The Open Guide to London: the free London guide - Differences between Version 4 and Version 3 of Locale Acton

• Postal District: W3
• Local Government authority: London Borough of Ealing

Acton comes from the Anglo-Saxon, meaning Oak Town. Acton was a village before the urban sprawl of the early twentieth century, when many people including property developers and builders moved into the area.

What Acton is famous for

• Soapsud Island

In the 1920s, Acton became famous for being a centre for launderies. This provided employment for the area, later to be supplanted and replaced by engineering firms.

• Site of an aerodrome

What is currently the Park Royal leisure complex (aka Acton Park Warner Village), and the Concorde Way industrial park, was a very important air field in WWII.

• BBC people

Being situated midway between Ealing studios, and Shepherd's Bush, many BBC types lived (and still do live) in Acton.

Also, Acton has been used as a film shoot location for Minder, Only Fools and Horses, Eastenders and Monty Python.

Stations

There are four tube stations and three surface stations with Acton in the name:

• North Acton, East Acton, West Acton - Central line
• Acton Town - Piccadilly and District lines
• Acton Central, South Acton - Silverlink North London line
• Acton Mainline - Thames Trains service to Paddington and Ealing Broadway

Pubs

Acton has many pubs, but very few good pubs.

Recommendations: --IvorW

• The King's Head - Fullers
• The Red Lion and Pineapple - Wetherspoons

For More Information

See AJK's site which has photographs and information on the history of Acton

Neighbouring locales: Ealing / Park Royal / Shepherd's Bush / Harlesden / Chiswick / Hammersmith