An old
postcard advertising trains to Staines from Waterloo
I have
incorporated the train stations and the bus stations with the Police
stations we have had and still have in Staines.
Staines Junction
First
the trains... There were a few stations through the years, the main
one on Kingston Road, has been there since 1848, It changed it's name
to Staines Central in 1923. It has had a few changes over the years.
This is what it looks like now.
Recently
this overpass was constructed. There are lifts for those who can't
climb the stairs or have heavy luggage, bikes and prams. It is much
easier and dryer than using the old bridge as we used to do.
This is
what the platforms used to look like.
The High Street
Station
This wasn't there for very long, it opened during
the Great war. There are no actual photos of the station itself except
the one below.
It was
located just to the Windsor side of the Iron Bridge. See the map.
The photo
below shows where the station was, basically where the bushes are
now, opposite what was the Garibaldi pub
The Staines
West Station
Staines West Station. It opened in 1885, closed to passengers
in 1965, and closed altogether in 1977. It became offices once the
line had closed completely.
The back
of the Staines West Station where the Tracks were. The trains were
different to the ones that came into the Central Staines Station
At the
front of the old Staines West Station was where the buses used to
turn around in the 60's and the drivers had their breaks. When you
went to wait for the bus you could check to see if they were parked
in this area, if they were you hoped they wouldn't be too long, especially
in the winter. The red buses went along Bridge Street, which was where
the bus stops were. Thery turned left at the juction with the bridge
traffic and went through the High Street stopping at a couple of bus
stops along the way, before heading off to their destination down
the London Road or the Kingston Road. The green bus stops were in
Church Street
Here you see a 203 that went into Stanwell, via Ashford Hospital.
Always full at visiting times!
The green bus is a 461, that went to Chertsey and places out that
way. This one says Walton.
Along Chertsey Lane there is a bridge that buses have to go under,
it is not as high as normal bridges, and so you can see the
green bus is shorter than the red one.
I used to live right by that bridge and we got used to big lorries
getting stuck under the bridge!
Today
the buses are single deckers so they have no problem negotiating that
bridge.
The Bus station
outside the Elmsleigh Centre Today
I don't
know what the grey bus is unless it is one that goes to Thorpe Park.
As you can see though the buses are all single decker now. It is rare
to see a double decker.
A different
type of bus, these are coaches.
Beach's were down by the railway station for many years. I remember
going on these to the seaside every year for a day trip. It was always
very exciting. The trips were organized by either a local pub or a
local company. They would stop for a break along the way, always at
a pub, and everybody would get out to use the loo, or to get refreshments,
on the way back that was always beer. On the way home everybody would
be singing old pub songs, happy as Larry. We kids used to sleep through
it all!
Police Stations
The Original Victorian Police Station on the corner of London
and Kingston Roads
Today:
The Staines old Victorian Police Station. Now with apartments for
sale within the building.
The new Police Station on the Kingston Road. It is now Surrey Police
and any big cases in Surrey are given over to Staines to deal with.
To
be continued
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Various
Photos from Google Earth and elsewhere of different places
in Staines plus extra information are listed below.
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