Site Records

SiteName: Wood Lane Station (Central Line)

Wood Lane (Junction with Ariel Way)
London, W12
OS Grid Ref: TQ234804

Sub Brit site visit February 1980 & February 1986

In 1907 the new 'White City' Stadium and exhibition complex was under construction on the west side of Wood lane in West London. It was to host the forthcoming Franco-British Exhibition and the 1908 Olympic Games. With the closest existing stations (Uxbridge Road and Shepherds Bush) nearly half a mile away by road, a raised arcaded walkway was to be constructed linking the stations on Uxbridge Road with the exhibition site. Much of this walkway still survives to this day, the vast halls being used by a tennis club while Rene Patouillard-Demoriane's impressive entrance lay derelict for years but has recently been brought back into use as the entrance to what is described as the 'world's largest indoor paintball arena'.

In July 1907 the Central London Railway received parliamentary consent to extend northwards from their Shepherds Bush terminus (opened in June 1900) to a new station at Wood Lane. The station was to be sited on a single-track loop in the northwest corner of their depot.

Platform 2 in 1935

Westbound trains would continue north from Shepherds Bush using the steeply inclined depot line, coming to the surface alongside the depot. A loop-line would be built through the new station and back into a tunnel for the return journey to Shepherds Bush. Wood Lane station opened on the 14th May 1908, coinciding with the opening of the Franco-British exhibition. Although the station was only on a single-track loop, it was provided with two platforms, No 1 on the inside of the curve for alighting passengers and No. 2 for boarding passengers.

There was a stairway and slope up from Platform 1 to the arcaded walkway, which was linked to the exhibition site by a bridge across Wood Lane. The original station frontage was replaced by the building we see today in 1915, it was designed by London Electric Railway's architect Stanley Heaps.

With the opening of a further extension to Ealing Broadway in 1920, two more platforms were added below ground, constructed by cut and cover. To the east of the depot a new junction was built taking westbound trains on to the extension through Platform 4. A second junction was added at the west side of the loop with the eastbound track running into a new tunnel and through Platform 3. This unusual configuration meant that the standard left-hand running was not possible through Wood Lane and a flyover was built north of the station to return the track to normal sides.

Platform 3 shortly after opening

The movable section of platform in 1928

In order that trains on the loop could enter the depot, Platform 1 was shorter than Platform 2 and couldn't accommodate 7 car trains so passengers had to use Platform 2. To overcome this problem, an extension to Platform 1 was required. This would be difficult to achieve because of the points serving the line into the depot. The solution was a moveable section of platform built of wood on a steel frame, which could be swung out of the way allowing trains to enter or leave the depot. This extension was approved and came into use in 1928.

Although it proved workable it was not the ideal solution and the station was still unable to take trains longer than 7 cars in the high level platforms.

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