h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

an excellent article. I remember reading about abandoned tube stations in a fantasy novel - might have been a Robert Rankin novel?

It wasn't 'Neverwhere' by Neil Gaiman was it?

Lx

Fascinating, Naim! Well done. It's good to read up-to-date stuff about Underground history.

Can I ask a couple of questions? Is it Hayes on the way to Windsor? It could be Haynes, I am not sure, but I remember a Hayes from when I used to live nearby. And are you sure that Wood Lane has been demolished? I'll be very upset if it has. I used to bore people by pointing it out to them on the way past (you could see it both above and below ground). It'll be a shame if it's gone!

Alex did most of the work on this one - I just helped out with a few bits and pieces. He'll be able to answer your questions, sorry not to be able to help!

Wood Lane station has definitely been demolished above ground, and I think most of what's below ground has gone as well. I go through it most days on the way to work and back, being as I'm off my bike at the moment...

Robert Rankin has used abandoned underground stations in a few of his novels, though I can't for the life of me think which ones. Novels that is, not underground stations.

Aw, shame about Wood Lane.

Cupid, if you remember which RR novels mention abandoned Underground stations, let us know, cos I can't remember any, and it's bothering me.

Sounds like an excuse to reread them if ever I heard one.

I want to say "Fandom of the Operator" and "Waiting for Godalming", but I might be mistaken.

On the subject of Hayes/Haynes:

My fact-checking source for the Windsor line was the 'London Underground - a diagrammatic history', and although it probably is Hayes and I mistyped it, this question opens a whole nest of vipers.

The order of stations in the entry is:

Castle Hill (Ealing Dean)
Hanwell
Southall
Haynes
West Drayton
Langley
Slough
Windsor

However, http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/district.html#layout gives the following order:

West Ealing
Hanwell
Southall
Hayes & Harlington
West Drayton
Iver [not open when this service ran]
Langley
Slough
Windsor & Eton Central

I'll do a bit more research before posting the Editorial Feedback for this.

Alex

Here we go: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/link/travelinfo/1FGWL%20LC%20434%20x%20434.pdf

The stations have always been a part of the Great Western Railway, with District Line trains running along national rail tracks 1883-1885. During this period, the stations had the names given in the entry (except that Haynes was really Hayes ), but some of the stations have since been renamed and Iver station was later added.

Alex

EF posted at F47997?thread=1797914&post=21479236#p21479236

Well done Naim, another corker (sorry about calling you Mina in reply to your Offside explanation).

I am an old git now and my memory is going, but wasn't it Mark Lane station that was featured in Roy Ward Baker's 1967 movie "Quatermass and the pit" ?

Also, way out in darkest Essex, a shortish drive from me is one of the abandoned Central Line extension stations that used to run right out past North Weald. Blake Hall station was in the middle of nowhere and a mighty fine building it was too. Then someone stuffed an industrial unit over it. Oh well.

I don't remember seeing a message about Offside? I certainly don't mind being called Mina. I just happen to have a different name on the top of my account because I fancied a bit of a change after five years of the same internet name. I've toyed with Rekklass in the past, but didn't really like it.

Anyhow, as I mentioned earlier, I didn't write this, it was all Alex.

Alex, I'd suggest you get my name taken off your entries - I don't want to take your credit away, and it's quite embarrassing to be congratulated for something I haven't done. It can be added to the custom credit thing instead, as 'additional research by' if that's ok.

But you did write the whole section on Aldwych, one of the most infamous stations...

Besides, how do you do add additional researcher things?

Here we are - I'll post the format here so I can find it again...


Name to be Credited

Mina (aka Naim)


?

It's ok, I don't mind losing the credit, it's a shame I get on top as it were.

I always get the credit code from the Announcements page, although I've copied it onto my subed word file now.

Ok - I'll leave the updated version to get picked now

Jimster comes round and selects them from here every so often, they don't get picked as such.