Station Name: COWLEY

 

[Source: Nick Catford]


Date opened: 1.10.1904
Location: The site is lost under Ruxley Close
Company on opening: Great Western Railway
Date closed to passengers: 10.9.1962
Date closed completely: 10.9.1962
Company on closing: British Railways (Western Region)
Present state: Demolished
County: Middlesex
OS Grid Ref: TQ057823
Date of visit: February 1968 & 16.7.2005

Notes: The branch from West Drayton to Uxbridge was authorised in 1853. Work on the line which was just over two miles in length, started in 1854 and following a Board of Trade inspection the first passengers were carried on 8th September 1856.

When line was under construction local residents requested a station at Cowley but this was turned down by the GWR stating there was insufficient demand. Eventually the company relented and a station was built, opening on 1st October 1904. The station had two platforms with the main brick building including booking office and waiting rooms on the up side. A
small waiting shelter was provided on the down side. The station was never provided with goods facilities. (For a more detailed history of the branch see Uxbridge Vine Street)

Following closure in 1962 the station was given a brief new use two years later when it was featured in a WW2 television drama 'All is a dream to me' with Donald Sutherland. In the film the station came under attack by the Luftwaffe. Shortly after the film was made the station buildings were demolished and the track was lifted in March/April 1965.
The site remained undeveloped for many years but is now used for housing (Ruxley Close). To the north of Station Road bridge the cutting alongside Brunel University has been infilled but a short length of track bed running parallel with Cleveland Road, Cowley has been retained as a nature reserve and a short length of broad gauge track has been laid along it.

Further reading: GWR Disused Stations in Greater London by J.E. Connor - Connor & Butler 2000 ISBN 0 947699 31 7

Other web sites: Abandoned Tube Stations - includes photographs of the branch in 2005

See also Uxbridge Vine Street



Cowley Station shortly after opening
Photo from Lens of Sutton



Cowley Station on 5.9.1962
Photo by John M Cramp (from 30937 Photographic Group web site)


Cowley Station looking south in March 1965 shortly before track lifting
Photo by Chris Totty


Last updated: Wednesday, 17-May-2017 09:21:10 CEST
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