A station was built n 1871 as part of an extension of the District Railway. However, it was constructed of wood and unfortunately burnt down in a fire. The station was relocated to its present position and rebuilt as a brick structure in 1878 and was remodelled again in 1906, when Piccadilly line services began running through the station. In 1911 the first escalators on the Underground network were installed at Earl's Court station. To encourage people to use them an individual was employed to ride them up and down to demonstrate their safety.

The station received a Grade II listing in 1984 and retains many features of architectural significance, including the station indicator boards on the District Line platforms and the roof over the sub-surface tracks, constructed in 1933.

Classic timber benches line the platform with the roundel as the back rest.

This Westbound map shows the 22 stations I have yet to visit on the District Line. Whilst the Eastbound map shows the 38 I have already visited.

The Warwick Road entrance was constructed in 1937 in order to provide better access to the refurbished Earl's Court exhibition centre. This entrance was rebuilt in the 1960s and in 2009 the 'drum' was added to house the station's control centre.

The main entrance to the station has a large frontage with the words: District Railway  Earls Court Station  G N Piccadilly &  Brompton Railway prominently displayed. I like the semi circular windows and symmetry of the building. The façade dates back to 1906.

In front of the station, next to the newspaper kiosk is what looks like a TARDIS from Dr Who. It is a blue police box, the first one to be installed since 1969. This is a replica of the blue police boxes which used to be very common. They were used by the public to contact the police via a phone. Of course with  increasing access to mobile phones they became obsolete in the early seventies. This one came into operation in 1996 when the entrance to the tube station was plagued with drug pushers, users and prostitutes. 

It would be used by the local bobby on the beat and also have a direct line to the local police station accessible to the general public. Added to that was a CCTV camera on the top keeping a Big Brother eye on the area. It was mainly funded by local business men. It didn't prove to be that successful and was decommissioned in 2000 although the CCTV is still in use. It probably has more visits from Dr Who fans than anyone else.

Across the road from the station are some surprising residential streets. I hadn't expected to see narrow lanes like Hogarth Place. Prior to 1803 this area was covered with market gardens attached to Earl's Court Farm. The farm had gone by 1879 to make way for the station. In 1797 this area was purchased by Thomas Smith, described as a vintner, he began building in 1803. He didn't build any large houses on his land, they were in the main small cottages as well as a public house, the King's Head which was constructed at the junction of Kenway Road and Hogarth Place.  The pub was rebuilt in the 1930s.

 In 1973 this small area became a conservation area and is now known as Earl's Court village.

On the corner across from the pub is what used to be a shop, with its doorway facing the pub.

On the wall is a mural of a fountain. I failed to find out any information about the origin of the mural or its subject.

In front of the pub were more cottages. I followed this road to the end passing this cosmetic clinic, advertising plastic surgery.


Not something you would find on my road but then I don't live in Kensington!

The road brought me out onto the Cromwell Road opposite the Cromwell Hospital which is a private hospital. It was established in 1981 to provide healthcare for the Abu Dhabi Royal family. In 2008 the hospital was bought by the private healthcare company BUPA which marketed the hospital as a health destination for patients from the Middle East.

Cromwell Road is a wide road and a main route out of London. If I followed it towards London I would come to Albertopolis area and the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. This part of the road is full of these large Victorian mansions. This is Cromwell Mansions built in 1887-89. It contains 12 flats over six stories including the basement. At current prices a 4 bedroomed apartment would set you back £2,750,000.

On the cast iron railings outside the building I found this sign.

Maybe you would prefer staying for just a few nights in this area. These serviced apartments cost from £220pn for a two bedroom apartment to £400pn for a 4 bedroom apartment.

Also on the Cromwell Road is  where Alfred Hitchcock lived after his marriage in 1926. The couple leased the top two floors which meant a walk of 90 steps up to their flat. They lived here until their move to America in 1939.

The Marriott Hotel. Looks like it has fully embraced the wearing of a face mask.

I turned off Cromwell Road and walked down Knaresborough Place. This unusual decoration of a stairwell jumped out at me. I did wonder if it was a lockdown family project.

There are a number of mews in the area. The original mews buildings were comprised of stables, carriage housing and with living quarters above. They were built on either side of a cobbled street behind the large terraced houses. They have now all been converted to residential properties in the most desirable places in London. Although small they still fetch a high price due to their location. I walked past a number of mews around the Earl's Court area.
 This is Laverton mews. A high archway was needed to allow carriages access.

Hesper Mews

This is where Howard Carter, the Egyptologist stayed with his brother, Simon, during his trips home from Egypt.

I don't recall ever seeing a road that has two different names - one for each side!

A sneaky peep into the private Bramham Gardens. Residents around the square are the only people to be able to access the gardens. .

I crossed over Earl's Court Road and on to Warwick Avenue. This is where the Earl's Court Exhibition centre used to be, just opposite the Warwick Road entrance to Earl's Court station. It was refused heritage status and was completely demolished in 2017 after it was acquired by developers. It opened in 1937 as a major exhibition and events centre. It is where the international motor show, boat show, Ideal Home show and Billie Graham rallies were held as well as pop concerts and a venue for the 2012 Olympic games.

 I walked round the hoardings to a place where I could see the site.

(wikipeadia)

This is a photo from the internet of the exhibition centre. Many people were hoping that the façade would be saved and reused in the area's development but this didn't happen. The plans for the new development don't seem to have been finalised yet other than it will be mainly housing.

I walked down Warwick Road onto the Old Brompton Road. This is the Troubadour  which opened as a coffee house in 1955 and was renowned  for its folk music nights in the early 60s. Bob Dylan sang here in 1963.

Also on Old Brompton Road is Coleherne Court where Princess Diana lived before becoming engaged to Prince Charles. Her parents had bought her a flat in this complex as a present for her 18th birthday. 

On the corner of Old Brompton Road and Earl's Court Road is this shop. I didn't really understand what they were selling as in the UK we have letterboxes in the front door not mail boxes outside. I wandered over for a look and inside the shop are numbered boxes where you can have mail delivered and then you  collect from here. I suppose with such a transient population this would be a necessary way of collecting your mail.

I continued up Earl's Court Road and turned left into Bolton Gardens. Here I found Earl's Court Youth Hostel. It is in a  large Victorian building just a few minutes walk from the tube station. It looks ideal if you are looking for cheap basic, convenient accommodation. I have to confess it is years since I stayed in a Youth Hostel but I was never disappointed with the facilities on offer for such a reasonable price

Back on the main road again I passed this very grand looking pub.The Blackbird was converted from bank premises in 1993 giving it a very impressive frontage. It was refurbished in 2018 and now has 9 boutique bedrooms for guests.

Just a short walk from the Blackbird pub on the same side of the road is The Prince of Teck public house. The original pub was built in 1832 for the Star Brewery. It was  rebuilt in 1868 and is now Grade II listed. Lots of interesting features such as the heraldic wyverns at each corner of the roof. The name refers to Prince Francis, Duke of Teck (1837-1900) who was connected to the German Royal family.  His marriage to Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, a cousin of Queen Victoria and granddaughter of King George III brought him to England in 1866. His daughter May later became Queen Mary when she married the future George V.

On the side are bas reliefs of the prince and above the windows are busts of different figures.

Although the traffic was as heavy as ever there were not as many people around nor as many shops as I recall in the 70s. Once the new development is finished no doubt the area will be different again.