Barons Court tube station

The station is located on Gliddon Road, a short distance from Talgarth Road (A4).[8] East of the station, the Piccadilly line descends into tunnel towards Earl's Court and the District line continues on the surface to West Kensington.[9] West of the station, both Piccadilly line and District line continue to Hammersmith station. The station is located in a deep, brick sided cutting.

The station in May 1962 looking east with a westbound Piccadilly line train to Uxbridge.

The tracks through Barons Court were first laid on 9 September 1874 when the District Railway (DR, now the District line) opened an extension from Earl's Court to Hammersmith.[10] When the line was constructed the area now known as "Barons Court" was open fields and market gardens to the west of the hamlet of North End and there was no call for a station between North End, Fulham and Hammersmith stations.

However, by the beginning of the 20th century, the area had been developed for housing and, on 9 October 1905, the District Railway (DR) opened a station to serve these new developments and in preparation for the opening of the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (GNP&BR, now the Piccadilly line), then under construction.[10][9] The GNP&BR began operations on 15 December 1906, running between Hammersmith and Finsbury Park.[9]

In the 1990s, the Grade II listed station was carefully restored to its original appearance.[11]

Notable fatality

The former Formula One driver B. Bira, who was a member of the Thai Royal family, was found dead at the station on 23 December 1985.[12]

The unique bench on the eastbound island platform.

The station building was constructed to a design by Harry Ford in a style similar to that used at Earl's Court and Hammersmith and is now a Grade II listed building as it retains many of its original features, including terracotta facing and Art Nouveau lettering. The wooden benches on the platform with the station name along the back on enamelled metal panels are a unique feature on the entire London Underground.[6] The station has two island platforms to provide an interchange between the two lines - the inner pair of tracks is used by the Piccadilly line and the outer tracks by the District line.[9][10] The station building has been Grade II listed since 14 February 1985.[6]

The name Barons Court is possibly inspired by the Baronscourt estate in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, where Sir William Palliser, who built part of the area, may have had connections.[13] Unlike Earl's Court station, Barons Court is written without an apostrophe.[14]

• Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College's Hammersmith site is across Talgarth Road on Gliddon Road.
• The Queen's Club, location of the Aegon Championships tennis tournament, is at the end of Palliser Road.
• The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, (LAMDA), is on the Talgarth Road.
• Margravine Cemetery
• Charing Cross Hospital is nearby, and is advertised at the station exit.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Barons Court tube station.

• London Transport Museum Photographic Archive
  • Entrance to GNP&BR tunnel between District Railway tracks, 1906. In the distance can be seen the Great Ferris wheel at Earl's Court exhibition ground.
  • Barons Court station, 1916
  • Booking hall, 1939
  • View of platforms, 1983

Preceding station	London Underground			Following station
Hammersmith towards Ealing Broadway or Richmond		District line		West Kensington towards Upminster or High Street Kensington
Hammersmith towards Uxbridge, Rayners Lane or Heathrow Airport (Terminal 4 or Terminal 5)		Piccadilly line		Earl's Court towards Cockfosters or Arnos Grove