Perivale Underground Station

Summary

Underground railway station, designed 1938 by Brian Lewis, completed 1947 by Dr Frederick Francis Charles Curtis. Minor later alterations.

Reasons for Designation

Perivale Station is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* architectural interest: a dramatic composition with a concave façade of continuous glazing and a curvilinear concrete canopy, it is an exemplar of the stations built under the New Works Programme in the late 1930s, and among the few built largely to the original designs
* authorship: designed by Brian Lewis who went on to become an important architect in post-war Australia
* intactness: good survival of original fixtures and fittings including a poster display panel with piloti and a glazed waiting room on the platform

History

Perivale Station was designed in 1938, and the foundations were laid, but the building was not completed until 1947 because the Second World War halted works. The station was originally named 'Perivale Halt'. The original plans were drawn up by Brian Lewis, chief architect to the Great Western Railway, and the station was finished under the supervision of Dr Frederick Francis Charles Curtis. The station was never completed, lacking its proposed tower and an extended wing with three shops, but what was built was done to Lewis' original design. Although built by the GWR, the new station was on the West Ruislip Extension to the Central Line, part of London Underground's New Works Programme which ran from 1935-1940.

By 1935, much of the framework of the London Underground system was established, and a focus on building of new lines gave way to the extension and integration of the existing system. The New Works Programme was published on the 5 June 1935 and embodied this shift in ideals. It proposed to electrify and link existing suburban railways to the Tube network, to extend the Central, Northern and Bakerloo lines, and to introduce escalators in place of lifts in existing London Underground stations.

Born in Australia, Brian Bannatyne Lewis (1906-1991) studied at the University of Melbourne before moving to England to attend Liverpool School of Architecture. He joined the Great Western Railway architectural staff in 1930, becoming assistant architect in 1938 and designing several stations for the Central line, as well as several hotels. He resigned in 1946 to become Professor of Architecture at the University of Melbourne. Lewis was later known for his master plan for the National University in Canberra, Australia. His University House has been deemed an outstanding example of mid-C20 modern architecture in Australia, and is listed on the country's Heritage Database.

Details

EXTERIOR: Perivale Station is set against the railway viaduct and has a concave red brick frontage and a narrow quadrant plan. The façade is defined by its large clerestory window, with reinforced concrete mullions and lintel, which follows the concave plane of the façade and wraps around its corners to continue on both returns. Affixed to the brickwork on each return is a pole-mounted roundel reading 'UndergrounD', with dashed underlining. The tall parapet wall above the main window is made up of soldier courses of brick. The two entrances, located either side of a central poster display, are sheltered by a sweeping canopy that runs along the front of the deep ring beam. The canopy also takes in two low flanking wings, one curved, one straight, each containing a shop. The canopy has an illuminated fascia, with the original frame but renewed panels announcing the name of the station.
INTERIOR: The ticket hall has a ceiling of exposed concrete beams, radiating from the curved facade. There is a recess for telephones, with traces of the original three separate kiosks still visible in the flooring. The wall tiling is all of recent date. One unusual feature is a 'Festival of Britain' style display unit running along the curve of the inside façade wall. It comprises a projecting white-painted concrete picture frame pierced by slender black piloti, with a bronze display panel at each end.

PLATFORM: From the back of the ticket hall, a sweeping stair leads to the central island platform. The platform has steel canopies incorporating a brick enclosure. This has a glazed waiting room, complete with original timber benches, at its west end and its external walls have the original poster display panels with black tile surrounds. All other platform furniture is modern.

End of official list entry

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