So departing Ickenham on a westbound Metropolitan line train
hello! heading for the depths of Zone 6
once again, at the north west corner, of the tube map last time out ...
at Upminster, i said we'd be heading for the other End of the Line
that begins with a letter 'U'
welcome to Episode 8
of End of the Line, with everything
you need to know, about Uxbridge
And if you like the trivia that this is the second letter U station
i can also dazzle you
with that fact that this is also the second station (End of the line)
with a letter X in it, Uxbridge with an X
Brixton, with an X. Also!
it's worth noting that both the Metropolitan AND Piccadilly line trains
leave from this station
and if you were going to say - King's Cross
which is the quicker way to get there?
they've both got direct services maybe you coud have a race and see
which one is faster, but before we do anything else
we must stop, and acknowledge
what i'm looking at right now
and that is the general magnificence, that is ... Uxbridge
The station is simply visually splendid to look at and admire
it was designed by Charles Holden and is argubaly the best piece of architecture on the Underground
now i mentioned in the Cockfosters episode that Uxbridge is similar
and that's because it is essentially Cockfosters Version 2 and is also Grade 2 listed
The whole structure is often called 'a concrete cathedral'
and no Cathedral is complete without stainded glass windows which Uxbridge has
amongst the designs i really the arms of Middlesex county council
a county of course, which no longer exists
and other highlights, include the next train light box indicator that still works
this old kiosk which looks great
and the old Buffet sign which does point to a cafe that's still open
but my favourite is the old cigarette dispensing machine
back when a packet, used to cost 20p
also, look out for these weighing machines that are on the platforms
they used to cost a penny, and are obviously no longer in use
i'm not sure why thought you'd want to weight yourself at a tube station anyway
and then outside, it continues to be stunning
look up, above the semi circular entrance
to see the winged wheels, of speed and modernity
they're also a reference to the time when trolleybuses
used to pull up outside, in the forecourt long since pedestrianised
and finally, the roundel on the pole outside
uses this thicker than usual typeface, which just looks great
and whilst beneath the canopy
of the concrete splendour
i'm just gonna point out, there's a sign here
that tells trains operators - drivers, not to open the doors on platform two
basically, there's platform one, two, three, four
but there's only actual three tracks because platform two
isn't used! there's a sign there as well
referring to the 'OPO' that's the one person operation mirror
and basically all this goes back to a time when
as trains departed ...
out of this platform here, the drivers cab would be on the side and they would be required to
look down the platform to make sure that, you know
the doors has shut OK, and nobody was trapped
and everything was OK, so there's thing hangover
whereby drivesr are instructed not to open doors on that side
platform 2, but only ever use the doors
on this side, on platform 3
and that's why, those signs are there
note by the way, at the piccadill line trains pulls in there
is that Met line trains are every seven-and-a-half minutes, or they should be
but Piccadilly line trains are only once every 20 minutes
that's because every other train terminates and reverses at Rayners Lane
and that's why there's a poster here saying, if you want the Piccadilly line
get on the first Met line train
and then change, at Rayners Lane
and right by the cafe, there's the ramp here for step free access
and that takes you out to the side entrance, there's a side entrance!
to Uxbridge station, which brings you out here
by the bus station to catch all the buses all the 'U' lettered buses
but keep going, around the corner for the best
vantage point, where you can look down, onto Uxbridge tube station
ok, the low winter sun is causing a slightt issue
in that i can't get a perfecr, err
head on straight on shot of the station so i've come to one side where
there's no glare from the sun
and you can see from here, this is the perfect place to come
for a picture, of Uxbridge station
note also, that just over here you've got the carriage sidings
that is where a lot of the early morning trains
depart from, and stable at night, terminate here at Uxbridge
there's a little secret access gate
revolving doors, where the drivers go in
to take the first trains out, and whilst we're here
i just spotted ... the big sainbury's over there
which reminds me, of this
last year, in my "Lost Railways of London" series
i found the location of two other old stations in Uxbridge
whilst also noting that today's Uxbridge tube station
is in fact the second one
the original underground
is where the supermarket is
and that does ironically, brings us out to ... a car park
but it's not the station car park, it's the sainsburys car park
but yes, if you want to go to the location
of the originaly Uxbridge tube station
just come and stand in this car park! alltogether now ... Car Park
with the lovely entrance over there, we're doing the
"what is there to do in Uxbridge?" portion of the video
you come out, it's a pretty standard High Street
all the usual chain shops you'd expect to see, which is why ...
... i'm glad that i stumble across this
i was in the transport museum shop the other day
buying some elizabeth line moquette
i spotted a book, which i did not know about
called 'Beyon the end of the line' by Jeff Lock
let me make this clear, i'd never heard of this book
i don't know who Jeff Lock is - that's Jeff with a "J"
G is much better way of spelling it
so Jeff hasn't asked me to plug or promote this book
but law dicates, when you're doing a Youtube series called
End of the Line, and you find randomly a book called
"Beyond the end of the line"
then you're obliged to buy it
and it pretty much outlines walks that you can do
at all the end of the line stations, and here
at Uxbridge it suggests going five minutes that way
over ... to the canal
just heading over the river, Freys River
keep going Geoff! keep going, for the canal ...
so no, i'm not actually going to walk the canal
althought the book does recommend this excellent circular walking route
by the way, lazy research ...
can just quote from the book, uxbridge began
as a settlement on the river Colne up until the 19th century
it was a prosperous town
depening on its corn market, and it's importance as a flower milling centre
the grand union canal, which is where we are now
is the longest canal in the UK and runs for
a hundred and thirty seven miles
between here London, and up to Birmingham, basically
when you come to Uxbridge as part of your
end of the line series, your own series which you're doing
make sure you DO allocated a bit of time
to walk some of the canal
'cause i am, as long time viewes of the channel will know
a huge advocate, of canals
this should be like the time that i announce in 2023
i'm doing a new series, called
"Secrets of all the London Secret Hidden Canals"
but *chuckles* i'm not
that would be excellen though! anyway, canals are good
errr ... back to the station, before the sunsets
so i was about to get the train home
and this video should be at an end, excep then ...
... i had an idea
yeah, i'm back in the car park
because i had a brainwave, before i go
i realised, slash remembered
tha the Sainsbury's ... is also an Argos
and that gives me a silly idea
*background shop noise*
is tha gonna beed batteries too?
you'll get a battery included
just because THEIR weighing machine isn't working doesn't mean i can't, bring my own ...
and weigh myself, obviously
and so that is the magnificence that is Uxbridge tube station
if you only come and visit one of these stations that i'm featuring in end of the line
then do make it this one, because it's just spectacular
and gorgeous to look at - on the end screen
coming up in a moment you can press subscrbe, and there is a playlist
where you can watch ALL the episodes in this series, this is number eight
i think i'll do about twenty in total, by the time i'm all done
loads more to come, thanks for watching!
see you soon, on the next epsisode, bye.