RAILWAYS BEFORE THE EXAMINERS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, 1864, SO FAR AS
RELATES TO THE PARISH OF KENSINGTON***


Transcribed from the 1864 John Smith and Co. edition by David Price,
email ccx074@pglaf.org.  Many thanks to the Royal Borough of Kensington
and Chelsea Libraries for allowing their copy to be used for this
transcription.





                           REPORT ON THE PLANS
                              OF THE VARIOUS
                                 RAILWAYS
                                BEFORE THE
                    Examiners of the House of Commons,
                                  1864,
                         SO FAR AS RELATES TO THE
                          PARISH OF KENSINGTON,


                                    BY

                            JAMES BROADBRIDGE,

                               _SURVEYOR_.

                                * * * * *

                     PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE VESTRY.

                                * * * * *

                                * * * * *

          JOHN SMITH AND CO., Printers, Long Acre, London, W.C.

                                * * * * *

                                                              VESTRY HALL,
                                                          _January_, 1864.




TO THE VESTRY OF KENSINGTON.


Gentlemen,

I have the honor to lay before you a Report on the various Railway
Schemes and New Roads, for which it is proposed to apply for Acts at the
next Meeting of Parliament.

Viz.:—

  Kew, Turnham Green, and Hammersmith Railway.

  Hammersmith and City Railway Extensions.

  Great Northern and Victoria Station Railway.

  London and South Western Railway Company.

  Hammersmith and Wimbledon Railway.

  Metropolitan Railway—Notting Hill and Brompton Extension.

  Metropolitan District Railways.

  Charing Cross Western Railway.



NEW ROAD.


“South Kensington New Road from Cadogan Place to South Kensington.”



_Kew_, _Turnham Green_, _and Hammersmith Railway_.


A railway from Kew Bridge to a junction with the West London Railway at
Shepherd’s Bush.

Five chains only in the Parish of Kensington.



_Hammersmith and City Railway Extensions_.


A railway from Richmond, Mortlake, Chiswick, Turnham Green, Hammersmith,
to a junction with the West London Railway at Kensington Station.

Three chains within the Parish of Kensington.



_Great Northern_, _and Victoria Station_, _Railway_.


A railway commencing at a junction with the Great Northern Railway at
East Barnet, and continuing through Friern Barnet, Totteridge, Finchley,
Hendon, Willesden, Hammersmith, terminating at the West London Extension
Railway, at or near the Kensington Passenger Station.

One furlong in the Parish of Kensington.



_London and South Western Railway Company_.


A railway to connect Richmond, Mortlake, Kew, Chiswick, Turnham Green,
and Hammersmith, with the West London Railway at the Kensington Station.

Ten chains within the Parish of Kensington.



_Hammersmith and Wimbledon Railway_.


A railway to connect Wimbledon, Merton, Putney, Barnes, Hammersmith, and
Kensington with the Hammersmith and City Railway.

This railway will enter the parish of Kensington on the western side of
Bramley Road, and proceed on the north side of Lancaster Road by a
viaduct or embankment, by the side of and parallel to the Hammersmith and
City Railway, will cross the Bramley, Silchester, and Walmer Roads with
arches respectively of 16, 18, and 20 feet high.



_Metropolitan Railway—Notting Hill and Brompton Extension_.


A railway to commence at a junction with the Metropolitan Railway at
Conduit Street East, in the Parish of Paddington, entering this parish at
the south-east side of Pembridge Square, continuing by the south-east
corner of Pembridge Gardens, under Uxbridge Road, Uxbridge Street, and
taking the piece of ground enclosed by the western side of St. James’s
Street and eastern side of New Street, crossing Kensington Place and Edge
Terrace, passing thence on the western side of Church Lane, continuing
from Peel Street, Campden Street, Bedford Place to Sheffield Terrace, by
tunnel, and from thence to Gloucester Terrace, by open cutting and by
tunnel to Pitt Street, proceeding southward through Vicarage Street,
Upper Holland Street, across Hornton Mews, about 70 feet west of the
Vestry Hall, crossing High Street east of Wright’s Lane, South End Row,
Kelso Place, Merton Road, Stanford Road, the Broadwood Estate, crossing
Gloucester Road by Cromwell Road, and enclosing within the line of
deviation all the land southward to Lover’s Walk, and Harrington Road at
its junction with Prince Albert Road, Cromwell Lane, north end of Bute
Street, to its termination, Alfred Place West.

Within the line of deviation is included the north side of Pelham Road,
the west side of Thurloe Square, from Pelham Road to Alfred Place West.
In connection with this scheme it is proposed to form a new road
southward from the Exhibition Road to Alfred Place West.



_Metropolitan District Railways_.


Railways to complete an inner circle of railways within London, north of
the Thames.

Railways to form an outer circle round the Metropolis, north and south of
the Thames, connected with existing railways.

This Railway is represented by several Lines, connected with each other,
within this parish, and are principally to be open cuttings, but having
two tunnels on the west side of Church Street, one of 210 yards, and one
other of 175 yards.

Main outer circle, commencing by a junction with the London, Chatham, and
Dover Railway, at the Wandsworth Road Station, and terminating at or near
the Gloucester Road.

This portion of the line enters the Parish from St. Luke’s Parish,
Chelsea; at the Fulham Road, west of Selwood Lane, thence across the Old
Brompton Road, through Gloucester Groves east and west, Harrington Road,
to the west side of Gloucester Road.

The rail to be laid about 18 feet below surface of existing road, present
levels of road not to be interfered with.



Line No. 5 on plan.


A branch from the above rail by junction in Selwood Lane, crossing the
Old Brompton Road, continuing eastward through the north end of Bute
Street, south of Cromwell Lane; recrossing Old Brompton Road to a
terminus between Pelham Road and Alfred Place West.  Within the line of
limitation is included the north side of Pelham Road, the south-west side
of Thurloe Square, south side of Alfred Place West.  Rail to be laid
about 21 feet below surface of existing roads.  Surface levels of roads
unaltered.

It is proposed to form a New Road from Alfred Place West, northward, to
the Exhibition Road.



Line No. 6a on plan.


A line connecting Railway No. 1 with Railway No. 5, by a junction at the
north end of Bute Street, and proceeding westward to the rail on the west
side of Gloucester Road.



Line No. 6 on plan.


A line commencing in Gloucester Road and proceeding northward through the
Broadwood Estate, south end of Stanford Road, including the whole of
Merton Road, through playground of Kensington Grammar School, High
Street, Kensington, west of the Vestry Hall, Hornton Mews, ground at the
rear of Hornton Street, Holland Street, west side of Vicarage Street,
Pitt Street, Gordon Place, Campden Grove, Gloucester Terraces the grounds
of Campden House, across Sheffield Terrace and Bedford Place, Campden
Street, Peel Street, Edge Terrace, Kensington Place, enclosing from the
east side of New Street to the west side of St. James’s Street.

Rail in no case less than 16′:9″ below surface of road, present level of
roads unaltered.



Line No. 7 on plan.


A Line commencing with junction from Line No. 6, by the Merton Road, and
proceeding westward, fronting on Earl’s Court Gardens, across Earl’s
Court Road, Warwick Road, to a junction with the West London Railway,
south of the Richmond Road.

Top of rail in no case less than 15′:9″ below surface of road, levels of
existing roads unaltered.



Line No. 8 on plan.


Commencing at junction with Line No. 7, on the east side of Warwick Road,
and running westward into the West London Railway.

Level of Warwick Road unaltered.



Line No. 9 on plan.


Commencing on the west side of Gloucester Road, north of Redfield Lane,
and joining Line No. 7, by Redfield Lane.



Line No. 10 on plan.


Commencing at the termination of Line No. 6, on the south side of
Uxbridge Street, crossing the High Street, Notting Hill, traversing the
south portion of Pembridge Gardens to the east side of Pembridge
Crescent, Pembridge Villas, Ledbury Road, to the Parish Boundary north of
Lonsdale Road to the Great Western Railway, and thence to Hackney Wick.

Top of rail in no case less than 15′:4″ below surface of road, levels of
the various roads unaltered.



Line No. 11 on plan.


Commencing at a junction with the Hammersmith, Paddington, and City
Junction Railway, on the north side of Lancaster Road, by Ladbroke Road,
continuing eastward north of Lancaster Road, across Portobello Lane, to
the Great Western Railway, leaving this Parish at St. Luke’s Road.

This Line will be carried over Portobello Lane by an arch 15 feet high,
span 25 feet.



Line No. 12 on plan.


A Line commencing and continuing on the north side of the Great Western
Railway, on the east side of Kensal Green Lane.



_Charing Cross Western Railway_.


Construction of railways from the Charing Cross Railway at Lambeth, to
the West London Extension Railway at Kensington and to Hammersmith.

Entering this Parish at the Fulham Road by Marlborough Road, proceeding
along Pelham Road, taking the buildings on the north side, crossing Old
Brompton Road, Cromwell Lane, by the north end of Bute Street, Prince
Albert Road, south side of Cromwell Road across Gloucester Road,
north-east end of Earl’s Court Gardens, South Row, North Row, Earl’s
Court Road, land between Earl’s Court Road, and a new private road on
Lord Kensington’s estate in continuation of the Warwick Road, Alma Road,
to west London Extension Railway, thence into the parish of Fulham,
returning into the Parish boundary opposite Portland Place, Kensington
Road.

The rail in no case to be less than 17 feet below surface, and the
various roads intersected to remain at their present levels, excepting
Warwick Road (private), which is to be raised 10 feet.



Railway No. 3 on plan.


A Line in connection with Line No. 1, commencing on the south side of the
Alma Road, crossing the West London Extension Railway into the Parish of
Fulham.

                                * * * * *

NOTE.—The Metropolitan Railway, the Metropolitan District Railways, and
the Charing Cross Western Railway are to be executed principally as open
cuttings, in many cases bisecting roads, or traversing them, but in most
cases interfering with the sewers.



_Metropolitan Grand Union Railway_.


Railway No. 1 on plan.


A railway commencing by a junction with the West London Railway in the
Parish of St. Mary Abbotts, Kensington, and terminating by a junction
with the London and Blackwall Railway.

Commencing in this Parish on the West London Railway, north of the
Kensington Station, and diverges southward into the Parish of
Hammersmith, passing through the Hammersmith Road at the rear of Portland
Place, returning into this Parish by Shaftesbury Terrace, Warwick Road,
through Land to Earl’s Court Road, Land at the rear of St. Philip’s
Church, Wright’s Lane, south of Redfield Lane, to Gloucester Road, along
by Gloucester Grove at the north of Old Brompton Road, through Bute
Street, Old Brompton Road, Pelham Road, Fulham Road, into the Parish of
Chelsea by Marlborough Road.

This Line is proposed to be executed as an open cutting, varying in depth
from 21 to 30 feet, with 218 yards of tunnel 18 feet 6 inches high,
between Earl’s Court and Wright’s Lane, and tunnel again 22 feet 6 inches
high from Old Brompton Road, along Pelham road to Fulham Road, levels of
roads unaltered, interruption of sewers to be provided for.


Railway No. 3 on plan.


Commences by a junction with Line No. 1, in Pelham Street, and proceeds
northerly through Alfred Place, West, Old Brompton Road, by Thurlow
Place, Cromwell Road, and traversing Exhibition Road, and thence to a
junction with the Metropolitan Railway, Paddington.

This portion of railway is proposed to be executed as a tunnel.

Road levels unaltered; interruption of sewer to be provided for.



_South Kensington_, _New Road_, _Road from Cadogan Place to South
Kensington_.


For making a street or road commencing in the Parish of St. Luke’s,
Chelsea, at the West End of Pont Street, crossing Cadogan Place and
Sloane Street, through Land between Hans Place and the Pavilion, to and
through Walton Street into the Parish of Kensington, at the south end of
Ovington Square, through Yeoman’s Row, Michael’s Grove, Michael’s Place,
York Cottages, into Brompton Road, opposite Kensington Museum.

The Plan shews a new road of a length in this Parish of 1,360 feet, being
from Brompton Road to the Parish Boundary by Ovington Square, of an
average width of 100 feet; the road to be finished at the levels of the
existing roads, excepting at the junction of Michael’s Grove with
Brompton Crescent, where it is proposed to raise the road 2′3″.

Powers are sought to purchase in this Parish the Premises comprising
Thurloe Place, York Cottages, northern side of North Terrace, Michael’s
Place to Michael’s Grove, east end of Brompton Crescent, Michael’s Grove,
Yeoman’s Row, south end of Ovington Square, and Grove Place.

                                * * * * *

The several railways herein described as passing into or through this
Parish more or less interfere with or remove property now rated.  I
submit it will be for the Vestry to consider whether the facilities of
railway communication will counterbalance the present loss upon the rates
that may be sustained.  Also, to consider whether all the projected
schemes, or any one of them, would form a check to, or encourage the
large building operations now progressing, or contemplated: under any
circumstances, it will be necessary for the Vestry to take such steps for
the proper protection of such roads and sewers as are proposed to be
interfered with by the projected lines.

                                                      I remain, Gentlemen,
                                                    Your obedient Servant,
                                                        JAMES BROADBRIDGE.




***