This is the penultimate station on the Uxbridge branch of the Metropolitan line and also the Piccadilly Line. The station was resited in 1992 and is the most recently constructed Metropolitan line station. To enable the widening of the A40 (Western Avenue) at Hillingdon Circus, the old station was demolished and a new station built to the South. The word Swakeleys on the roundel refers to the nearby junction of the A40.
Unusual to see a glass covered track and platform.
Going up the steps from the platform the first thing I noticed was the noise. It was coming from the A40. All the time I was walking around the area the noise was ever present. The A40 is a major road between London and Wales.
You can see here the railway bridge crossing the A40.
I do like the blue clock on the church. I have seen a few churches in this area with similar clocks. The church was first consecrated in 1933, but the clock is a more recent addition in 2018
This won't be a long post as there wasn't much to see. The main town in this area is Uxbridge, the next station on the line which I intend visiting after my brief visit to Hillingdon. I am still very much in Metroland where the railway bought up adjacent land and built land on it promoting living a rural life but working in a city.
A short walk from the station is Hillingdon Court Park. With its football pitches, tennis courts, play area, formal gardens and woodland, it seems to cater for all the community.
I walked back towards the station past this row of mock tudor shops. It was still quite early on a Sunday morning so most of them were closed.
Crossed the bridge over the A40. Doesn't look that busy when this photo was taken.
I followed the signs to Swakeleys Park which wasn't really that far from the station.
Swakeleys Park is part of the former Swakeleys estate which covered 429 acres. The Jacobean mansion Swakeleys dominated the landscape. The park itself was privately owned until the 1920s, when it was given to the council to be preserved as public open space.
More recently, additional recreational facilities have been added to the park with this outdoor gym and a children's playground.
Swakeleys House was built between 1629 and 1638 and is an example of Jacobean architecture. It is a Grade I listed building. The house has been open to the public on Open House weekends but in 2015 the property was put on the market for £45 million. In winter you can just about see the house from the park
On the way back to the station I walked past these gates which I assume is the driveway to Swakeleys House. Other than the noise from the A40 this seemed a very pleasant residential area. Houses were all different. Many had large gardens at the front and I assume at the back as well. There were lots of green spaces and the wide tree lined roads gave a feeling of space. Just a pity about the noise.
Yes, the blue clock hardly looks original. Not sure that I like it.
ReplyDeleteThe area looks quiet and peaceful but it seems a little spoilt by traffic noise.
Still, an interesting visit to a station with a little less hinterland. Must say I don't like the look of the blue clock. Don't feel that goes very well with a steeple. The mock tudor houses may also be replaced. This is not England at its best here.
ReplyDeleteA wee bit boring for you this one. Useful park. However, sitting in an £800,000 or so house while the traffic passed by would not be comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI assume that major highway went in well after the railroad bought and promoted the rural land here . I'll go back and read the post more carefully, you probably already explained that -- I tend to skip over dates or really (I'm ashamed to say) anything with numbers. At any rate, the noise would be a real downer although over here on this side of the pond I'm sure there is a bigger percentage of people who live with highway noise all the time. (I'd look that up, but there would be numbers)).
ReplyDeletePS: Is this the second to the last station on the two lines or the second to the last one you have to visit? (I *do* like words.)
ReplyDeleteYes it's amazing how sound travels from busy roads or indeed railway lines. My daughter viewed a house a while back that seemed noisy in the back garden. We assumed it must have been from the North Circular even though the house was some distance from that particular road. We're quite a way from the overground railway line but recently they trimmed a lot of the shrubs/trees etc along the line and now we can hear the trains more. Fortunately they are not that loud and you do tune them out after a while.
ReplyDeleteA nice station. Lots of money spent on mass transit in England. Not so much here. I love the big house, interesting to see if anybody buys it.
ReplyDeleteOops, I've missed quite a few posts ... I will be back soon to have a proper look :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Looks like a nice area. I hope no one plays silly buggers and tries to jump through the glass.
ReplyDeleteGetting into the outer suburbs now? The mansion is nice..
ReplyDeleteSorry to be a little late with my comment. There is always so much to take in with your posts that I tend to look at them when I have the time to read them though and absorb it all, and sometimes that happens later rather than sooner. It's great to see all the greenery and I hope this trend continues all over the country and not just in urban areas. Many rural locations have been denuded of their vegetation and wildlife and a little rewilding would be a good thing - a lot of rewiliding would be even better!
ReplyDeleteI have been catching up on posts I've missed, and they are all such an interesting read, so I again say thank you.
ReplyDeleteRe this post; I agree about the blue clock, I quite like it.
All the best Jan
Las estaciones, son un buen tema fotográfico y siempre tienen mucho movimiento de pasajeros. A ellas acudimos los que preferimos viajar por ese medio.
ReplyDeleteYour journeys of exploration are fascinating to me, I am in California. I wonder who lives in the Swakesley House today, I always like it when the original families remain in their homes. I recall visiting Berkeley Castle decades ago and learning that the castle remained in family ownership, I saw one of the sons drive up.
ReplyDelete