Talk:Acton, London/Archive 1

City
Acton isn't part of any city but is, rather, in a London borough (or two). It has become part of the urban area surrounding London. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 217.206.112.162 (talk • contribs) 14:51, 2 March 2006.

Road
Isn't it still on a main road between London and Oxford? Maybe it isn't the principal such road any more. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 217.206.112.162 (talk • contribs) 15:23, 24 April 2006.


 * Rightish with the second sentence I think. The principle road now would be the dualled A40 - it does still go through North Acton / Park Royal but I'm guessing the article's "former main road between London and Oxford [with] several inns along it" refers to the High St / The Vale / Uxbridge Rd (A4020). Stevekeiretsu 18:54, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

East Acton
Is one right in assuming that east Acton wasn't part of Acton municipal borough? If that's the case, there needs to be rewording. Regardless of the history, Acton is now effectively two places on either side of the boundary between the Ealing and H&F boroughs. Alternatively, one might say that it is one place in two boroughs. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 217.206.112.162 (talk • contribs) 18:10, 15 March 2006.


 * Actually its East Acton which is split between boroughs. East Acton is bounded on the west by the North London Line and stretches over Old Oak Common Lane, which is the border with H&F Ian oli 10:01, 24 March 2007 (UTC)

Derive
Does Acton derive from the Anglo-Saxon for oak town or is it the Anglo-Saxon for oak-town? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 217.206.112.162 (talk • contribs) 15:22, 24 April 2006.
 * See correction to this bit - the name means oak farm, not town, which makes sense. Incidentally, Room's book cited seems a pretty reliable source. Patche99z 16:00, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
 * Another gloss on OE tun is fenced, or otherwise enclosed, area. One source allows town as a meaning.

picture
Anybody got a camera? The area to the west of St Mary's Anglican church has now been tidied up and, though less interesting than it was, is better than the current picture suggests. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 80.189.136.44 (talk) 13:45, 13 January 2007 (UTC).

I agree - the pictures make Acton look terrible (or at least not at its best). The new mount and church, town hall, swimming pool, parks, railway station(s) are far more interesting than a building site in front of the church. 155.198.224.89 18:01, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Great new photos! 155.198.224.50 17:02, 21 February 2007 (UTC)

What is the point of that picture of a road sign? As far as I can tell it's just a typical grotty road sign. It isn't very 'old' either. There are plenty of examples of much older (and more visually appealing) street signs around Acton. But the point is that you can find these in most towns hence this picture doesn't serve to describe the area at all and doesn't contribute to the page in any way. Might as well add a picture of a paving slab. I think it needs to be removed. 155.198.224.50 15:06, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

This road sign is fairly old and is unique to Acton. Furthermore fewer parts of Acton still have this type of road sign. I felt that by adding this photo others would be able to get an insight into what a residential road in Acton looks like, as opposed to the previous three photos which all show central Acton. In addition to this, I felt that a mere four photos was barely enough to make up a "Gallery" - people would get a broader understanding of the area with a varied range of photographs.

Nevertheless, if you feel this photograph is inappropriate, I will let others decide whether to revert the edit and put the image back up again.

Out of curiosity, how is it unique to Acton? I'm interested. Perhaps the significance of it could accompany the photograph. I very much agree that the page would gain from an insight into what a residential Acton road looks like, but I urge you to take another look at the street sign photo again and tell me how this gives an insight into a residential Acton road. There is no road in sight! 155.198.224.50 09:51, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

I think the road sign is quite unique to Acton, and I would be interested to know where else you have seen this style of road sign outside Acton. However, reading your comment, perhaps this image would be more appropriate:

Transport
The entry verges on point-of-view. Can the writer at least cite a source for the assertion that most residents and businesses oppose the tram? 4x4 drivers taking their children 500 yards to school may be vocal in their opposition, but is it the majority-view? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 80.189.136.44 (talk) 13:52, 13 January 2007 (UTC).

Yes I do agree. Will alter. Thought the tram was worth mentioning on the Acton page though - especially under the 'transport' heading. 155.198.224.89 18:01, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Above: "Thought the tram was worth mentioning on the Acton page though". It wasn't suggested that it wasn't worth mentioning.

Above: "It wasn't suggested that it wasn't worth mentioning." My statement wasn't intened in anyway to be defensive. I'm able to see (like you) that nobody cast doubt over my decision to mention the tram. It was mearly a statement - I though it was worth mentioning the tram so I did!155.198.224.50 13:33, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Above: The "though" in the post above is defensive, but this is no great matter!

The editing of the tube station list is good. It never made sense to include stations in other towns. Thanks. 155.198.224.50 14:16, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

I heard it said that the issue of the tram cost Labour Ealing council. I wonder if that is true.
 * I believe the tram is now scrapped.

trivia
Is it really trivial that a pop-group was founded there and the area has been used for filming? I do believe that the hell's grannies Monty Python sketch was filmed in the high street. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 80.189.136.44 (talk) 13:55, 13 January 2007 (UTC).

Again - good point. I think that the title needs changing there. 155.198.224.89 18:01, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

On second thoughts, I think the title 'trivia' is appropriate. It is fairly trivial where the Who were born. It's their contribution to music that is certainly not trivial!Skealey 20:47, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Other well known Acton people who I will add in when I can verify them:

Alan Rickman - went to Derwentwater school Sid James - lived in Gunnesbury Avenue Adam Faith - born Churchfield Rd Sean Connery Arthur Haynes Henry Fielding - novelist
 * None of this is trivial. This is an article about a London-suburb, for goodness' sake, not a nation. The fact that people of note were born and/or raised here is significant, even if, like me, you deprecate pop music and Carry on films.

Any other suggestions? Ian oli 10:20, 24 March 2007 (UTC)

It may be trivial in an article about the Who (whoever they are) were born, but, in an article about Acton it's significant.

recreation
"all manner of recreational facilities" is a bit POVish and not very encyclopedic. I'm not sure it's true, either. If one is going to suggest that Acton is a leisure-paradise, one might list a few more facilities, e.g. opera-house, art-gallery, abseiling-wall, planetarium. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 80.189.226.221 (talk) 19:13, 15 January 2007 (UTC).

I was trying to make it sound a bit more interesting and being slightly tongue-in-cheek. I do think that the page shouldn't be overly formal (but I do appreciate that this is an on-line encyclopedia) and think that the more readable and interesting the page is, the better...and sometimes it can be hard to make Acton sound interesting, so the more help here the better!Skealey 20:55, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Sorry to be a killjoy, but people come here for facts. If they want promotional text which "make[s] Acton sound interesting" they should go to a tourist-board. Wpedia is here to document, not to spin. Forgive me.

Tongue-in-cheek bit has gone. Point taken, but I'm not here to spin. I really think that Acton and its history IS interesting and I feel that it is entirely appropriate to convey that in the reasonable fashion that the main page does at the moment. Facts about the area's history and facilities are allowed to be interesting and don't neeed to be made to sound dull or like a list of facts. For example, it IS "noteworthy" that acton has seven railway stations and in this case, I believe to simply state "Acton has seven railways stations" is missing the point about the purpose of the document and its ability to convey facts in an educative, readable manner. As the page stands it is factually correct (I think) and reasonably interesting (I hope). Skealey 10:06, 17 January 2007 (UTC)

Above, we have "Facts about the area's history and facilities are allowed to be interesting and don't neeed to be made to sound dull". Agreed. Was never asking for that. What's needed is objectivity. Acton has seven railway stations is surely enough. There is still hype about pubs. I mean; it's a London suburb with pubs down the high street. There's "Acton hosts a range of recreational facilities". Oh do leave off. Just say what it's got. People won't believe an encyclopedia which hypes like that.

Above "Oh do leave off" - I'll give you that - the 'whole range of recreational facilities' is on its way out..

Hype about pubs - again, I agree. (I didn't write that).

I still think it's 'noteworthy' about the 7 railway stations though! Cannot see why this was removed when it's a fair comment and not at all about 'hype'. 155.198.224.50 13:39, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Understood about stations. Is it possible to assert, I wonder, that Acton has more stations than any other place in England?

W4
This is shown as an Acton postcode. In what way can a place in W4 be in Acton? If it is, is that because it's in Ealing-borough? In that case, can parts of Acton not in Ealing-borough be in Acton?

Postcodes boundaries do not always correspond to the town boundaries. This is the case here, it just so happens that Acton overlaps the W3/W4 boundary.
 * Are the places which are supposed to be Acton and which are in W4 also in Ealing borough? If so, I can understand why it is suggested that they are in Acton even though they're W4. However, if there are places which are in W4 and in Hounslow borough, I cannot see how they can be called Acton. If you're in W4 and Hounslow borough, where you are is Chiswick, guv.

On the topic of borough boundaries, from looking at the ward bounderies on the Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham websites, it seems that the East Acton ward lies in its entirity in Ealing borough. Any thing to the east of this is either in the 'College Park and Old Oak' ward or the 'Wormholt and White City' ward, both of which are in H&F.

So the question may be what 'town' are these two areas in? Well as previously stated by somebody else (see above) the Old oak area is considered to be in East Acton (although not the council ward). If that is the case then Acton spans both boroughs.

In 'cleaning up' the article the following section

"Acton lies predominantly in the London Borough of Ealing, although some of East Acton lies within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham."

Was changed to:

"Most of Acton is in the London Borough of Ealing while east Acton is in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham."

The latter is incorrect and the original entry was worded in such a way for a reason.155.198.224.50 12:24, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Understood. Kindly give the reason. Also, the two sentences mean much the same, with the latter being more directly and idiomatically expressed. "Lying predominantly" is lumpy. Is it suggested that some of east Acton is in Ealing borough? If so, what is the boundary between east Acton and the rest of Acton? Indeed, does east Acton exist other than as the part of Acton in H&F borough? Maybe

what's being referred to is an electoral ward. There is such a ward in Ealing, though no ward in H&F has Acton in its name. Are we sure that there is any Acton in H&F? This brings us, I suppose, to the philosophical concept of place-hood aka Acton-ness. What makes a place: postal district, local government division or other criterion/a?

Above: "Kindly give the reason" "Is it suggested that some of east Acton is in Ealing borough?" Please re-read my original posting.
 * Asking someone to reread a post isn't giving a reason.


 * Yes it is, when the original posting contains the reason. Obviously you missed it so I've cut and paste it from my original posting for you:

On the topic of borough boundaries, from looking at the ward bounderies on the Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham websites, it seems that the East Acton ward lies in its entirity in Ealing borough. Any thing to the east of this is either in the 'College Park and Old Oak' ward or the 'Wormholt and White City' ward, both of which are in H&F.

So the question may be what 'town' are these two areas in? Well as previously stated by somebody else (see above) the Old oak area is considered to be in East Acton (although not the council ward). If that is the case then Acton spans both boroughs.

In 'cleaning up' the article the following section

"Acton lies predominantly in the London Borough of Ealing, although some of East Acton lies within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham."

Was changed to:

"Most of Acton is in the London Borough of Ealing while east Acton is in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham."

The latter is incorrect and the original entry was worded in such a way for a reason.155.198.224.50 12:24, 22 June 2007 (UTC) 155.198.224.50 12:16, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

"This brings us, I suppose, to the philosophical concept of place-hood aka Acton-ness. What makes a place: postal district, local government division or other criterion/a?" Exactly - I've found that the Acton borders are surprisingly poorly defined and their location varies from person to person! 155.198.224.50 09:10, 3 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Sure, but this is an encyclopedia so we need something definitive. I suggest that current local government boundaries are what count. I suggest that Acton is the three wards with "Acton" in their names plus Southfield. It's as close as we can get, I fear, since there doesn't seem to be a place formally called Acton. The encyclopedia can also note that there are stations with Acton in their names, that there's Acton Green which few (even the most liberal Hounslow/W4 interpreters) would consider to be in Acton, and that W3 is somehow linked with the area. Isn't the reality, though, that Acton, like Berkshire, is abolished?

"I suggest that Acton is the three wards with "Acton" in their names plus Southfield" I'd already come to that conclusion. See the opening paragraph on the main page: "Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people".
 * Indeed, but not everyone here holds the view which you and I hold.

Acton definitely isn't abolished - It's a huge place with a high street etc and loads of railway stations. I live there too so can say for certain that it exists! The chiswick borders are equally hard to define. 155.198.224.50 12:25, 6 August 2007 (UTC)
 * To be encyclopedic we need to define its boundaries. An article on Berkshire could not duck the fact that it has no local government institution.

Part of Acton - and, indeed, Ealing Town itself - is in the London Borough of Hounslow and this is not the W4 post code. I have seen this on several road signs which lie on the borders between the boroughs (down Gunnersbury Ave.) and can also provide photographic evidence of this. Please see image in google street view for confirmation-> http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Acton&hl=en&ll=51.50039,-0.284097&spn=0.001251,0.002588&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=9.676196,21.203613&hnear=Acton,+Greater+London,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=51.50046,-0.284182&panoid=O1PsY2E58uIMxQl3Cm9--g&cbp=12,16.42,,3,-4.25

Suggest that this be mentioned in the article itself.

Acton's spa
Does anyone think Acton's spa was famous enough to warrant placing it in the  Category:Spa towns in England  or would that be over pedantic? It is just that I find that the halcyon images that form in my mind at the mention of a Spa town clash somewhat with the images that come to mind at the mention of Acton.--Aspro (talk) 11:48, 28 September 2008 (UTC)