View source for Hounslow Loop line

{{Short description|Suburban electric railway line in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox rail line
|name        = Hounslow Loop line
|box_width   = auto
|color       =
|logo        = 
|logo_width  =
|image       = Hounslow to Isleworth railway line - geograph.org.uk - 236080.jpg
|image_width = 300px
|caption     = The line between Hounslow and Isleworth
|type        = [[Commuter rail]], [[Suburban rail]]
|system      = [[National Rail]]
|status      = Operational
|locale      = [[Greater London]]
|start       = {{rws|London Waterloo}}
|end         = 
|stations    = 7
|routes      =
|open        = 1850
|close       = 
|owner       = [[Network Rail]]
|operator    = [[South Western Railway (train operating company)|South Western Railway]]
|character   = 
|depot       = 
|stock       = {{ubl|{{brc|458}}|{{brc|455}}|{{brc|450}}}}
|tracks      = 2
|linelength  = 
|tracklength = 
|gauge       = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
|electrification = 750 V DC [[third rail]]
|speed       = {{convert|60|mph|kph}}
|elevation   = 
|map         = [[File:Hounslow Loop Line.png|300px]]<br>([[:commons:File:Hounslow Loop Line.png|Click to expand]])
|map_state   = uncollapsed
}}
{{Hounslow Loop Line|collapse=y}}

The '''Hounslow Loop line''' is a railway line in southwest [[London]] which was opened by the [[London and South Western Railway]] in 1850. It leaves the [[Waterloo–Reading line]] at Barnes Junction and after some seven and a half miles rejoins it at a [[Wye (rail)|triangular junction]] between {{rws|Whitton}} and {{rws|Feltham}}. [[Barnes Railway Bridge]] carries the line over the [[River Thames]]. Passenger services, all operated by [[South Western Railway (train operating company)|South Western Railway]], either loop back to [[London Waterloo station|Waterloo]] by the junctions or continue southwest via Feltham. The line is [[Railway electrification in Great Britain|electrified]] at 750&nbsp;V DC (third rail). It provides access to the [[North London Line]] for freight services both passing through {{rws|Clapham Junction}} to the north east and connecting to the rail network to the south west.

==Passenger services and rolling stock==
Most service to stations on the Hounslow Loop line are provided by trains operating between London Waterloo and [[Weybridge railway station|Weybridge]] via [[Staines railway station|Staines]]. 

As of December 2023, the typical weekday and Saturday service is 2 trains per hour in each direction to and from Waterloo. Trains use the Waterloo to Reading Line between Waterloo and Barnes, take the loop between Barnes Bridge and Hounslow stations, and operate to and from Weybridge via Staines.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2023 |title=Hounslow Loop to London Waterloo |url=https://www.southwesternrailway.com/-/media/files/plan-my-journey/timetables/december-2023/ptt07-december-2023.pdf |access-date=April 20, 2024 |website=South Western Railway}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 December 2023 |title=Weybridge via Staines to London Waterloo |url=https://www.southwesternrailway.com/-/media/files/plan-my-journey/timetables/december-2023/ptt16-december-2023.pdf |access-date=20 April 2024 |website=South Western Railway}}</ref>

On Sunday, service is reduced to hourly and diverted to Woking.

At peak hours, additional trains running do not serve Staines and Weybridge, but rather travel in a loop to and from Waterloo via Hounslow and Richmond. 

Services are generally operated by [[British Rail Class 450|Class 450]] units operating in a 4 or 8 car configuration. [[British Rail Class 455|Class 455]] and [[British Rail Class 458|Class 458]] units also work the line. All units on the line are to be replaced by [[British Rail Class 701|Class 701]] [[Aventra]] units.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Armitage |first1=Jim |title=Business focus: Why your box-fresh train is being replaced |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-focus-why-your-boxfresh-train-is-being-replaced-by-a-brand-new-model-a3766501.html |access-date=8 April 2019 |work=Evening Standard |date=14 February 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Marc |title=Waterloo dawn for South Western Railway |url=https://www.railstaff.co.uk/2017/09/11/waterloo-dawn-south-western-railway/ |access-date=8 April 2019 |work=Rail Staff |date=11 September 2017}}</ref>

==Ridership==
The line has seen a steep increase in ridership levels in recent years, corresponding with the doubling of train frequencies from 2 trains per hour in each direction to 4 (except on Sundays). The line's seven stations had combined passenger numbers of 5.565 million in 2007–08 (based on station exits), a 162% increase on the 2004–05 figure of 2.122 million.<ref>{{Citation ORR rail usage data}}</ref>

==Recent changes==
Most stations had platforms lengthened to allow the operation of 10 coach trains from May 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Longhurst |first1=Chris |title=Hounslow Loop set for more trains and longer carriages by 2017 |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/local-news/hounslow-loop-set-more-trains-7714738 |access-date=8 April 2019 |work=getwestlondon |date=3 September 2014}}</ref>  Where this was not possible, selective door opening is used. 

Platform 20 at Waterloo (within the former {{rws|Waterloo International}} terminal) came into use in May 2014 to provide additional capacity.<ref>{{cite web |title=New platform and 60 extra carriages for Waterloo commuters |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases/dft-press-20111223/ |website=Department for Transport |publisher=gov.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031044949/http://www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases/dft-press-20111223/ |archive-date=31 October 2012 |language=en |date=23 December 2011 |access-date=8 April 2019 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Platform 20 at Waterloo finally opens (with five more to come) |url=https://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/platform-20-at-waterloo-finally-opens-with-five-more-to-come.323866/ |website=urban75 forums |date=19 May 2014 |access-date=8 April 2019}}</ref>

==Future developments==
A proposal published in 2017 by the [[London Assembly]] and [[Transport for London]] envisages extending the [[London Overground]] network to run trains on the section of the Hounslow Loop Line between Brentford and Hounslow.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mayor's Transport Strategy 2018 |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/transport/our-vision-transport/draft-mayors-transport-strategy-2017 |website=London City Hall |access-date=26 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726120407/https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/transport/our-vision-transport/mayors-transport-strategy-2018 |archive-date=26 July 2019 |language=en |date=5 January 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The scheme, known as the [[West London Orbital]], would involve the re-opening of the [[Dudding Hill Line]] to passenger services and running trains from {{rws|West Hampstead Thameslink}} and {{rws|Hendon}} via the planned {{rws|Old Oak Common Lane}} station. A new station may be constructed at {{rws|Lionel Road}}, close to Kew Bridge. The plans are currently at public consultation stage with TfL.<ref>{{cite web |title=West London Orbital |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/west-london-orbital |website=Transport for London |access-date=30 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725161549/https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/west-london-orbital |archive-date=25 July 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Moody | first=G.T. | title=Southern Electric 1909-1979 | publisher=Ian Allan |year=1979 | isbn=0-7110-0924-4}}
* {{cite book | last=Glover | first=John | title=Southern Electric | publisher=Ian Allan |year=2001 | isbn=0-7110-2807-9}}

==External links==
{{commonscat}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081120141148/http://www.swtrains.co.uk/ South West Trains]

{{Railway lines in London}}

[[Category:Railway lines in London]]
[[Category:Railway branch lines]]
[[Category:Railway loop lines]]
[[Category:Standard gauge railways in London]]
[[Category:Transport in the London Borough of Hounslow]]
[[Category:Transport in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]