The station was built by the
Windsor, Staines and South Western Railway (WS&SWR) and was opened on 22 August 1849 by the
London and South Western Railway (LSWR), which had absorbed the WS&SWR whilst that railway was under construction. Originally named Kew, it was renamed Kew Bridge on 1 January 1869.[2][3] The
North & South Western Junction Railway in a spirit of affording LSWR access to Fenchurch Street operated its admittedly rival '
Kew' station (1853–1866) on the western curve. From 1862 the companies cooperated: the junction railway company built additional Kew Bridge platforms (which were closed in 1940), the LSWR having constructed the eastern curve itself.
The station, on the
Hounslow Loop Line, is on the southern and eastern curves of the Kew Bridge
railway triangle, although the eastern curve platforms are abandoned. The station building was extensively refurbished in June 2013, with the platforms reached by a side walkway.
The station has 2 active platforms and 2 disused platforms:
Platform 3: Currently disused, served trains via
South Acton
Platform 4: Currently disused, served trains from South Acton continuing via
Chiswick.
There are currently no passenger services on the eastern and western curves,[5][6] but both have been proposed by the
London Borough of Hounslow for
Crossrail and also for
Zone 3OvergroundOrbirail.[7] The football stadium redevelopment plan includes space for additional platforms on the other curves.
Hounslow Council proposed that
Crossrail services from the east have the option of terminating at Hounslow as well as Reading by a mix of existing line and new connections.[8] This proposal was rejected.
Other plans have been drafted and floated to Network Rail for reinstatement of track on the curves and direct services for
Brentford Football Club's development of its Lionel Road stadium.[citation needed]
Gallery
The footbridge viewed from platform 1 in July 2016. Note the large space under the footbridge on platform 2.
The view back from the footbridge in July 2016
The view under Chiswick High Road to New Kew junction from platform 1 in July 2016
This subway goes under Chiswick High Road in July 2016. It is not known why it was built.
This is the subway under Lionel Road to abandoned platform 3 in July 2016.
The abandoned platforms 3 & 4, view from Chiswick High Road in July 2016
The ramp down to abandoned platform 4 in July 2016