I spent a day at the London Transport Museum depot at Acton Town last month and it was fabulous. Frankly when it comes to quite big things like aircraft, trains, busses, tanks etc. (I also visited IWM Duxford for the BoB Airshow) I'm really impressed at how the UK manages to keep enough of them (and even get some working) to preserve its history. I suppose people who grow up these see this as 'normal' but I can assure them it's not. The school groups taken on day tours though them have no idea how fortunate they are living is a city with such incredible museums and galleries.
Oh all right .... Christchurch, Hants and Christchurch NZ. Or Hamilton, Scotland and Hamilton NZ (which latter is notoriously easy to get lost in anyway).
Back when FRM 1 first went into service, a friend and I travelled up from south London to north London to travel on FRM 1. It was a very good and memorable day.
I rode on the South Acton train as a 8yo when I lived at Osterley. It was novel in that you could see through the cab windows, so I, and my school friends would take the 2 minute journey several times on a Saturday afternoon !
The Acton area was also known as Soapsud Island because of the large number of laundries there. I learned this trivia from a tube driver's announcement.
Actonian here, the last one burnt down in the 80s it was rather entertaining to watch it was on the corner of mill hill road, got replaced by private flats which are still there. more fun facts the first Waitrose store was on Acton high street pretty much opposite the police station, roughly. also most of The Who came from Acton, some of Pink Floyd went to school there, Mandela house from only fools and horses was one of the blocks on the now sadly clensed and gentrified south acton estate, Monty Python and the BBC in general did a lot of filming round there, the climbing the uxbridge road python skit was done at Churchfield road.
Thanks, I didn't know those facts! I lived in Churchfield Road for a good few months 10 years ago. I'm no longer in the UK, but still have friends living in Acton and I always visit the area when I come to London.
I am from rural Ireland but my classmate was born & raised in Acton until moved over in her teens. I was taking my first trip to London & there was book in our library about London that had a tube map. Even the poor girl from there forgot which Acton was the one near her, she had to go home & ask her dad. It was her first time discovering there is so many Acton’s. It was Acton East I think
@@GreatSageSunWukong as she was a teenager at the time she moved to Ireland, she was probably taken to the station by her parents, and probably didn't need to pay much attention as to which Acton it was, and maybe not interested in how it looked. Think how kids often don't even look out of the window on a regular car journey - "are we nearly there yet?"
@@CaseyJonesNumber1 I'm probably older then her then, when I was a kid you got chucked out the house from about age 7 to play, so you had to navigate yourself and pay attention.
@@GreatSageSunWukongWell, sams3015 only mentions a tube map in the library book, nothing about pictures. And looking only at the names without any other means of distinction, I could totally see a teenager become confused.
Years ago I tried to get into the museum annex at Acton, not knowing that it's only open several times a year. I walked up to the open gate which closed as I approached. I waved my hat and left but not before using the men's room in the building just outside the gate which was unlocked. A few years later friends arranged for us to visit the annex. I was amazed at all the stuff they had. Boxing trophies for the Metropolitan liine championship in 1905, just for one example.
That last bit about appreciating history is so true! In addition to ‘stopping to smell the roses’ I think we should also try to ‘pause and ponder the pediments’ more often ❤ Great episode as usual!
As always, a great video Mr. Hazzard! I'm surprised that you did not mention the (very welcome) presence of FRM 1, the one and only rear-engined Routemaster whose rear end puts in a brief appearance @4:07! As it is out upon the streets, I guess that it was giving rides?
Acton Town is very useful interchange, hence the modern lifts they put in a decade or so ago. As a kid I got to go to the Acton Town depot open day, with my late father. I was twelve, but we had to lie and say I was fifteen. My late mother lent me some more adult clothes; we were always a similar size. When she died, I raided her wardrobe and took what I knew suited me and gave anything I didn't want away. The depot was fascinated, but I discovered that I hated tea with milk in, having at that time not picked up a tea habit. I now have one, but it has to be good quality teas, like Earl Grey and Lapsang, well brewed and sugar, absolutely no milk. 😁 Acton Town was also the station that my late father took my brothers and I to, when we went on some of our trips to Gunnersbury Park. That park is now a shadow of its former self. He had rowed at college in Cambridge, so sometimes we'd go on the boating lake. I also remember there used to be an American car dealership in the area. I always thought the cars were ridiculously large, but like that depot fascinating. I don't know if you know the channel Railcam UK; they currently have a live feed of Epping on the Central Line. My own house is actually across from the Piccadilly Line and its roof can be seen from the trains. The Piccadilly Line along with the Bakerloo conjure up many childhood memories. I wonder who is using that South Acton platform?
I just saw this episode this morning, and a few days ago I saw your video about Swindon. These nicely bookend my late Father’s career as a railwayman. He did his apprenticeship at the Swindon works, earning a silver medal and £3 in 1933 for his 1st place finish in the City & Guilds exams for railway coach and wagon building. He spent most of his career at the Acton works as a draughtsman. I have vague childhood memories of him going off the work in his home guard uniform. Jago, I thank you very much for these two episodes, which have special significance for me. I enjoy all your videos, but this one and the recent one about Swindon are particularly moving for me. A very honourable mention also goes to your video about Sudbury Town Station, where many journeys started and ended. Thank you very much.
As someone who went to one of those open days I like to think of Acton Town as the "History Station" due to the presence of the depot next door. Its nice to think too its got a history of its own as well. Quite a nice station, I find its design is such that even when busy it never feels truly crowded.
"Whenever I hear J.P Thomas, it seems to be regarding some big proposal that didn't get done." Doesn't this, technically, make Thomas a very useless engineer?
I have been to the Museum Depot a few times, as Jago says, its a very interesting place to go. For people interested in all things London Transport, it's a must. There's Old train car units from my childhood and of course, the beautiful red 1938 tube stock train is there too!
Alan A. Jackson's "London's Local Railways" tells us that the shuttle sometimes bore destinations "South Acton All Stations" at one end and " Town Non Stop" at the other (it may have been the other way round, my copy is two floors away).
Another nice slice of underground history, and as previously I was struck by how acquisitive the private railway companies were in their early years of operation. NB, pleased to note the featured whistle at about 3 minutes in, punctuating the pause between two bits of voiceover . . .
Was on a LNER train from London to Glasgow then suddenly the noise of the train became very familiar. I then looked out the window to the exact scene in the Scottish Boarders of your end film in all your videos 😂
Perhaps we should collect up all the Acton names around the world. In May we found the old station of Acton Vale in Quebec. Great movie this one, plenty of Acton!
@@thesteelrodent1796 so I have a count, in the most likely countries: - USA 16 including your Mass location Canada we have 4 NZ just 1 Australia I make 4 UK (discounting the London location or locations) 11, including one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland (none in Scotland)
An excellent summary of the fortunes of Mill Hill Park. Acton Town was one of the stations I was based at when LT train crew. If I could have a pound for every time I worked a train through or picked up or was relieved there, I'd have had a few more pints along the way.
London Transport (pronounced 'Lana Chainspaw') staff nicknamed the station 'Action Town' on account of the busy goings-on at the works depot. In much the same way as they nicknamed Oxford Circus 'Oxford Workhouse'.
Coincidentally I was at Acton Town yesterday for a tour around museum depot’s art and poster store and even more coincidentally I stood and took a photo in the exact same spot as Jago @6:45. Great tour and a wonderful looking station
Growing up near Hounslow, I loved it when the District Line ran with the Piccadilly through to Hounslow West, 4 tracks all the way. The Pic always won the race.
7 in total East acton north acton West acton Central line North acton South acton North London line Acton town district/piccadilly lines Acton main line Elizabeth line
5:30 - A rare example of a ‘CDL’ (Canal Defence Light) tank. Note the dummy main gun on the turret and the vertical slit next to it for the light to shine through.
South Harrow to Acton Town (originally on a '59 or '62) to change to the District Line (Will it be a red or white one??) for Chiswick Park, to go see my Nan. That was my main 70's and 80's LT memory. Passing Acton Depot was a highlight. Those three stations, plus Rayners Lane and H-o-t-H, are so special to me. The North Acton Tea Run was known by locals (including my mum) as the Ginny Train. No idea why. I'll let you know, if she can remember.
I went to Acton Town quite a bit during my mid 1980s LUL apprenticeship ! That's where they had the training school. Might still be there for all I know, maybe not . Haven't been there for a few decades !
You're getting closer to Turnham Green Jago. You know it makes sense. If you are able to come and film at some point next weekend your West London fan club would be delighted to take you out for tea or a pint in the Tabard.
last year we went to Acton town to visit the museum but found it only opens on 'open days' :( . Back in the 60's the museum was somewhere else (possibly Balham) and was wonderful to a young lad at the time. Glad Hounslow gets another mention :).
🚩If all goes to plan I’ll be at the Acton museum depot for the open weekend on Saturday September 23 around 1pm. I’ll be the very tall guy in a Montreal metro t-shirt. Glad to meet other of Jago’s fans (do we have a name?). Maybe the man himself? So looking forward to come back to London 4 long years later. See you then! Cheers!
For my part “should never be confused” should be “has already been confused, the day I flew down from Edinburgh last October, and had lost all battery power in my phone, but thankfully a nice man who worked at the station saw my confused state and was able to set me right, so I could go to my hotel near North Acton, near where HS2 is/was being worked on, apparently.”
Depot is an excellent place. I suppose it's still possible to order a private view of the depot. It was an amazing experience when I did it a long time ago.
Having lived in Ealing for 10 years now I’ve changed trains here countless times. I don’t think I’ve ever actually started or ended a journey here though. (That said I have cycled past many times) anyway, I digress. This station really needs modernisation, it still feels like a punch point with services often getting held outside the station even though there’s seemingly a huge amount of redundant capacity. Decent investment in this station would really improve journeys on the District & Piccadilly lines!
As someone who haas been to Acton Town (for the museum) and North Acton (to change Central line trains), I had to pause the video to look at the current tube map to put all the Acton stations in their proper place (which you can't really do with a diagramatic map, but there you go). Just noted another pun: Acton Stations!
[Sidenote:] 4:06 FRM1, the sole rear-engined AEC Routemaster ever built, and obviously part of the LT Museum collection, seen here operating route 284, probably on rail replacement services?
Hello, Jago. I have a question, not entirely related to this video, but still: Why do Piccadilly tube trains have the line name written on their coaches, while other tube lines don't ? Thank you in advance, I don't know anybody else I could ask this question
That is a good question, and I confess I don’t know the answer off the top of my head. I would guess that it’s because the Piccadilly shares track and stations with other lines and given the airport traffic, it’s important for people to be able to immediately identify their train.
There was and episode of the excellent Secrets of the London Underground presented by our very good friends Mr Tim Dunn and the divine Siddy Holloway, dealing with Acton Town, South Acton and the Acton Depot in more detail, as with all episodes well worth a view. I can also recommend a visit to the depot's open weekends, we went a few years back
Slightly disappointed Jago didn't start with a mammoth confused station compilation of him trying to find the right Acton
No trams there you see.
And he could have started at Acton Bridge, which is a long way away from all the other Actons.
@@katrinabryce Let's start a "Go fund"page for Jago's fare.I believe Acton Bridge is somewhere near Warrington.
And act on it...
@@bernardsmith1329by all means act on bridge at Acton Bridge, but please don't act on main line at Acton Main Line
I spent a day at the London Transport Museum depot at Acton Town last month and it was fabulous.
Frankly when it comes to quite big things like aircraft, trains, busses, tanks etc. (I also visited IWM Duxford for the BoB Airshow) I'm really impressed at how the UK manages to keep enough of them (and even get some working) to preserve its history. I suppose people who grow up these see this as 'normal' but I can assure them it's not. The school groups taken on day tours though them have no idea how fortunate they are living is a city with such incredible museums and galleries.
Jago Hazzard, turning his words into Actons. 👍
Could have more military minded: " Acton stations! Prepare for Acton!"
@@delurkor Actons speak louder than words.
And the responses to the comment are an overreActon
And the responses to the comment are an overreActon
@@josephkarl2061 preferable to complete inActon
Petition for Jago to make a video about Perth Scotland and start the video in Perth, Australia.
Likewise he could start at Newcastle,Tyne & Wear and show Newcastle in Australia.
Oh all right .... Christchurch, Hants and Christchurch NZ. Or Hamilton, Scotland and Hamilton NZ (which latter is notoriously easy to get lost in anyway).
@@Krzyszczynskiand Hamilton, Vic Australia
Or one on Aberdeen, Scotland, and have him start in Aberdeen, Washington. There would be serious culture shock.
I will be easy on him. Start in Whitby, Ontario and end in Whitby, England
Lights......camera......Acton.
Well done Jago
4:09 Rear view of KGY 4D, the prototype (and only) rear engined Routemaster. Unexpected bonus in a transport vid.
Going to or from the Museum, no doubt.
Rats .... you beat me to it. Good Catch! 🙂
Well spotted!
Back when FRM 1 first went into service, a friend and I travelled up from south London to north London to travel on FRM 1. It was a very good and memorable day.
I've just commented upon this! And there I was believing that I was the only one to spot FRM1!!
I rode on the South Acton train as a 8yo when I lived at Osterley. It was novel in that you could see through the cab windows, so I, and my school friends would take the 2 minute journey several times on a Saturday afternoon !
The Acton area was also known as Soapsud Island because of the large number of laundries there. I learned this trivia from a tube driver's announcement.
Actonian here, the last one burnt down in the 80s it was rather entertaining to watch it was on the corner of mill hill road, got replaced by private flats which are still there. more fun facts the first Waitrose store was on Acton high street pretty much opposite the police station, roughly. also most of The Who came from Acton, some of Pink Floyd went to school there, Mandela house from only fools and horses was one of the blocks on the now sadly clensed and gentrified south acton estate, Monty Python and the BBC in general did a lot of filming round there, the climbing the uxbridge road python skit was done at Churchfield road.
Thanks, I didn't know those facts! I lived in Churchfield Road for a good few months 10 years ago. I'm no longer in the UK, but still have friends living in Acton and I always visit the area when I come to London.
@@agatasu7621 thats the road roger daltrey lived too
the laundry was delivered by horse and cart from the posh parts of K&C
@@martyonline1957 supposedly the softwater in the area made the stuff softer.
I am from rural Ireland but my classmate was born & raised in Acton until moved over in her teens. I was taking my first trip to London & there was book in our library about London that had a tube map. Even the poor girl from there forgot which Acton was the one near her, she had to go home & ask her dad. It was her first time discovering there is so many Acton’s. It was Acton East I think
not sure how she could be confused they all look very different.
@@GreatSageSunWukong as she was a teenager at the time she moved to Ireland, she was probably taken to the station by her parents, and probably didn't need to pay much attention as to which Acton it was, and maybe not interested in how it looked. Think how kids often don't even look out of the window on a regular car journey - "are we nearly there yet?"
@@CaseyJonesNumber1 I'm probably older then her then, when I was a kid you got chucked out the house from about age 7 to play, so you had to navigate yourself and pay attention.
@@GreatSageSunWukongWell, sams3015 only mentions a tube map in the library book, nothing about pictures. And looking only at the names without any other means of distinction, I could totally see a teenager become confused.
Years ago I tried to get into the museum annex at Acton, not knowing that it's only open several times a year. I walked up to the open gate which closed as I approached. I waved my hat and left but not before using the men's room in the building just outside the gate which was unlocked. A few years later friends arranged for us to visit the annex. I was amazed at all the stuff they had. Boxing trophies for the Metropolitan liine championship in 1905, just for one example.
That last bit about appreciating history is so true! In addition to ‘stopping to smell the roses’ I think we should also try to ‘pause and ponder the pediments’ more often ❤
Great episode as usual!
I'd certainly recommend a visit to the Museum there. Well worth a few hours - or more!
As always, a great video Mr. Hazzard! I'm surprised that you did not mention the (very welcome) presence of FRM 1, the one and only rear-engined Routemaster whose rear end puts in a brief appearance @4:07! As it is out upon the streets, I guess that it was giving rides?
Acton Town is very useful interchange, hence the modern lifts they put in a decade or so ago. As a kid I got to go to the Acton Town depot open day, with my late father. I was twelve, but we had to lie and say I was fifteen. My late mother lent me some more adult clothes; we were always a similar size. When she died, I raided her wardrobe and took what I knew suited me and gave anything I didn't want away.
The depot was fascinated, but I discovered that I hated tea with milk in, having at that time not picked up a tea habit. I now have one, but it has to be good quality teas, like Earl Grey and Lapsang, well brewed and sugar, absolutely no milk. 😁
Acton Town was also the station that my late father took my brothers and I to, when we went on some of our trips to Gunnersbury Park. That park is now a shadow of its former self. He had rowed at college in Cambridge, so sometimes we'd go on the boating lake. I also remember there used to be an American car dealership in the area. I always thought the cars were ridiculously large, but like that depot fascinating.
I don't know if you know the channel Railcam UK; they currently have a live feed of Epping on the Central Line. My own house is actually across from the Piccadilly Line and its roof can be seen from the trains. The Piccadilly Line along with the Bakerloo conjure up many childhood memories.
I wonder who is using that South Acton platform?
I just saw this episode this morning, and a few days ago I saw your video about Swindon. These nicely bookend my late Father’s career as a railwayman. He did his apprenticeship at the Swindon works, earning a silver medal and £3 in 1933 for his 1st place finish in the City & Guilds exams for railway coach and wagon building. He spent most of his career at the Acton works as a draughtsman. I have vague childhood memories of him going off the work in his home guard uniform.
Jago, I thank you very much for these two episodes, which have special significance for me. I enjoy all your videos, but this one and the recent one about Swindon are particularly moving for me. A very honourable mention also goes to your video about Sudbury Town Station, where many journeys started and ended. Thank you very much.
As someone who went to one of those open days I like to think of Acton Town as the "History Station" due to the presence of the depot next door. Its nice to think too its got a history of its own as well. Quite a nice station, I find its design is such that even when busy it never feels truly crowded.
"Whenever I hear J.P Thomas, it seems to be regarding some big proposal that didn't get done."
Doesn't this, technically, make Thomas a very useless engineer?
Sir Topham Hatt thought so when he was wondering why High Speed Sodor Two was billions over budget & years behind schedule.
Thomas wasn't an engineer, he was a railway operator. He wrote "Handling London's Underground Traffic". Well worth reading if you can find a copy.
@@RogersRamblings, one can just hear the "Oooooh I love it when someone handles my London Underground traffic" LOL
@@emjackson2289 That's the Fat Controller right?
I have been to the Museum Depot a few times, as Jago says, its a very interesting place to go. For people interested in all things London Transport, it's a must. There's Old train car units from my childhood and of course, the beautiful red 1938 tube stock train is there too!
Well that was an Acton-packed instalment.
How many other puns can we get in?
Actons Equity.
Acton Park- home of West London's most dangerous waterslides
Acton Man /TfL Joe - A Real British/American Transport Hero!
So many Actons have been actioned in this Acton packed tale that Actons speak louder than words.
When I get a notification from this channel, I try to Acton it to the best of my ability.
Fascinating stuff from our very own Acton Man. (oh....so many puns on this one). Museum looks very interesting. Have to do that sometime.
Alan A. Jackson's "London's Local Railways" tells us that the shuttle sometimes bore destinations "South Acton All Stations" at one end and " Town Non Stop" at the other (it may have been the other way round, my copy is two floors away).
Sorry that should be "Acton Town Non Stop"
Another nice slice of underground history, and as previously I was struck by how acquisitive the private railway companies were in their early years of operation. NB, pleased to note the featured whistle at about 3 minutes in, punctuating the pause between two bits of voiceover . . .
Was on a LNER train from London to Glasgow then suddenly the noise of the train became very familiar. I then looked out the window to the exact scene in the Scottish Boarders of your end film in all your videos 😂
Action at Acton, what could be better.
Worked as a security guard at the Acton Works for a while in the mid 1990s
I need a nap after all that information.😂
Cheers from Barnes
TY for this Jago as I used Acton Town station for many years, great to hear about its history.
A perfect short video for my T break. 👏👏👍😀
Perhaps we should collect up all the Acton names around the world. In May we found the old station of Acton Vale in Quebec.
Great movie this one, plenty of Acton!
like Acton, Massachusetts ?
@@thesteelrodent1796 why not. Good idea.
@@thesteelrodent1796 so I have a count, in the most likely countries: -
USA 16 including your Mass location
Canada we have 4
NZ just 1
Australia I make 4
UK (discounting the London location or locations) 11, including one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland (none in Scotland)
This is the first time I've ever heard of the "Hobart's Funnies", I'm definitely going to look into them after this, thanks.
Acton town, the depot! Wonderful!
An excellent summary of the fortunes of Mill Hill Park.
Acton Town was one of the stations I was based at when LT train crew. If I could have a pound for every time I worked a train through or picked up or was relieved there, I'd have had a few more pints along the way.
Interesting to learn about the station I've used when changing trains going to and from Heathrow
Spare capacity, you say? I can imagine them singing:
"It's got... spare capacity..." ;)
London Transport (pronounced 'Lana Chainspaw') staff nicknamed the station 'Action Town' on account of the busy goings-on at the works depot. In much the same way as they nicknamed Oxford Circus 'Oxford Workhouse'.
Get you "Act(on)" together!😁
I've changed trains at Aton Town but never ventured out beyond the barriers. I'll add it to my list of things to rectify.
Thanks for the info on South Acton.
A wonderful part of London. If you alight at Park Royal please do check out the view across the A40. Lots to see and do too around the area also.
Great video as always! 👍
Jago on the 'Acton' of the Underground!!! 😉😀🚂🚂🚂
The old lightbox station indicators at Mile End had one or two of the old District line destinations that sometimes got shown by accident.
UREL Decided to take ACT(I)ON. Very Good Mr H
Used that station every day when i went to schools at Reynolds high school in the 70s
lol, just spotted myself at 6:45 during the previous depot open day.
Great to be crackin into the Actons!
When I first saw the Tube map, I knew there was something about Acton.
My local station for 6 years, until a week ago when I had to move. Typical it would get the Jago treatment just after I leave!
Thanks Mr H.
Interesting stuff as usual.
Nice to see (at 4:10) FRM1.
Brilliant video sir!
Brilliant I say!!!
Ooo.
I like old maps.
I followed the path of Hounslow's old rail line a few months back
Coincidentally I was at Acton Town yesterday for a tour around museum depot’s art and poster store and even more coincidentally I stood and took a photo in the exact same spot as Jago @6:45.
Great tour and a wonderful looking station
Growing up near Hounslow, I loved it when the District Line ran with the Piccadilly through to Hounslow West, 4 tracks all the way. The Pic always won the race.
I like Acton Town. It’s right by my sisters house so I use it a lot
Looking forward to the best pub, cafe and fish and chip shop by each station uploads
If Acton Town had kept its original name, I wonder how often it would get confused with Mill Hill East (or even Mill Hill in Lancashire)
Jago doesn’t over Act on these vids.
A quick, efficient run, of course it had to go in the age of British Rail.
looking outside of London, Acton Town also shouldn't be mistaken for Acton Bridge
Acton has a lot of stations
7 in total
East acton north acton West acton Central line
North acton South acton North London line
Acton town district/piccadilly lines
Acton main line Elizabeth line
Acton has more stations than Gateshead, Alnwick, Washington "New Town", Consett . . . .
@@Keithbarber plus Acton Bridge on the West Coast Main Line.
@@katrinabryce but that's not acton london
5:30 - A rare example of a ‘CDL’ (Canal Defence Light) tank. Note the dummy main gun on the turret and the vertical slit next to it for the light to shine through.
Basically an M3 Grant medium tank, and there were many variants. Their turret gun was their secondary armament, the main gun was in the hull.
I like Acton Town station . It also seems to have a very complex but interesting history. As well presented here (as ever J) I might add
South Harrow to Acton Town (originally on a '59 or '62) to change to the District Line (Will it be a red or white one??) for Chiswick Park, to go see my Nan. That was my main 70's and 80's LT memory. Passing Acton Depot was a highlight.
Those three stations, plus Rayners Lane and H-o-t-H, are so special to me.
The North Acton Tea Run was known by locals (including my mum) as the Ginny Train. No idea why. I'll let you know, if she can remember.
I went to Acton Town quite a bit during my mid 1980s LUL apprenticeship ! That's where they had the training school. Might still be there for all I know, maybe not . Haven't been there for a few decades !
All those Actons confused me when i went there to visit someone . Back then in 1974 Acton yard was the most interesting i must say .
You're getting closer to Turnham Green Jago. You know it makes sense. If you are able to come and film at some point next weekend your West London fan club would be delighted to take you out for tea or a pint in the Tabard.
I think you're just Acton on instinct there Jago old chap!
Well that was an Acton packed video.
One more. Acton Green. Now goes by the name of Chiswick Park.
So many Actons! maybe all the Ruislips next?Another good un, Jago!
[Blue Plaque] "This station was used by KGB field agents whilst visiting the Kroger's/Coen's in their safe house c. 1954-55"
Don't forget the Harrows.
I’ve never needed to go here - I’ve missed all the Acton
Thx Heaps for this video, Jago. Clearly in the 1920s, Actons spoke louder than words...
Congrats for catching the FRM outside Acton Town station at 4:08. Presumably this was connected with an event at the Museum?
last year we went to Acton town to visit the museum but found it only opens on 'open days' :( . Back in the 60's the museum was somewhere else (possibly Balham) and was wonderful to a young lad at the time. Glad Hounslow gets another mention :).
It was formerly at, was it Syon Park, I seem to remember, though I'm not entirely sure where that was
I should have made some more Acton stations called Acton North East, Acton North West, Acton South East and Acton South West.
Acton NNE, Acton ENE, etc...
Now, now, that's more than enough Acton, Mr Yerkes!
🚩If all goes to plan I’ll be at the Acton museum depot for the open weekend on Saturday September 23 around 1pm. I’ll be the very tall guy in a Montreal metro t-shirt. Glad to meet other of Jago’s fans (do we have a name?). Maybe the man himself? So looking forward to come back to London 4 long years later. See you then! Cheers!
Now I have nightmares of taking the tube to Heathrow and being short of time!
For my part “should never be confused” should be “has already been confused, the day I flew down from Edinburgh last October, and had lost all battery power in my phone, but thankfully a nice man who worked at the station saw my confused state and was able to set me right, so I could go to my hotel near North Acton, near where HS2 is/was being worked on, apparently.”
Oh I love Stanley lots, loads in fact, possibly even Heaps....
Hi Jago from Spain where it is 10° cooler than yesterday. Very interesting as always and one can learn a lot from a wander through the comments.
I'm with Lord Acton on this one: Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power is even more fun.
Depot is an excellent place. I suppose it's still possible to order a private view of the depot. It was an amazing experience when I did it a long time ago.
Having lived in Ealing for 10 years now I’ve changed trains here countless times. I don’t think I’ve ever actually started or ended a journey here though. (That said I have cycled past many times) anyway, I digress. This station really needs modernisation, it still feels like a punch point with services often getting held outside the station even though there’s seemingly a huge amount of redundant capacity. Decent investment in this station would really improve journeys on the District & Piccadilly lines!
South Acton(home of my paternal Grandparents) was known as 'Soapsuds Island' due to the many laundries(some of which employed my Granny) in the area.
The British Urge to make something about tea and kettles.
Both items are an essential part of any British home or workplace.
As someone who haas been to Acton Town (for the museum) and North Acton (to change Central line trains), I had to pause the video to look at the current tube map to put all the Acton stations in their proper place (which you can't really do with a diagramatic map, but there you go). Just noted another pun: Acton Stations!
Hooray for Sunday Jago videos!
1000th like and no "are you sitting comfortably?" , which I am , nice and cosy.
Action Town, cool (I'm not confused)
4:07 ah, FRM1 trying to escape the scene...
Well that was an ac-ton of history
Pretty sure it’s Jah Wobble of Public Image Ltd’s favourite station. Not a combination of words I ever imagined saying in public before.
[Sidenote:] 4:06 FRM1, the sole rear-engined AEC Routemaster ever built, and obviously part of the LT Museum collection, seen here operating route 284, probably on rail replacement services?
Hello, Jago. I have a question, not entirely related to this video, but still: Why do Piccadilly tube trains have the line name written on their coaches, while other tube lines don't ? Thank you in advance, I don't know anybody else I could ask this question
That is a good question, and I confess I don’t know the answer off the top of my head. I would guess that it’s because the Piccadilly shares track and stations with other lines and given the airport traffic, it’s important for people to be able to immediately identify their train.
There was and episode of the excellent Secrets of the London Underground presented by our very good friends Mr Tim Dunn and the divine Siddy Holloway, dealing with Acton Town, South Acton and the Acton Depot in more detail, as with all episodes well worth a view. I can also recommend a visit to the depot's open weekends, we went a few years back
Jago finally Acton his age