Good morning, back out on the tube
on the Piccadilly line today
heading out west to Zone 6
yes, we're going to Heathrow
but for reasons that will become apparant in a second
i need to start my journey today, at a Zone 1 tube station
and so i have come to South Kensington
which is where i will tap in, with my Oyster
as we do, episode 11, of End of the Line
so i'm currently on a westbound piccadilly line train
heading for the Heathrows, if you want the history of this branch
i've previously made a video all about that
which details its construction over the years
i want to say though, the reason why i touched in
at South Kensington with an Oyster there
is because a recent change back in September 2022
there is no more Off Peak fare
from Zone 1 to Heathrow
it used to cost £3.50 off peak
but it went up to £5.50
at all times .. but!
at the same, they also made a change to the Heathrow free travel area
i once made a Londonist video about that
but it now includes Hatton Cross
and a little know hack
that has come into place, is that if you're travelling from Zone 1
to Heathrow, or Heathrow to Zone 1
if you get out and tap out and tap back in again
at Hatton Cross, it costs you less money
which is what i'm going to go and do
and then we'll have an explore, around Heathrow
ok so this might now work if you've got heavy bags
but if you can, just splits your journey
at Hatton Cross, tap back in
and then travel the rest of the way to Heathrow, for free
yeah so that's only cost me three pound something
as apposed to five pound something, i'll put
the figures, on screen - if you're travelling to Heathrow
to or from Zone 1
changing, tap out and tap back in at Hatton Cross
will save you money
and it's like a thing they don't advertise Hatton Cross is now
in the free travel area
it makes Hatton Cross feel like it's part of the Heathrow
set of station which it kind of is, also ...
because we're at Hatton Cross, i'll mention
a lot of people that that lit up roundels on the platform at
Pimlico station are the only station where you get those but
Hatton Cross you get them too
it really mucks up the auto-exposure on a camera
if you're in auto mode, and there's also
these lovely symbols too
and what those lovely symbols are
are the old BOAC logo
that's the British Overseas Airways Corporation
and it's called 'Speedbird'
and it used to be on aeroplanes until British Airways
was privatised in the early 1980's
the bold colourful streaks
of futerism in the tiles look fabulous
and there's a point here at the far western end of the platform
where you can get an amazing symmetrical photo
with the speedbird logo right in the middle
one for the instagrams!
before you head off, to Terminal 4
trains got to Heathrow Terminal 4
everyone's getting out with their bags, heading up to the airport
yes! it's an airport too not just trains here you can catch planes as well
but this officially, is the end of the line
the proper end of the line here because the train will now stand here
if it's on time, for up to 9 minutes
there's a point down there where the driver can go to the toilets
but if the trains running late thay might get less than nine minutes
but this is where trains sit, and stand
before they then start their journey back east
uptowards Cockfosters
two other things of note here
first is the rather splendid embossed '4' in various places along the platforms walls
and the other, is that had you ever noticed that
all of the Heathrow stations
the gates on the gatelines are always of the wider variant
because they assume
that everyone is going to have luggage here
and then the train goes around the Heathrow Loop
but did you know
that there are two emergency exits here
escape shafts for passengers
the first, is called Sanctuary Road
and is clearly marked on open street maps
and is outside of the airport boundary
the secons, is called Wessex Road Shaft
also marked on open street maps
and is well inside the permieter of the airport
next time you go for a trip around the Heathrow loop
look out on the left hand side of the train
and for a split second
you'll be able to see a teeny flash of light and "platform" length
which is where trains can stop, in an emergency
and let people out of the train to the surface
and that brings us round to Heathrow Terminal 1 2 and 3
except ... it's not actually called that anymore
i am at Heathrow Terminals 1 2 and 3
the roundel says ... it's one two and three
the signage up there says it' one two and three
but that is wrong, that is now a lie
terminal one ...
doesn't exist anymore, and all the signage is
out of date and wrong it is just now terminals
two and three but what was Heathrow Central years ago
became one two three
it's now just, two and three
please remember that
and whilst you're admiring incorrect signage
make sure you do also admire
a beautiful piece of artwork here
this is Tom Eckersley's enamel artwork
and is a stylised image
of Concorde's tail
in overlapping blocks of white
royal blue, and yellow
it was commisioned specifically by the London Underground
for Heathrow station
and is now one of those trendy pieces of artwork
that you can buy, as a poster
at the London Transport Museum
when i was at Chesham the other day having my flashback moment to 1988
and the newsagents, i had another flashback memory of Heathrow
which is where i knew i was coming next
to a little black on yellow sign
that said ... "chapel", i came here
with my friend again, just to see what was at Heathrow Airport
i remember seeing a sign that said "chapel", i'm like
"why would there be a chapel, at Heathrow Airport?"
and thirty .. forty years later .. is it still here?
yes it is
step outside the tube station here
and there's the bus station
it's a dirty, noisy, bustling area
but yet, keep going
past the bus station, walk down this narrow path, turn left
and then you stumble upon this remarkable place
this is the Chapel of St. George, which provides a haven
for reflection, for anyone
and has been here, for over 50 years now
the chapel itself, wasn't open on the day i visited
but there is a Garden of Rememberance
and many memorials for people that have worked in the aviation industry
over the years, are here
if you come to Heathrow, for the end of the line
please make sure, you do find the garden
and enjoy a moment of solitude, and reflection
this is end of the line ... literally
Heathrow Terminal 5, a station now owned
by tfl / london underground
it's actually run, i assume by the the CAA
probably at least by the airport, it's run by the airport
not by TfL
and there's only cool thing you have to do, when you come to Terminal five
and thing to do, is go for a free ride
on the heathrow terminal five, Pods!
with the camer precariously balanced, slightly wobbly!
yeah, if you park at Terminal Five now
used to be a bus shuttle to take you to the terminal, not anymore
i mean this has been running for years there's an old Londonist video i did about it a while back
but if you've still never ridden
the heathrow pods, this is your chance to come and do it
it's completely free
and when we were here before, they said they don't mind people doing it because
it acts as an advertisment
to encourage people, ah the bright sun
to come and do it, so if you want to have a free ride
to a car park ... and back
from the terminal to a car park and back again
then when you come to heathrow
to explore the ends of the lines like i'm sure you're gonna do
follow in my footsteps
make sure, you get yourself, a free ride on
a heathrow pod, as well
i say this in every episode
there is playlist coming up on the end screen right now
this is episode eleven
of End of the Line, go watch the other ten episodes
i think there'll be about twenty episodes in all
but check out that playlist
watch them all, as i slowly get round
and tick off all of the end of the line stations thanks for watching ...
see ya next time, bye!