The 270

022/270: #HattonCross – The Airport

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Well, we had to do it at some point. Hatton Cross.

I shouldn’t like this station, I mean look at it… I could post this picture in colour and it wouldn’t look any difference. It’s awful isn’t it? It’s grey, and dirty, and ugly, and it’s surrounded by a nasty concrete jungle of industrial airport buildings, dual carriageways, car parks and NOISE.

And yet, there’s just something about it.

Not many new tube stations were built in the 1970’s. Only this, Brixton and Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 (023) were true products of the decade. Both those stations have since undergone not just renovations themselves but whole area regeneration in which they sit. Hatton Cross on the other hand hasn’t had the same treatment, or at least not on the same scale. I’d be slightly disappointed if they ever knocked this down to build something better, partly because there’d be no point, but mostly because there’s really no other station as terrible as this. And that makes it unique. It still holds onto it’s optimistic 1970’s charm, even if it is decaying into the shabby heap of concrete and despair that we see today.

And that’s why I like it.

Image copyright A Carter – CallingAllStations.co.uk

021/270: #HounslowWest – The Heptagonal

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Back to Holden ways, Hounslow West was the original terminus of the line until the extension to Hatton Cross (022) opened in 1975. It features this uniquely heptagonal shaped ticket hall, and yes there are roundels stained into the glass on each of the seven corners (with the obvious exception of the street facing one which instead caries a 3D roundel on a flag pole).

As you can see, it’s rather popular with the local pigeons.

Image copyright A Carter – CallingAllStations.co.uk

020/270: #HounslowCentral – The Cottage

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Ah that’s better. After Hounslow East (020) I need something a little more traditional. (After all we all know what’s coming at the end of the line…).

Hounslow Central to me looks like a cottage, all be it one that’s completely out of proportion with itself. And does it say Hounslow Central enough times on the frontage? Anyway, look out for this one in the up coming video diary, there’s some nice features about this station.

Image copyright A Carter – CallingAllStations.co.uk

019/270: #HounslowEast – The Millennial

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Oh. Well this is different. Warning, here come’s some opinion…

Curiously a Holden design for Hounslow East did exist and was even approved for construction by Frank Pick but for some reason it never got built. Instead the original 1909 Edwardian ticket hall remained here until 2002 when this gaudy monstrosity was built by Acanthus Lawrence and Wrightson Architects.

I’m not sure whether the use of black and white images for this project is making Hounslow East look worse than it actually is. Or alternatively whether it’s actually saving you from true horror of the copper green roof, dirty cream tiles and diagonal wooden beams. Yes, you did read that right, those V-shaped beams are made of oak – which I suppose at the very least is interesting and unusual for this period of design. I suppose it’s supposed to look like a tree? Naturally it doesn’t. This is dreadful.

The redeeming feature of this station is the interior ceiling which again is a surprising series of oak beams which wouldn’t look out of place in a high class theatre or concert venue.

Image copyright A Carter – CallingAllStations.co.uk

018/270: #Osterley – The Spire

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The original draft version of Osterley station featured yet another box like ticket hall. This was later revised by Holden and Hutton who instead opted for this low level ticket hall, tower and spire combination. It was felt this design would be more suitable and in keeping with the open nature of the area it was situated in during construction.

These days the true majesty of Osterely is lost behind tall trees, ugly fences, railings and the traffic of the A4 Great West Road.

Image copyright A Carter – CallingAllStations.co.uk