Hayes & Harlington to West Drayton – October 2023

Neither of these looked particularly interesting so we decided to walk between the two, covering two stations with one visit. Following the first part of section 11 of the London Loop the walk proved a little longer than we had anticipated taking in a stretch of the Grand Union Canal towpath, Stockley Park and the golf Course before descending back down to the canal to arrive at West Drayton station. Interesting things we learned: Hayes & Harlington Vinyl Factory was the first UK home of gramophone record production in 1898, later owned by EMI; Stockley Park is the home of VAR; West Drayton was a centre of brick production for over 100 years and these could be easily transported by canal to London; London Loop instructions are not always easy to follow; if you dither and stop for coffee, as did the first group (4+ hours), the walk takes much longer than if you just keep going - which is why the second group covered the same distance in less than 2hrs.