Hillingdon (Swakeleys)

[Mikey C]

A minor issue, but passing through Hillingdon yesterday I was puzzled why the roundels carry the old name "Hillingdon (Swakeleys)", when the station hasn't been called that since the 1950s, and the station itself was resited in the 1990s.

It's not as if they're historical signs brought across from the old station either, as they're all fairly recent (not my photo)

Hillingdon

Station roundel at Hillingdon, carrying the 'Swakeleys' suffix that doesn't seem to appear on maps etc. 3rd February 2017.

www.flickr.com

 

[JN114]

Perhaps as a distinguisher or similar?

Hillingdon is both the name of the borough, and I’d say “town” (but with urban areas like London it’s hard to see where one ends and the next starts)

You then have Hillingdon Hospital (which Id say is more in Cowley than Hillingdon) up the road but not exactly walking distance.

I guess as there’s only one Hillingdon station it doesn’t get distinguished in most TfL publicity, but did warrant it enough at one stage for the rounders to be different.

 

[goldenarrow]

It's one of those historical quirks that seems to have been carried through from the original MR station. The station itself is located the North Hillingdon area which as the name suggests is some way distant from the ancient parish of Hillingdon which was centered around what is now referred to as Hillingdon Village near St. John's Church on Uxbridge Road. It is also a stone's throw away from the Swakeleys estate in Ickenham which is probably why it lent itself as distinguishing feature.

This is and the lack of any other substantial landmarks at the time were the main reasons why the station became Hillingdon (Swakeleys). The original wooden framed tombstone bullseye roundels (a pair of which survive at LTM Acton Depot) carried the name right up until the original station was demolished for the A40 Hillingdon bypass. I suppose local continuity and distinguishability made them retain the old name which is still considered somewhat distant of Hillingdon proper even more so now that the borough carries the same name.

 

[Mikey C]

It's one of those historical quirks that seems to have been carried through from the original MR station. The station itself is located the North Hillingdon area which as the name suggests is some way distant from the ancient parish of Hillingdon which was centered around what is now referred to as Hillingdon Village near St. John's Church on Uxbridge Road. It is also a stone's throw away from the Swakeleys estate in Ickenham which is probably why it lent itself as distinguishing feature.

This is and the lack of any other substantial landmarks at the time were the main reasons why the station became Hillingdon (Swakeleys). The original wooden framed tombstone bullseye roundels (a pair of which survive at LTM Acton Depot) carried the name right up until the original station was demolished for the A40 Hillingdon bypass. I suppose local continuity and distinguishability made them retain the old name which is still considered somewhat distant of Hillingdon proper even more so now that the borough carries the same name.

The odd thing though is that the name Hillingdon (Swakeleys) is only used for for the platform roundels, not on the Tube Map or even the station entrance

 

[Sebastian O]

I believe it’s from being called after Swakeleys house, nearby.
There is very very little that associates itself with Hillingdon - it’s at what I’d argue is the top of north Hilllingdon (town) but bang smack in the ‘borough of’.
May as well call it ‘the furthest A40 tube stop’!

 

[southern442]

Perhaps it was just a nod to the station's history when the station was rebuilt in the 90s?

Looking at the photo and also having visited myself, I would guess the roundels have not been replaced since then - look at any roundel at the station and you'd be forgiven for thinking it was served by the Overground!

I believe South Wimbledon also has a few signs with (Merton) on them for that same reason, as well as a few South Woodford (George Lane) roundels existing on the Central line.

 

[bramling]

Perhaps it was just a nod to the station's history when the station was rebuilt in the 90s?

Looking at the photo and also having visited myself, I would guess the roundels have not been replaced since then - look at any roundel at the station and you'd be forgiven for thinking it was served by the Overground!

I believe South Wimbledon also has a few signs with (Merton) on them for that same reason, as well as a few South Woodford (George Lane) roundels existing on the Central line.

South Wimbledon originally had just “SOUTH WIMBLEDON” on the roundels. At some point a plate was screwed on top which added “(MERTON)”.

By the 1990s one or more signs had managed to lose the plate. In the late 90s or early 00s the station was refurbished, and most of the signs were replaced by replicas, and for these the decision was taken to revert to the original state with no appendage.

However heritage considerations resulted in one original sign being left on each platform, something which had been done at most of the Morden branch stations refurbished in the 90s. The original signs naturally look slightly different, but the main distinguishing feature is the reference number in one corner “659814”. Thus it went from the non-suffixed sign being the odd one out, to the one with it being different.

There’s no confusion over the name though - Merton is dropped, it only exists on the sign for heritage reasons.

 

[LAX54]

I believe it’s from being called after Swakeleys house, nearby.
There is very very little that associates itself with Hillingdon - it’s at what I’d argue is the top of north Hilllingdon (town) but bang smack in the ‘borough of’.
May as well call it ‘the furthest A40 tube stop’!

Swakeleys School is a few hundred yards down the road from the Station (down Long Lane)

 

[Mojo]

Swakeleys School is a few hundred yards down the road from the Station (down Long Lane)

Not for nearly 50 years it hasn’t been. Swakeleys school is 30 minutes walk from Hillingdon station. The school on Long Lane is called Douay Martyrs which is a split campus, one of the sites being the ex Swakeleys school, which it has occupied since 1974.

 

[LAX54]

Not for nearly 50 years it hasn’t been. Swakeleys school is 30 minutes walk from Hillingdon station. The school on Long Lane is called Douay Martyrs which is a split campus, one of the sites being the ex Swakeleys school, which it has occupied since 1974.

Thnakyou for the update It must be 50 years since I have been there ! Douay was my school until 1969, Swakeleys over the road was a Girls School

 

[Loppylugs]

May as well call it ‘the furthest A40 tube stop’!

Very convenient station for those of us coming from the West to park in and travel on to Wembley.

 

[BrianW]

A minor issue, but passing through Hillingdon yesterday I was puzzled why the roundels carry the old name "Hillingdon (Swakeleys)", when the station hasn't been called that since the 1950s, and the station itself was resited in the 1990s.

It's not as if they're historical signs brought across from the old station either, as they're all fairly recent (not my photo)

Hillingdon

Station roundel at Hillingdon, carrying the 'Swakeleys' suffix that doesn't seem to appear on maps etc. 3rd February 2017.

www.flickr.com

There may be something in what subsequent contributors have added regarding 'association', aspiration and 'differentiation'. Hillingdon village is some way distant, and Hillingdon Hospital further still. Swakeleys House is closer to Ickenham Station. The London Borough of Hillingdon is a construct of London Government reform in the 1960s, a 'neutral' choice for an area including Northwood, Ruislip, Uxbridge, West Drayton, Yiewsley, Hayes and Harlington and a big chunk of what was London Airport now Heathrow!! I find it hard to imagine that a tube traveller seeking the HQ of LBH would alight in error at Hillingdon; and it's longer than Long Lane is fromm Hillingdon Station to Hillingdon village! To me it's more likely that the architects of the Hillingdon Station of the 1990s wished to add a 'historical' association with the original station and the Grade 1 Listed 17th Century architecture of Swakeleys House.

Latest news from Uxbridge - getwestlondon

Uxbridge historically formed part of the parish of Hillingdon. As part of the suburban growth of London it became a municipal borough in 1955. It is a significant retail and commercial centre with modern shopping centres and is the location of Brunel University.

www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk

Reminds me of the aspirations of Metroland. A lot of folk would have taken the context of the lovely suburban house they were aspiring to from the little hamlets with idyllic meadows and tea houses of the Met's PR Department and posters. Swakeleys will have had appeal by association. Interesting maybe by comparison that South Harrow was preferred to Roxeth, or South Harrow (Roxeth) ?

What's in a name- quite a lot.

Very convenient station for those of us coming from the West to park in and travel on to Wembley.

Next 'iteration'- Wembley Parkway?