Travellers were frequently baffled by the separate stations that had the same name above the entrance
Despite boasting a world-class transport network, and with Google Maps and the latest smartphones at our disposal, it remains remarkably easy to lose your bearings in the vast metropolis of London. But fear not, when technology fails you, you can always count on good old-fashioned signage to guide you in the right direction.
However, this hasn’t always proved reliable. Head to Shepherd’s Bush in West London and you’ll discover two separate Tube stations – Shepherd’s Bush station on the Central line and Shepherd’s Bush Market on the Hammersmith and City and Circle lines. There’s also White City and Wood Lane and Goldhawk Road, but let’s not confuse things even further.
The smaller market station is nestled beside the bridge on Uxbridge Road, while the main Shepherd’s Bush station, housed in a more contemporary building built in 2008, sits a full 500m away.
But here’s where things get tricky. Until 2008, both these stations bore the same name and signage, creating chaos for visitors unfamiliar with the neighbourhood.
Adding to the muddle, the local National Rail station also carries the name Shepherd’s Bush, meaning three stations in close proximity shared identical names. Fortunately, the situation was resolved in 2008 when the Central line station underwent refurbishment.
The station near the market was given a new name, bringing some much-needed clarity to the locale.
Shepherd’s Bush Market also marks one end of arguably the most pointless Tube journey on the entire network. From the station platform, you can actually see Goldhawk Road, on the same lines and just one street across.
Rather than tapping in, riding the escalators and waiting for the Tube, why not take a relaxed seven-minute walk instead? Google Maps shows that these two stations are remarkably close to one another, with the journey on the Circle and Hammersmith City line taking just a single minute.
There are two Hammersmiths, to this day. It’s a whopping 60 seconds between the two, but if, for whatever reason, you decided to train it there, it would be a total of 10 stops.
One runs the Piccadilly and District line services, while the other operates the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines.
Paddington is similar. The underground station is divided into two parts as the Hammersmith and City line and Circle line trains via King’s Cross use their own distinct station.
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