Kensington Olympia station signage

[acg5324]

I am currently building a layout based on Kensington Olympia circa 1980 in n scale. I have made a start on constructing the station buildings http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/75679-kensington-olympia-in-n-scale/page-2&do=findComment&comment=1527791 I came across a photo on the Internet showing the front of the station in 1969? with the station name spelt out in individual letters on the blank wall at the right hand end as you face it from the street.....which I have managed never to find again as I forgot to copy the link!!!

 

Does anyone have photos from this era or anytime up to 1980 or so showing the station building signage. The platforms aren't an issue as I have loads taken from there, it is the street side I need.

 

TIA

 

Andy

[roythebus]

Try the Middleton Press book of the West London Line.

[acg5324]

Sadly nothing in either the MP West London line book or the one by JB Atkinson. Nor the Past and Present vol 13 that covers the WLL.

[Horizontal]

I am currently building a layout based on Kensington Olympia circa 1980 in n scale. I have made a start on constructing the station buildings http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/75679-kensington-olympia-in-n-scale/page-2&do=findComment&comment=1527791 I came across a photo on the Internet showing the front of the station in 1969? with the station name spelt out in individual letters on the blank wall at the right hand end as you face it from the street.....which I have managed never to find again as I forgot to copy the link!!!

 

Does anyone have photos from this era or anytime up to 1980 or so showing the station building signage. The platforms aren't an issue as I have loads taken from there, it is the street side I need.

 

TIA

 

Andy

OK - I presume that you are talking about the old Area Manager's and Ticket Office building at the bottom of Olympia Way. As I remember it, it had individual raised black letters fixed to the right end brick work facing the street - I think it read 'KENSINGTON (OLYMPIA) STATION, but don't hold me to that.

 

With regards to the platform signage, the following dates and details may be of use to you….

 

In 1958, the Down (Main Line) Platform on the southern side of the footbridge only, was lit by tungsten lamps in glass bulbs that were mounted on tall WR concrete lamp standards that had thick octagonal posts and 'Southern-like' heads. These lamp standards which faced the main lines were fitted with Western Region totems all of which were all fully-flanged, and faced away from the lamp and Main Lines towards the LT Bay. Two additional tall WR concrete lamp standards together with WR totems were provided on the LT extension platform south of South Main Box facing the LT tracks. The Main Lines therefore had no signage! - The large lettering in the middle panel of each sign read 'KENSINGTON', and, whilst on some signs the lower panel read '(OLYMPIA)', on others they read plain 'OLYMPIA' - Which ones were placed where I'm not certain, but I think that the unbracketed versions were nearer to the footbridge.

 

A short running-in board was provided on the LT platform extension which read:

 

KENSINGTON

(OLYMPIA)

 

On the Up Platform at the south end, a much longer running-in board proclaimed:

 

KENSINGTON

(OLYMPIA)

 

In true Western Region style, the letters on both running-in boards were cream on a brown background 

 

In 1964, the Up Platform running-in board was dismantled, and similar shorter WR concrete lamp standards were erected on the Up Main Platform. Second-hand totems were then provided on both main line platforms, from the Motorail Terminal to the southern-most lamp standard on each platform - These signs, which were also fully-flanged (I used to have one until it finally rusted away in 1989) originated from the Willesden Junction (Low Level) platforms which closed in 1962. They were hand-painted cream, with black lining and black lettering in a two line format, which read:

 

KENSINGTON (Large letters)

OLYMPIA (Smaller Letters)

 

If you looked closely at one, you could see the outline in two lines of:

 

WILLESDEN

JUNCTION     underneath

 

In 1969, all of the totems were replaced with the standard British Rail black lettering on white plates which read on two lines:

 

KENSINGTON (Large letters)

(OLYMPIA) (Smaller Letters)

 

These were attached to all of the original concrete lamp standards and faced all platforms - However, the remaining running-in board failed to survive.

 

In 1973, the concrete lamp standards were felled, and standard LMR style transverse fluorescent standards were erected - As the actual lamp housings never had the station's name imprinted on them, the previously used British Rail plates were fixed to the posts instead - Apart from some painting which was applied to the footbridge, this as far as I know is how things stayed until privatisation in the 90s

 

'Hope this all helps

 

:-)

[acg5324]

This helps big time. I had enough photos on the platforms to work out what was where as I'm basing the layout circa 1980. it was the what you call the area managers office that I needed. I found a photo on the internet of it with the separate letters but didn't keep the link. Do you remember if above the doors into the ticket office area which now have Kensington Olympia signs above the door did they have BR black and white station signs with the station name or signs for Motorail or ticket office.

 

many thanks

Andy

[Horizontal]

I've got a feeling that again it was in individual raised black letters, that the word : TICKETS was set into the wall above the entrance, but again, don't hold me to that!

 

The Area Manager's Office occupied the first floor of the building, whilst on the left (looking from the street) was the Motorail Lounge

 

:-)

 

Edit: On second thoughts, it was probably

 

TICKETS &

INFORMATION

[acg5324]

Thanks Ian, plenty to think about there. Might just go down the BR corporate signage route as at least I can reproduce the signs. Individual letters in 2mm scale are going to be tiny.

[Horizontal]

No worries Andy

 

BTW, I'm now sure that the signs were on every alternate lamp post on both platforms, starting with the lamp post each side of the footbridge

 

 

[Horizontal]

Digging the above pics out has kicked in all sorts of memories - I'm certain that after the LMR flourescent lamps were fitted, they renumbered all the platforms including the Motorail Terminal, which had been previously A to D. These became in turn Platforms 1 to 4, the Up Platform (previously Platform 3) became Platform 5, the Down Platform (previously Platform 2) became Platform 6, and the LT Bay (previously Platform 1) became Platform 7 - This was the time when I think that they possibly took the individual letters down over the ticket office down and replaced them with a corporate sign reading:

 

TICKETS &

INFORMATION

 

Gosh, my brain hurts from all this thinking!

 

:-)

[Horizontal]

Andy

 

I think I've found what you're looking for with regards to the signage on the AM Building on the Olympia Way side.

 

My hunch that there were raised black letters was right, except the word Station wasn't there - The letters read:

 

KENSINGTON

       OLYMPIA   - (without the brackets) and were justified to the right

 

Over the ticket office entrance door a black on white sign read:

 

KENSINGTON

OLYMPIA             - (without the brackets) and was justified to the left

 

A small transverse white metal sign was placed at the top right of the entrance, which read:

 

(Blue Arrow pointing left) Tickets and

                                        Information

 

'Hope this helps

 

:-)