1932 Metropolitan District Railway

Note: This is a sub-section of 1932 Railway Year Book and Metropolitan District Railway

Note: Parts are missing from original in the text below. Check the images or PDF for a full transcript

GENERAL OFFICES.
55, BROADWAY, WESTMINSTER, LONDON, S.W. 1.
CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR.
RIGHT HON. LORD ASHPIELD, P.C., 65, Broadway, Westminster, London, S.W. 1.
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN.
H. A. VERNBT, 24, Old Broad Street, London, E.C. 2.
MANAGING DIRECTOR.
P. PICK, M.Inst.T., 56, Broadway, Westminster, London, S.W. 1.

DIREOTORS.
SIR ERNEST CLARK, K.C.B., C.B.E., 55, Broadway, Westminster, London, S.W. 1.
THE RIGHT HON. LORD COLWYN, P.C., Queen’s Lodge, Colwyn Bay, North Wales.
MURRAY GRIFFITH, 1, Angel Court, London, E.C. 2.
SIR GEORGE LEVESON-GOWER, K.B.E., 16, Thurloe Place, S.W. 7.
Auditors—Messrs. PEAT, MARWICK, MITCHELL & CO., and Messrs. PRICE, WATERHOUSE & CO.
Solicitors and Parliamentary Agents—Messrs. BAXTER & CO., 12, Victoria Street, S W. 1.
Bankers—Messrs. GLYN, MILLS & CO.
Telegraphic Address of General Offices: c/o Passengers, Sowest, London,
Telephone No,: Ficiorta 6800.
{For Officers see page 197.)

HISTORICAL SKETCH.
THE Metropolitan District Railway, usually called the “District” Railway, forms, with the Metropolitan, the original underground railway of London, the two systems being connected by joint lines. It was incorporated July 29th, 1864. The parent line commences at High Street (Kensington), and extends to the Mansion House (City) station. From Kensington to Westminster was opened December 24th, 1868 ; to Blackfriars, May 30th, 1870; and to Mansion House, July 3rd, 1871. Connection was effected with the London Midland and Scottish Line, via Earl’s Court and Addison Road, on February 1st, 1872. The City Lines (“ Inner Circle ” completion) and Whitechapel Extensions were opened October 6th, 1884, from which date connection was effected with the East London Ry. section of the Southern Railway.

Apart from the portion forming part of the ‘‘ Inner Circle,” the main Line extends from Gloucester Road (Brompton) through Earl’s Court to the Hammersmith Extension (opened September 9th, 1874) and through West Brompton and the Fulham Extension to Putney Bridge (opened March 1st, 1880). The line was extended from Hammersmith to Ravens- court Park, there connecting with the Southern Railway, on June 1st, 1877, and from that date District Company’s trains have been running to and from Richmond. The section from Turnham Green to Ealing was opened July 1st, 1879, and a junction was effected with the Great Western Ry. at Ealing on March 1st, 1883. The service over the Great Western Railway ceased on September 30th, 1885, and the connecting lines have since been taken up. The line connecting the railway near Acton Town Station with the London Midland and Scottish Ry. at South Acton, and South Acton Station (District Ry.) was opened for passenger traffic on June 13th, 1905. The Hounslow Line, from Acton Town to Hounslow East, was opened on May 1st, 1883, the Hounslow West Extension of this line being opened on July 21st, 1884.

On June 3rd, 1889, the Southern Ry. Co.'s Putney Bridge and Wimbledon Line was opened, and running powers thereover have been exercised by the District Co. since that date. The Whitechapel and Bow Ry. (2 miles 4 chains), and connection with London Midland and Scottish Ry., was opened on June 2nd, 1902. The South Harrow Line was opened between Hanger Lane Junction and Park Royal on June 23rd, 1903, and throughout to South Harrow on June 28th, 1903. A connection with the Metropolitan Ry. was opened on 1st March, 1910, which enabled the District trains to run through to Uxbridge.

Electric Working.—See pp. 17 and 19.

Running Powers are exercised over sections of the Metropolitan, Southern, and London, Midland and Scottish Rys.

Steepest Gradient.—1 in 44, for a distance of about 330 yards between Hammersmith Station and Ravenscourt Park Station.

Permanent Way.—Rails, 86 and 95 lbs. per yard ; sleepers, 8 ft. 6 in. by 12 in. by 5 in., and 8 ft. 6 in. by 10 in. by 5 in.; chairs weighing 48 and 61 lbs. each.

Colours of Electric Cars.—Vermilion.

Brake.—Westinghouse Automatic.

Signalling.—Electro-pneumatic power and automatic.

The Car Sheds and Overhaul Depot are situate at Ealing Common, W., and Acton Town respectively, and the Electric Power House, which is jointly leased with the London Electric Railway (jo., is at Lots Road, Chelsea.

Through Services.—From and to Barking (L. M. & S. Ry.) and Richmond and Wimbledon (Southern Ry.), as well as over the Metropolitan Ry. between Aidgate and South Kensington, via King’s Cross and Bayswater, and between Northolt Road Junction and Uxbridge. L. M. and S. Ry. through trains between Addison Road (and beyond) to Mansion House, which had been running since 1872, have run from January ist, 1909, to Earl’s Court only. The “Inner Circle” train service is provided jointly by District and Metropolitan Railways. Through trains, hauled as far as Barking by electric locomotives over the electrified lines, are run between Ealing and Southend.

Total length of platform faces at largest station—Earl’s Court, 1,746 ft.

Mile Posts and Gradient Boards are situated on either side of the main line.

STATISTICS.—Year ended December 31st, 1931.

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Mileage.—Lines owned by company, 25 miles 5 chains ; lines leased or worked jointly, 58 chains; total first track, 25 miles 63 chains; second track, 25 miles 34 chains; third track, 2 miles 32 chains ; fourth track, 1 mile 44 chains; total single track (including sidings), 71 miles 41 chains; mileage run over by company’s engines, owned 25 miles 5 chains; partly owned, 1 mile 54 chains ; leased or worked jointly, 5 miles 43 chains ; continuous running powers, 26 miles 34 chains; total, 58 miles 56 chains.

Rolling Stock.—7 electric locomotives, 283 electric motor cars; 273 trailer cars ; 5 departments locomotives; 72 service vehicles.

Houses and Dwellings Owned.—5 houses and cottages for railway servants; 50 other houses and cottages.

Number of Passengers Conveyed.—Ordinary, 80,375,538 (including 1,109,187 first-class); workmen, 26,537,201; season, 26,211,998; total, 133,124,737. (See also page 198.)

Train Mileage.—Electric locomotives, 72,340 ; electric motor vehicles, 5,828,463 ; shunting, 8,580 ; assisting, light, etc., 74,476 ; total, 5,983,859. Goods mileage by other companies’ engines, 5,737. Car mileage in relation to traffic receipts, 23,065,977.

Goods Traffic.—Merchandise (excluding Classes 1-6), 49,346 tons ; minerals and merchandise (Classes 1-6), 33,975 tons ; coal, coke and patent fuel, 159,575 tons ; total 242,896 tons ; head of live stock, 5,628.

See Also

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