Kensington (Olympia)

Underground station, existing between 1844 and now.

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Underground station · * · ·
APRIL
19
2013
Kensington (Olympia) station in West London is managed and served by London Overground and also served by London Underground.

On the Underground it is the terminus of a short District Line branch, built as part of the Middle Circle, from Earl's Court; on the main-line railway it is on the West London Line from Clapham Junction to Willesden Junction, by which many trains bypass Central London.

A station was opened by the West London Railway as its southern terminus on 27 May 1844 as Kensington, just south of Hammersmith Road; it closed at the end of November 1844 due to the losses made. A scant and erratic goods service continued, the line re-opened to passengers with a new station called Addison Road on 2 June 1862, to the north of Hammersmith Road. Great Western Railway trains started serving the station in 1863, with London & North Western Railway trains arriving in 1872. A link to the Hammersmith & City Railway enabled the Middle Circle service to operate via Paddington to the north and South Kensington to the south. From 1869, the London & South Western Railway operated trains from Richmond to London Waterloo via Addison Road, until their branch via Shepherd's Bush closed in 1916. By 1907 the Middle Circle had been replaced by four Hammersmith & City line trains an hour.

The station appears on the first 'London Underground' map in 1908 with Metropolitan and District Railway services.

In 1940, Addison Road and the link to the Metropolitan line at Latimer Road closed along with the other West London Line stations, In 1946 it was renamed Kensington (Olympia) and became the northern terminus of a peak-hour shuttle service to Clapham Junction, which was mainly for workers at the Post Office Savings Bank (later National Savings Bank) in nearby Blythe Road. There was also a District line shuttle to Earl's Court.

The current District line bay platform opened in 1958, but the 1872 connection between the District and the main line south of the station was not finally lifted until 1992.

For many years the passenger service was only a few peak-hour main-line trains to and from Clapham Junction, with Underground trains only during exhibition times. The West London Line has always been a main freight route from north of London to the south-east of England.

Between 1979 and 2008 the Clapham Junction service was supplemented by a Cross Country route from Brighton to Birmingham New Street extending to Derby, Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow Central, Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly. Cross Country services also called at Kensington Olympia on services from the north to Eastbourne, Folkestone Central and Ramsgate at various times.

There were two bay platforms on the south-eastern side mainly used by services from Clapham Junction. In the early 1990s these were filled in and the southbound platform loop closed, with a shorter platform on the sothbound main line built over the loop - longer southbound trains now cross to the northbound loop to stop. The land behind the southbound platform was sold for redevelopment.

There were an Express Dairies creamery and milk bottling plant close to the station served by milk trains from the Great Western Railway from Old Oak Common to a siding adjacent to the station.

In the event of nuclear war seeming imminent, the station was the designated London muster point for staff in transit to the Central Government War Headquarters (Codenamed Burlington).

In 1994, a full passenger service between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction was reinstated after a gap of 54 years.


Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY


   
Added: 17 May 2023 11:50 GMT   

Milson Road (1908 - 1954)
My grandparents and great grandparents and great great grandparents the Manley family lived at 33 Milson Road from 1908 to 1935. My grandad was born at 33 Milson Road. His parents George and Grace had all four of their chidren there. When his father Edward died his mother moved to 67 Milson in 1935 Road and lived there until 1954 (records found so far, it may be longer). Before that they lived in the Porten Road. I wonder if there is anyone that used to know them? My grandad was Charles ’Ted’ Manley, his parents were called George and Grace and George’s parents were called Edward and Bessie. George worked in a garage and Edward was a hairdresser.

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Admin   
Added: 26 Aug 2022 12:17 GMT   

TV comes to Olympia
Over 7000 people queued to see the first high definition television pictures on sets at the Olympia Radio Show. The pictures were transmitted by the BBC from Alexandra Palace, introduced by Leslie Mitchell, their first announcer.

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LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT

Comment
Wendy    
Added: 22 Mar 2024 15:33 GMT   

Polygon Buildings
Following the demolition of the Polygon, and prior to the construction of Oakshott Court in 1974, 4 tenement type blocks of flats were built on the site at Clarendon Sq/Phoenix Rd called Polygon Buildings. These were primarily for people working for the Midland Railway and subsequently British Rail. My family lived for 5 years in Block C in the 1950s. It seems that very few photos exist of these buildings.

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Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:42 GMT   

Road construction and houses completed
New Charleville Circus road layout shown on Stanford’s Library Map Of London And Its Suburbs 1879 with access via West Hill only.

Plans showing street numbering were recorded in 1888 so we can concluded the houses in Charleville Circus were built by this date.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

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Comment
Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:04 GMT   

Charleville Circus, Sydenham: One Place Study (OPS)
One Place Study’s (OPS) are a recent innovation to research and record historical facts/events/people focused on a single place �’ building, street, town etc.

I have created an open access OPS of Charleville Circus on WikiTree that has over a million members across the globe working on a single family tree for everyone to enjoy, for free, forever.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

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Comment
Charles   
Added: 8 Mar 2024 20:45 GMT   

My House
I want to know who lived in my house in the 1860’s.

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NH   
Added: 7 Mar 2024 11:41 GMT   

Telephone House
Donald Hunter House, formerly Telephone House, was the BT Offices closed in 2000

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Comment
Paul Cox   
Added: 5 Mar 2024 22:18 GMT   

War damage reinstatement plans of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street
Whilst clearing my elderly Mothers house of general detritus, I’ve come across original plans (one on acetate) of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street. Might they be of interest or should I just dispose of them? There are 4 copies seemingly from the one single acetate example. Seems a shame to just junk them as the level of detail is exquisite. No worries if of no interest, but thought I’d put it out there.

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Comment
Diana   
Added: 28 Feb 2024 13:52 GMT   

New Inn Yard, E1
My great grandparents x 6 lived in New Inn Yard. On this date, their son was baptised in nearby St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch

Source: BDM London, Cripplegate and Shoreditch registers written by church clerk.

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Comment
Vic Stanley   
Added: 24 Feb 2024 17:38 GMT   

Postcose
The postcode is SE15, NOT SE1

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NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE
Blythe House Blythe House is a listed building located at 23 Blythe Road.
Cadby Hall Cadby Hall was a major office and factory complex in Hammersmith, London which was the headquarters of pioneering catering company Joseph Lyons and Co. for almost a century.
Olympia Olympia is an exhibition centre, event space and conference centre in West Kensington, London, England.
St Barnabas’ Church St Barnabas’ Church is a church in Kensington.
St Paul’s Girls’ School St Paul’s Girls’ School is an independent school which accepts students between the ages of 10 and 19.
West London Line The West London Line is a short railway in inner West London that links Clapham Junction in the south to Willesden Junction in the north.

NEARBY STREETS
Abbotsbury Close, W14 Abbotsbury Close is a road in the W14 postcode area (Holland Park)
Addison Bridge Place, W14 Addison Bridge Place parallels the railway at the east end of Hammersmith Road and the west end of Kensington High Street (Kensington (Olympia))
Addison Crescent, W14 Addison Crescent consists of north and south sections. (Holland Park)
Addison Gardens, W14 Addison Gardens stands on part of the Holland estate
Argyll Mansions, W14 Argyll Mansions is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Ashcroft House, W14 Ashcroft House is sited on North End Road
Ashmore House, W14 Ashmore House is a block on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Avonmore Place, W14 This is a street in the W14 postcode area (Kensington (Olympia))
Avonmore Road, W14 Avonmore Road, built in the 1880s, has been dubbed "Kensington Village"
Aynhoe Road, W14 Aynhoe Road is a street in West Kensington
Beaconsfield Terrace Road, W14 Beaconsfield Terrace Road is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Beaconsfield Terrace, W14 Beaconsfield Terrace is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Benson House, W14 Benson House is a block on Radnor Terrace (Kensington)
Berghem Mews, W14 Berghem Mews is a street in West Kensington
Bishop King’s Road, W14 Bishop King’s Road is a road in the W14 postcode area (Kensington (Olympia))
Blythe Mews, W14 Blythe Mews is a street in West Kensington
Blythe Road, W14 Blythe Road is a street in West Kensington
Bolingbroke Road, W14 Bolingbroke Road is a road in the W14 postcode area
Boswell Court, W14 Boswell Court is a block on Blythe Road
Brangwyn Court, W14 Brangwyn Court is a block on Gratton Road
Bridgeman House, W14 Bridgeman House is a building on Radnor Terrace (Kensington)
Bronte Court, W14 Bronte Court is a block on Girdlers Road
Brook Green, W14 Brook Green runs either side of the green of the same name - the W14 section runs north of the green
Brook Green, W6 Brook Green runs both side of the green of the same name
Caithness Road, W14 Caithness Road is a street in West Kensington
Calcott Court, W14 Calcott Court is a block on Blythe Road
Cann House, W14 Cann House is a block on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Ceylon Road, W14 Ceylon Road is a street in West Kensington
Charles House, W14 Charles House is sited on Kensington High Street (Kensington)
Clitherow House, W14 Clitherow House is a block on Blythe Mews
Coleridge Court, W14 Coleridge Court is a block on Blythe Road
Courtney House, W14 Courtney House is sited on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Durrels House, W14 Durrels House is a building on Warwick Gardens (Kensington)
Earsby Street, W14 Earsby Street is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Edward House, W14 Edward House is a block on Radnor Terrace (Kensington)
Elgar Court, W14 Elgar Court is a block on Ceylon Road
Elms House, W6 Elms House is a building on Brook Green
Elsham Road, W14 Elsham Road is a street in West Kensington (Holland Park)
Fairfax Place, W14 Fairfax Place is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Farley Court, W14 Farley Court is located on Melbury Road (Holland Park)
Faroe Road, W14 Faroe Road is a street in West Kensington
Fonthill House, W14 Fonthill House is sited on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Girdlers Road, W14 Girdlers Road is a road in the W14 postcode area
Gorleston Street, W14 Gorleston Street is a street in West Kensington
Gratton Road, W14 Gratton Road is a road in the W14 postcode area
Hammersmith Road, W14 Hammersmith Road is a street in West Kensington
Hazlitt Mews, W14 Hazlitt Mews is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Hazlitt Road, W14 Hazlitt Road is a road in the W14 postcode area (Kensington (Olympia))
Hofland Road, W14 Hofland Road is a street in West Kensington
Holland Gardens, W14 Holland Gardens is a road in the W14 postcode area (Holland Park)
Holland Park Road, W14 Holland Park Road runs between Addison Road and Melbury Road. (Holland Park)
Holland Road, W14 Holland Road is a street in West Kensington (Holland Park)
Holland Road, W14 Holland Road is a road in the E13 postcode area (Holland Park)
Ibberton House, W14 Ibberton House is a building on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Ilchester Place, W14 Ilchester Place runs between Abbotsbury Road and Melbury Road, immediately adjacent to the southern boundary of Holland Park itself. (Holland Park)
Irving Road, W14 This is a street in the W14 postcode area
Kensington Crescent, W14 The now-demolished Kensington Crescent was an unsuccessful development in the Warwick Gardens area. (Kensington)
Kensington High Street, W14 Kensington High Street is a street in West Kensington (Kensington)
Kenton Court, W14 Kenton Court is located on Kensington High Street (Kensington)
Knowle House, W14 Knowle House is a block on Russell Road (Holland Park)
Lincoln House, W14 Lincoln House is a block on Hammersmith Road
Lord Kensington House, W14 Lord Kensington House is a block on Radnor Terrace (Kensington)
Ludwell House, W14 Ludwell House is a building on Russell Road (Holland Park)
Maclise Road, W14 Maclise Road is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Manston House, W14 Manston House is a block on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Masbro Road, W14 Masbro Road is a street in West Kensington
Milson Road, W14 Milson Road is a street in West Kensington
Munden Street, W14 Munden Street is a street in West Kensington
Napier Place, W14 Napier Place is a street in West Kensington (Kensington)
Napier Road, W14 Napier Road is a street in West Kensington (Holland Park)
Oakeford House, W14 Oakeford House is a block on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Oakwood Court, W14 Oakwood Court runs between Abbotsbury Road and Addison Road. (Holland Park)
Olympia Way, W14 Olympia Way is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Oxford Gate, W14 Oxford Gate is a road in the W14 postcode area
Radnor Terrace, W14 Radnor Terrace runs southwest from Warwick Road (Kensington)
Rayburne Court, W14 Rayburne Court is a building on Milson Road
Redan Street, W14 Redan Street is a street in West Kensington
Redlynch Court, W14 Redlynch Court is a block on the corner of Addison Crescent and Addison Road (Holland Park)
Richmond Court, W14 Richmond Court is a block on Richmond Court (Kensington (Olympia))
Richmond Way, W14 Richmond Way lies south of Shepherd’s Bush Green
Rushmore House, W14 Rushmore House is a block on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Russell Gardens Mews, W14 Russell Gardens Mews is a street in West Kensington (Holland Park)
Russell Gardens, W14 Russell Gardens is a street in West Kensington (Holland Park)
Russell Road, W14 Russell Road is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Shillingstone House, W14 Shillingstone House is a block on Russell Road (Kensington (Olympia))
Sinclair Gardens, W14 Sinclair Gardens is a street in West Kensington
Sinclair Road, W14 Sinclair Road is a street in West Kensington
Somerset Square, W14 Somerset Square is a street in West Kensington (Holland Park)
Souldern Road, W14 Souldern Road is a street in West Kensington
Southcombe Street, W14 Southcombe Street is a street in West Kensington
Springvale Terrace, W14 Springvale Terrace is a street in West Kensington
St Mary Abbot’s Court, W14 St Mary Abbot’s Court is a block on Warwick Gardens (Kensington)
St Mary Abbots Terrace, W14 St Mary Abbots Terrace is a street in West Kensington (Holland Park)
St Mary Abbot’s Place, W8 This is a street in the W8 postcode area (Kensington)
St Mary’s Court, W14 St Mary’s Court is sited on Blythe Road
Stable Yard Ilchester Place, W14 Stable Yard Ilchester Place is a street in Kensington (Holland Park)
Strangways Terrace, W14 Strangways Terrace is a road in the W14 postcode area (Holland Park)
Tarrantt House, W14 Tarrantt House is a block on Russell Road (Holland Park)
Thackerey Court, W14 Thackerey Court is a block in the Holland Park area
Thackery Court, W14 Thackery Court is a block on Blythe Road
The Old Courthouse, W14 The Old Courthouse is a block on North End Road
The Old Magistrates Court, W14 The Old Magistrates Court is located on Southcombe Street
The School House, W6 The School House is a block on Brook Green
Todber House, W14 Todber House is a building on Russell Road (Holland Park)
Trinity House, W14 Trinity House is sited on Kensington High Street (Kensington)
Vernon Street, W14 Vernon Street is a road in the W14 postcode area
Walpole Court, W14 Walpole Court can be found on Blythe Road
Warwick Road, W14 Warwick Road is a street in West Kensington (Kensington)
Welbeck Court, W14 Welbeck Court is a street in West Kensington (Kensington (Olympia))
Windsor Way, W14 Windsor Way is a street in West Kensington
Wolfe House, W14 Wolfe House is a building on Kensington High Street (Kensington)

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