Forum Topic

WESTFIELD or WHITE CITY

hi gang any ideas why all the buses have their main indicator boards all    NOW CHANGED to ...white city ??the NEW  main.. bus /tube / rail  INTERCHANGE AT SHEPHERDS BUSH ....doesent mention white city anywhere ..the white city estate is not technically there anywayvisitors call it westfield ...so does all the advertising,,so why on earth do the buses put that dreary old title on the front.THIS SHOULD BE A NEW LONDON LANDMARK SITE ...VERY 21ST CENTURY SO .. maybe TFL and the bus guys could re-think .cheers bob #

Bob Hodkison ● 6001d20 Comments

Slight correction: I referred to Butterwick House. Strictly the bus station ran through Bradmore House, previously Butterwick House. The history of the house is quite complex, and is described at rather dull length in the following:http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=98032There is a most attractive water colour of it, probably not on public display, at Hammersmith Library, on Shepherd's Bush Road (unless some heathen has sold it, the painting that is, not the library, though I wouldn't put that past them either).

Dan Filson ● 5911d

Further: The Dimco building appeared for several years on the English Heritage lit of buildings at risk. It was/is listed Dimco Machine Tools—former Central Railway generating station Wood Lane, W12. It is now "saved".

Dan Filson ● 5911d

KeithThe Dimco building was listed after a drive to get it so listed (at some time between 1986 and 1990) by the then Councillor Ken Martindale who wanted it retained as a community centre. It was retained, but as we know it is now a bus station. Running buses through listed buildings is an old habit of London bus companies. The historic Butterwick House at Hammersmith Broadway, built in the 18th century, the gardens of which used to run back to where the eponymous Butterwick is, survived into the 20th century despite backing onto the tube tracks. The bus company wanted it demolished to replace it with a bus station but pblic outcry got it retained. However the process of retention involved taking it down brick by brick, turning the entire building round through 180degrees and running the entrance to the bus station right through it! So it remained until the new Broadway development when once again it was seriously reconstructed with the removal of the bus station and installation of a restaurant of the expensive burger type (The Queen's nephew Viscount Linley was involved at one early stage) and it still stands.

Dan Filson ● 5911d

Thank you - that's interesting.

Keith Clarke ● 5982d

The bus stands are new but you can read about the bus depot here: http://shepherdsbushw12.com/default.asp?section=info&spage=common/sbbus03.htm

Editor ● 5982d

What is the history of the bus garage at the new White City bus station? Was it newly built with old bricks, or was it an existing structure? If so, what was it before it became a home for buses to sleep in?

Keith Clarke ● 5982d

"Tfl could mount a campaign to explain that S..B..[Green] had become White City [Bus Garage?]"But that's not what has happened!  White City Bus Station (abbreviated to "White City" on bus destination blinds) is on the north side of Westfields. Shepherd's Bush Green is on the south side.  The confusion seems to be in your understanding of where the bus station actually is.

Richard Jennings ● 5986d

This thread is a good one - lot's of light-hearted serious stuff without groan, groan...Aleksandar rightly identifies the importance of 'White City'[site of a venue rather than a place], and the ephemeral nature of the Westfield name [There was a time the 27 bus said 'Safeway's Chalk Farm' - now it's just Chalk Farm, not Morrison's C..F.."]. Whatever the suggestion, there is potential for confusion between Shepherds Bush Market and Central Undergrounds, Overground, Buses and the Green itself, let alone White City and Wood Lane. "Shepherds Bush Market" and "S..B..Central", "Wood Lane", "White City" are fine for the Tubes, as is "Shepherds Bush" for the train.  The buses? "White City Bus Garage @ Shepherds Bush" might be correct, maybe, but could we dare settle for just "Shepherds Bush"?ALTERNATIVELY:  Tfl could mount a campaign to explain that S..B..[Green] had become White City [Bus Garage?]in the same way that Norwich Union is changing to Aviva?  Probably better to drop White City, call it S...B... and save the money!'Puzzled of Askew Road'

Richard Scott ● 5987d

Oooh please don't spread the word - the only way I get to have a seat on the 207 going to Acton is to get out of the tube at White City and catch the 207 in the bus station. Hardly anyone  waits there and I'm always guaranteed a seat rather than being  crushed at the next stop outside Shepherds Bush Station.Oh, and I think "White City" is so much nicer than "Westfield" as a destination. It has a nice local history connection rather than a super-consumerist corporate image. Don't forget that the original White City stretched from Shepherds Bush to beyond where the flyover is now. (I remember the original arch entrance on the Bush.) The bus station is slap bang in the middle of the old White City site.

Aleksandar Zivanovic ● 5987d

I'd say so. It's slightly longer to walk, of course, but you'd have the advantage of no crowds and being able to get on a completely empty bus.

Lina Leaman ● 5998d

It was news to me, too, Bob. It looks from the map that the 'White City' bus station is close to White City tube, so anyone coming on the Central Line and wanting to go west towards Acton would presumably have an easier time changing at White City rather than Shepherd's Bush?

Keith Clarke ● 5998d

ooops    SORRY to lena and keith i never realised there WAS  a bus station at the rear ..honest guv ....i thought it was the area by the entrance by the tube and train station area off the bush.. its so big ive never reached that far in...  but i will ! HOWEVER ..... doesent WESTFIELD ...sound better .  ??

Bob Hodkison ● 5998d

Yes!

Lina Leaman ● 5999d

Having made the journey to White City, does the 207 retrace its steps, back to the Southern Interchange, then swooping round the green?

Keith Clarke ● 5999d

If 'White City' is what is written on the front of the bus then that is correct. So if you wanted to go shopping in House of Fraser, for example, you could get off the bus at the Southern Interchange (by the tube station) but if you wanted to shop in Next, you could stay on the bus and get off at the bus station. Would save you quite a long walk!

Lina Leaman ● 5999d

Thank you. So once the 207 has stopped at the bus station beside SB Central Line, it carries on round the back of Westfield and ends up at White City Bus Station - is that right?

Keith Clarke ● 5999d

For a map that shows the bus station, - go to http://uk.westfield.com/london- click on Opening Hours & Information- click on Interactive Map- click on Transport Connections

Richard Jennings ● 6000d

If you're going northwards down Wood Lane, but bus station starts where Westfield ends. The buses that leave from there go round the back of Westfield and make a first stop at the Southern Exchange (where the central line station is).

Lina Leaman ● 6000d

Now I'm completely confused. Where exactly is the White City Bus Station?

Keith Clarke ● 6000d

"any ideas why all the buses have their main indicator boards all  NOW CHANGED to ...white city ??"Because their terminus is now the White City Bus Station."the NEW  main.. bus /tube / rail  INTERCHANGE AT SHEPHERDS BUSH ....doesent mention white city anywhere .."That's because it's at Shepherd's Bush!"the white city estate is not technically there anyway"True, but the area around White City Central Line station and the BBC complex is generally known as White City.  Westfield is so large that it stretches from White City to Shepherd's Bush.

Richard Jennings ● 6001d