Summary : Kensington Station opened in 1844 as an intermediate station on the West London Railways 2.5 mile single line which ran from West London Junction on the LNWR at Willesden, across the GWR on the level at Wormwood Scrubs, and on to the basin of the Kensington Canal. Kensington had but one platform until 1869, when it was rebuilt in the LNWR style with two long platforms, each with a bay at each end. At the same time it was renamed Addison Road, though it was in Russel Road. On 1 July 1864 it was first served by 'underground' trains when a broad-gauge service from the Hammersmith and City was put on. In 1940 the station closed when the war hastened the decline of many uneconomic service. On 19 December 1946 Addison Road became Kensington (Olympia) and reopened on exhibition days for a London Transport shuttle service from Earl's Court. In 1966 a Motorail terminal was opened and in 1986 a more frequent LT service was introduced. |