London’s Underground is made up of hundreds of stations with some of them being named after some unusual things – but one was so odd that it had to be changed
London’s intricate transport system is a labyrinth of countless Tube, Overground and Docklands Light Railway stations. Among the renowned termini such as Liverpool Street, Waterloo and Euston, there are some with rather peculiar names. Consider, for example, Cyprus and East India on the DLR, or the iconic London stations named after pubs like Swiss Cottage and Angel.
While these names might perplex tourists, one station’s name was so bizarre that railway chiefs ultimately decided to alter it. Tucked away on the Metropolitan line between Wembley Park and Northwick Park in North West London, you’ll stumble upon Preston Road, reports MyLondon.
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This station, inaugurated in 1908, originally catered to a local clay pigeon shooting site for that year’s Olympic Games in London.
However, when it came to christening this stop en route to Harrow, succinctness wasn’t a priority. The station was initially dubbed Preston Road Halt for Uxendon and Kenton – quite the mouthful that doesn’t exactly fit snugly onto a sign.
It’s also the only station name with an instruction in it, advising anyone journeying to Uxendon and Kenton to switch services. Between 1931 and 1932, the station was relocated to the other side of the road bridge where it presently stands.
Following this move, the Metropolitan line station was finally rebranded to its current title, Preston Road. The Zone 4 station is not only famous for its name but also for its impressive collection of platform plants and flowers.
These stunning horticultural displays have bagged numerous awards, making the wait for passengers a truly enjoyable experience. This is particularly true for those waiting at Preston Road, which is only serviced by ‘slow’ trains that stop at all stations.
Both fast and semi-fast trains skip the stations between Wembley Park and Harrow-On-The-Hill.
