Rayners Lane

Rayners Lane is the 16th station that I've visited on the Metropolitan Line. The station services both the Metropolitan and the Piccadilly Line. 

The Metropolitan Railway constructed and began services on the line between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Uxbridge in 1904. The first services were operated by steam but electrification of the track happened soon afterwards and by the following year electric trains began to operate on the line. This station opened as Rayners Lane Holt in 1906 and soon became known as Pneumonia Junction because of its exposed location.
 

The station was rebuilt in 1938. It was designed by Charles Holden and was typical of stations built by him during that period. The station, now Grade II listed, features a cube shaped brick and glass ticket hall.

The Metropolitan Railway saw an opportunity to increase their profits by buying up land alongside the railway lines and  turning the farms and meadows into housing estates. It became known as 'Metroland'. Each year the Metropolitan Railway produced a booklet of walks in the areas that the trains passed through, hoping it would encourage people to want to live in those areas. The railway started selling the idea of the country life. Throughout the 1920s the railway developed a series of housing estates all the way along the line. After the war the government helped by providing money for companies to build 'houses fit for heroes'. Pre war not many people owned their own homes but then mortgages became available allowing more people the opportunity to buy their own home. Rayners Lane was one such place. What had once been nothing but farmland and meadows became a thriving suburb. By 1934 all the medieval fields had gone, the railways had changed where people lived. No longer did they have to live close to where they worked. The railways made it possible to live in the country and be in London within the hour. 

The name of the station is taken from a local road, Rayners Lane. In the Middle Ages the road was used to transport grain to the mill on Pinner Green.

Rayners Lane is a wide road with green verges and mature trees. All the houses have good sized gardens. 

Also on Rayners Lane is the Quaker Meeting House. Quakerism was founded in England in 1652.

There is a much larger parade of shops here than there was at the previous station but definitely not part of the coffee bar culture.

I was surprised that I had to walk so far to find a cafe where I could get lunch.

It was very much a builders/workmen's cafe with large meals mainly accompanied by chips. 

 I was surprised to be offered salad as an alternative to chips with my omelette. It was a very friendly cafe with the owner greeting many of his customers by name. 

As with the previous station there wasn't much more to see so, after another hour of aimless wandering around I decided to call it a day and make my way home.

West Harrow

This is the 15th station on the Metropolitan Line that I have visited. The station is the first one after the mainline splits with this branch line ending at Uxbridge. It took me an hour and a half to get here from my local rail station. I have now reached that point where the travelling to and from these far flung stations will take longer than the walk around the area,

The small station with its two platforms was built in 1904 when the line was extended to Uxbridge.

To get from one platform to the other you have to descend to street level, leave the station go under the railway bridge and enter the station from the other side.

The main station building is built for passengers wanting trains travelling south towards central London.

Prior to the 20th century the area was mainly rural. The new West Harrow station encouraged a steady growth of housing developments fanning out from the station.

As I walked down the road from the station I noticed the offices of the local Member of Parliament. He is a Labour MP and has been representing this area since 1997 which is a remarkably long time to be in office.

I walked around a few streets and came across a small high street with a variety of shops but unusually couldn't see a cafe or coffee shop amongst them.

I have noticed a number of these safety deposit centres on my travels. They advertise vaults with the highest security technology and specialise in protecting your high value assets and cash. Not much use to me then.

It is a very residential area so not much of interest really. This is Harrow Cemetery. The land for the cemetery was bought by Harrow cemetery Board in 1887. Today there is no longer any space for new public burials. Instead the cemetery is designated as a site of local importance for Nature Conservation. Its grassland is its most important wildlife feature. It is now cut twice a year, once in Spring to remove winter growth and then early summer to encourage wildflowers and wildlife,

Sadly I spotted signs of vandalism as I walked through the cemetery.

Running alongside the cemetery is Harrow Recreation Ground. The Park opened in 1885 just a couple of years before the cemetery was opened. It cost £3000 for 14 acres.: 4 acres for public use and the other 10 acres to be leased to sports clubs. Further land was added in 1889. Whilst there I got the impression that it is well used with a number of people walking on the path around the park.

Next to the cafe this group were engaged in tai chi.

A Giant Redwood was planted in the park in memory of those who died in captivity in the Far East 1941-45.

There were the usual facilities in the park of an outdoor gym, football pitches, tennis and basketball courts as well as a children's' playground. The Public Health Act of 1848 required councils to provide parks. Play equipment has been installed in parks ever since.

There is also a fenced in  Peace Garden which was set up in 2020 to commemorate the 150th birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandi. It provides a seated quiet area for those wishing to take some time out. Winter didn't do it justice but I'm sure in the Spring and Summer it looks completely different.

I left the park and walked down more streets full of houses.

I came across this large church. Research informed me it was consecrated in 1911. The church was closed so I couldn't have a look at its most interesting features. The windows, furnishings and sculptures were created by Martin Travers (1886-1948) and sculptor John E Crawford (1897-1982).

 

This shows part of the Te Deum great East window (photo from the St George's church website) which was installed in 1937. Travers also has a large window installed in the Great Hall of the Arts Centre Christchurch, New Zealand.

St George and the Dragon by John Crawford.

Across from the church is St George's Hall. It was completed in 1929 by Cyril Farey (1888-1954). And that about completes my visit to West Harrow. I didn't waste time wandering about this residential area which meant I had enough time to move on and have a look at the next station on the line.