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WHITE CITY STATION

ALTERNATIVE NAME:  WOOD LANE STATION
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In 1908 the Franco-British Exhibition was established on ground at Wood Lane, Shepherds Bush, the exhibition running from 14th May to 31st October of that year. The exhibition buildings were painted white, and this led to the area becoming known as the 'White City'. The Central London Railway opened a station on Wood Lane (see TQ 28 SW 71) on the opening day of the exhibition. This station occupied an awkward location on a loop and by 1920 had four platforms and a triangular arrangement which prevented them being extended to accommodate longer trains. For the western extension of the Central line a new station was built further north on Wood Lane, opposite the athletics stadium. Completion of the construction was projected for April 1940, but because of the war development did not begin until May 1946. Under the supervision of the then London Transport Chief Architect Thomas Bilbow, architects AD McGill and HJH Seymour were given the brief of designing the station. The structural steel frame was infilled with concrete blocks with a facing of grey and buff multi-coloured bricks. A wide entrance gave access to the waiting area with a short flight of steps up to ticket hall level. Interior public areas were lined with biscuit-cream faience slabs up to door height with a capping of red and grey tiles; above this walls were of exposed brick. At the rear of the hall was a wide gallery with staircases to the two island platforms. On the platforms, waiting rooms and staff offices were built under the stairs. The first stage of the building opened on 23rd November 1947 with a temporary ticket hall in the partially completed 'rush' exit. The Central line station at Wood Lane was closed on the same day. The main and rush ticket halls, staff facilities, canteen and platform canopies were finished in May 1950.

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