Trains & Planes at: Acton Mainline, GWML, 02/05/26

A very enjoyable session spent at Acton Mainline on the Great Western Mainline where we see services from Great Western Railway, Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line and various airlines passing overhead from Heathrow Airport.

The station was opened in 1868 by Great Western Railway, when it was opened it was originally called Acton.

It was renamed Acton Mainline in 1949 after British Rail was brought into affect.

By 1947 the station was extended to four platforms to cope with the growing demand, all platforms were covered by wooden canopies, there was also a siding next to platform 1. But this was removed in the late 1960s.

The Victorian station building was removed in 1974 and replaced with a smaller booking office as the importance of the station lessened over the years.

The line through the station was electrified in the 1990s for the Heathrow Express project.

Acton Mainline is most well known for the large freight marshalling yard that was built there. The yard is still in use to this day but is done so on a much reduced scale. As seen from my visit here today where the only freight working was a DB container train parked up for the duration.

You can get lucky with your visits here and get a great amount of freight passing through.

My next station will be Gatwick Airport on the Brighton Mainline.

You can find me on Facebook through the group Tornado922, there you will find regular updates, videos and photos from all of my goings on throughout 2026.

You can also find me on Instagram through the name tornado922 where it isn't just rail related content that I produce.

You can also find me on TikTok under the name Tornado_922