Hounslow Loop Line | |||
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Overview | |||
Status | Operational | ||
Owner | Network Rail | ||
Locale | Greater London | ||
Termini | London Waterloo | ||
Stations | 7 | ||
Service | |||
Type | Commuter rail, Suburban rail | ||
System | National Rail | ||
Operator(s) | South Western Railway | ||
Rolling stock | |||
History | |||
Opened | 1850 | ||
Technical | |||
Number of tracks | 2 | ||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
Electrification | 750 V DC third rail | ||
Operating speed | 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) | ||
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The Hounslow Loop Line is a railway line in southwest London which was opened by the London and South Western Railway in 1850. It leaves the Waterloo to Reading Line at Barnes Junction and after some seven and a half miles rejoins it at a triangular junction between Whitton and Feltham. Barnes Railway Bridge carries the line over the River Thames. Passenger services, all operated by South Western Railway, either loop back to Waterloo by the junctions or continue southwest via Feltham. The line is electrified at 750 V DC (third rail). It provides access to the North London Line for freight services both passing through Clapham Junction to the north east and connecting to the rail network to the south west.
Most service to stations on the Hounslow Loop line are provided by trains operating between London Waterloo and Weybridge via Staines.
As of December 2023, the typical weekday and Saturday service is 2 trains per hour in each direction to and from Waterloo. Trains use the Waterloo to Reading Line between Waterloo and Barnes, take the loop between Barnes Bridge and Hounslow stations, and operate to and from Weybridge via Staines. [1] [2]
On Sunday mornings service is reduced to hourly.
At peak hours, some trains do not serve Staines and Weybridge, but rather travel in a loop to and from Waterloo via Hounslow and Richmond.
Services are generally operated by Class 707s, operating in 5 or 10-car configuration. These trains entered service in August 2017. [3] Class 450, Class 455 and Class 458 units also work the line. All units on the line are to be replaced by Class 701 Aventra units, with introduction planned for 2020. [4] [5]
The line has seen a steep increase in ridership levels in recent years, corresponding with the doubling of train frequencies from 2 trains per hour in each direction to 4 (except on Sundays). The line's seven stations had combined passenger numbers of 5.565 million in 2007–08 (based on station exits), a 162% increase on the 2004–05 figure of 2.122 million. [6]
Most stations had platforms lengthened to allow the operation of 10 coach trains from May 2013. [7] Where this was not possible, selective door opening is used.
Platform 20 at Waterloo (within the former Waterloo International terminal) came into use in May 2014 to provide additional capacity. [8] [9]
A proposal published in 2017 by the London Assembly and Transport for London envisages extending the London Overground network to run trains on the section of the Hounslow Loop Line between Brentford and Hounslow. [10] The scheme, known as the West London Orbital, would involve the re-opening of the Dudding Hill Line to passenger services and running trains from West Hampstead Thameslink and Hendon via the planned Old Oak Common Lane station. A new station may be constructed at Lionel Road, close to Kew Bridge. The plans are currently at public consultation stage with TfL. [11]
Stagecoach South Western Trains Limited, trading as South West Trains (SWT), was an English train operating company owned by Stagecoach, which operated the South Western franchise between February 1996 and August 2017.
Clapham Junction railway station is a major railway station and transport hub near St John's Hill in southwest Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is 2 miles 57 chains from London Victoria and 3 miles 74 chains from London Waterloo; it is on both the South West Main Line and Brighton Main Line as well as numerous other routes and branch lines passing through or diverging from the main lines at this station. Despite its name, Clapham Junction is not located in Clapham, a district situated approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) to the southeast and is instead sited in Battersea.
Vauxhall is a National Rail, London Underground and London Buses interchange station in central London. It is at the Vauxhall Cross road junction opposite the southern approach to Vauxhall Bridge over the River Thames in the district of Vauxhall. The mainline station is run by the South Western Railway and is the first stop on the South West Main Line from London Waterloo towards Clapham Junction and the south-west. The Underground station is on the Victoria line and the station is close to St George Wharf Pier for river services.
Queenstown Road is a railway station in inner south-west London, 2 miles 50 chains (4.2 km) south-west of London Waterloo, between Vauxhall and Clapham Junction. It is a short walk from Battersea Park station and Battersea Park to the west. It has three platforms, two of which are in use by all stopping services related to the Waterloo to Reading Line: its branch services to Weybridge and two separate sets of bidirectional Waterloo-to-Waterloo services via Hounslow using the Hounslow Loop and via Kingston using the Kingston Loop. In addition, 50% of maximum peak hour trains serving the Shepperton branch line call at the station.
Putney railway station serves Putney in the London Borough of Wandsworth, in southwest London straddling Travelcard zone 2 and zone 3. It is 5 miles 72 chains (9.5 km) down the line from London Waterloo.
Feltham railway station serves Feltham in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London. It was opened on 22 August 1848 by the Windsor, Staines and South Western Railway.
Barnes railway station is a Grade II listed station in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in southwest London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. It is 7 miles 7 chains (11.4 km) down the line from London Waterloo. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway.
Hounslow railway station, on the Hounslow Loop Line, is in the London Borough of Hounslow, in Greater London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway.
Syon Lane railway station in Travelcard Zone 4 is on the Hounslow Loop Line and borders the Spring Grove and New Brentford neighbourhoods of the London Borough of Hounslow in west London. The office and light industrial zone to the north-east, the West Cross Centre, has among other businesses the headquarters and studios of broadcaster and entertainment multinational company Sky. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway.
Kew Bridge railway station is a railway station in Brentford, the London Borough of Hounslow, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway. The station was named after the nearby Kew Bridge.
Chiswick railway station is a railway station within the Grove Park residential area of Chiswick in the London Borough of Hounslow. The station is on the Hounslow Loop Line, and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway. Journey time into London Waterloo is approximately 25 minutes and Clapham Junction 15 minutes. The station is in Travelcard Zone 3.
Barnes Bridge railway station, in Travelcard Zone 3, is on The Terrace, Barnes in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway. It is on the Hounslow Loop Line, 12 km south west of London Waterloo.
Virginia Water railway station serves the village of Virginia Water, in Surrey, England. It is 23 miles 15 chains (37.3 km) down the line from London Waterloo. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South Western Railway.
The Waterloo–Reading line is a National Rail electric railway line between London Waterloo and Reading. The line runs west through a series of South West London suburbs to Reading, in central Berkshire. Its passenger operation is by South Western Railway (SWR), which also manage its stations.
Staines railway station is on the Waterloo to Reading line and is the junction station for the diverging Windsor line, in southern England to the west of London. It is 19 miles 2 chains (30.6 km) down the line from London Waterloo. It serves the town of Staines-upon-Thames in Surrey, England.
The Staines–Windsor line is a 6 mi 46 ch (10.6 km) railway line in Berkshire and Surrey, England. It branches from the Waterloo–Reading line at Staines-upon-Thames and runs to its western terminus at Windsor via intermediate stations at Wraysbury, Sunnymeads and Datchet. All of the stations are managed by South Western Railway, which operates all passenger trains. Most services run between Windsor & Eton Riverside station and London Waterloo via Richmond and Clapham Junction.
Egham railway station serves the town of Egham in Surrey, England. The station is owned by Network Rail and managed by South Western Railway, which also provides the train services. The station is on the Waterloo to Reading line, 21 miles 2 chains (33.8 km) from London Waterloo, between Virginia Water and Staines. The station is also served by trains to Weybridge.
The Chertsey branch line is a 5-mile-40-chain (8.9 km) railway line in Surrey, England. It runs from the Waterloo–Reading line at Virginia Water station to a triangular junction with the South West Main Line near Weybridge. There are intermediate stations at Chertsey and Addlestone. All of the stations are managed by South Western Railway, which operates all passenger trains. Most services run between Weybridge and London Waterloo via Hounslow and Clapham Junction. For much of the day, passengers can change to faster services at Virginia Water and Weybridge to reach the capital more quickly.
South Western Railway is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup (70%) and MTR Corporation (30%) that operates the South Western franchise.
The Windsor lines of the London and South Western Railway ran from Waterloo to Windsor via Richmond, with a loop via Hounslow. They started as the Richmond Railway, a simple independent branch line, but they developed a distinct identity and had their own approach to Waterloo alongside the Main Lines, and a distinct section of Waterloo station. The Richmond Railway was extended to Windsor by the Windsor, Staines and South Western Railway; the company built a loop line via Hounslow in addition. Both independent companies were absorbed into the LSWR.
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