Wembley Central station

Wembley Central is a Network Rail station served by London Underground (LU) Bakerloo Line, London Overground (LO) and Southern National Rail services. It is located in the High Road of Wembley, northwest London. LO trains use the Watford DC Line platforms on the west side of the station with Southern services normally using the Slow Line platforms on the east side (5 and 6). Additional London Midland services stop here in occurrence with events at Wembley Stadium, platforms 5&6.

History
Brief Details
 * 20 July 1837: London and Birmingham Railway line opened
 * 1842: Station opened as "Sudbury"
 * 1 May 1882: re-named "Sudbury & Wembley"
 * 1 November 1910: re-named "Wembley for Sudbury", coincident with construction of the "LNWR New Line"
 * 16 April 1917: Bakerloo Line service commenced over New Line
 * 1936 Street level building reconstructed with shopping arcade
 * 1948 Further work in preparation for Olympic Games at Wembley Stadium
 * 5 July 1948: re-named "Wembley Central"
 * 1960s Station Square constructed on raft over station, providing most of current layout.
 * 24 September 1982: Bakerloo Line service withdrawn
 * 4 June 1984: Bakerloo Line service re-instated
 * November 2007: Station management transferred from Silverlink Trains to London Underground
 * June 2008: 1936/1948 surface buildings in process of being demolished for redevelopment
 * February 2009: Southern services to East Croydon stop here more regularly (every hour Mon-Sat daytime).

Services


Wembley Central has the appearance of an underground station due to the elevated position of the High Road (where the main entrance was until recently located behind a 1940s shopping arcade) and the enclosed nature of the platforms below the raft upon which Station Square is built; it is actually generally at or above the local ground level, having been reconstructed in its current form during the 1960s electrification of the West Coast Main Line. It is the first station out of Euston to have platforms on all three pairs of tracks and the combination of the confined space and through trains passing at speed on platforms 3 through 6 (the main line platforms) create a wind tunnel effect which can be dangerous for passengers.

As a result, the 4 mainline platforms (for Southern services and for extra stops on services for Wembley Stadium matches) are locked out for most of the day and entrance is only allowed when trains are due, generally the Southern services, which use platforms 5 and 6 (on the slow main line). When you alight from the Southern service, you must make your way to the end of the platform and staff will lead you out of the station. Gate into these platforms open 10 minutes before the train is expected to arrive. The station was modernised in 2006 with additional safety features.

When a major event occurs at Wembley Stadium, such as a high-profile sporting event, rally or concert; additional services which usually run fast, also stop here. These trains will stop frequently at platforms 5&6. Virgin Trains' services are usually formed of trains which are too long for the platforms and take longer to set down and pick up. As a result, these services will make additional stops at Watford Junction or Milton Keynes, for cutomers to change onto London Midland services.

Fast London Midland services using platforms 5&6, are usually too long for the platforms. So, when trains are formed of more than 6 coaches, customers wishing to board and alight the train must do so from the front 4 coaches only. British Transport Police officers maintain a high presence on match days, particularly at this station and on all train services between Watford Junction and London Euston.

Station works
The station has now undergone some improvements, most notably the new passenger footbridge at the London end of the station. Completed in late 2006 by civil engineers C Spencer Ltd., its purpose is to carry extra foot traffic to and from the platforms during event days at the nearby Wembley Stadium; the everyday access is at the "country" end of the platforms. In practice, this means the bridge is usually locked and out of use, only being opened when the stadium itself is in use.

Other recent works include the resurfacing of platforms 1 and 2 complete with the installation of curved steel cladding panels. The station's staff received refurbished messing facilities and new public toilets have also been installed. The Central Square area is still to be fully regenerated.

Re-development
In June 2008, the London Borough of Brent (the council of the local area where the station is) planned that the station was going to be demolished for re-development, as part of the Wembley Central Square plan, by St. Modwen construction company (although the plan also included new apartments, shops and open space surface).

Buses
London Buses routes 18, 79, 83, 92, 182, 204, 223, 224, 297, H17 and night route N18.