Isambard Kingdom Brunel left two of his works in Hanwell. The Wharncliffe Viaduct, his first major structure, carries the Great Western Railway across the Brent valley on brick arches, and at Three Bridges he stacked a road, a canal and a railway on top of each other in one tight crossing. Below them, the Hanwell Flight of locks steps the Grand Union Canal down the hill. Hanwell itself is a leafy, family neighbourhood with a clock tower on the Broadway and a small zoo in the park. Minibus hire Hanwell customers book is mostly weddings and family events, Heathrow runs and outings.
Hanwell sits in the west of Ealing borough, between Ealing, Southall, Greenford and Boston Manor, with the Uxbridge Road running through it. From our base in SE1, it's about forty-five minutes outside the rush hour, along the A4 or the A40.
Minibus hire Hanwell for weddings
St Mary's, the parish church on the hill above the Brent, and the other churches in Hanwell host weddings and christenings, and couples also marry at Ealing's register office or at venues across west London. Receptions take place at halls, golf clubs and hotels in Ealing, Southall and around Heathrow.
The minibus collects guests from homes or hotels, drops at the church, carries on to the reception and does the late runs home. St Mary's sits at the end of a narrow lane on the edge of the park, so we'll agree the drop-off and waiting point in advance. Many Hanwell weddings have guests flying in, and we can collect them from Heathrow the day before. Brent Lodge Park, beside the church, makes a good spot for photographs among the trees.
Heathrow runs from Hanwell
Heathrow is about twenty to thirty minutes from Hanwell outside the rush hour, via the A4 and the M4 or the A312. Families flying out with luggage, children and grandparents book us for the run, and the Elizabeth line at Hanwell station is quick for one or two people but awkward with cases and buggies.
Luton is about fifty minutes, Gatwick about an hour and Stansted about an hour and a quarter. For relatives landing, the driver will be in arrivals when they come through. For a summer holiday, booking both legs at once means the return is sorted before the family leaves.
The locks, the viaduct and canal walks
The Hanwell Flight, six locks that lift the canal more than fifty feet, is one of the most attractive stretches of the Grand Union, and the towpath leads past Three Bridges and on towards Southall and Brentford. Walking groups, school geography trips and families book us to drop at one end of a canal walk and collect at the other. The locks are busiest with narrowboats on summer weekends, and watching them work is half the fun for younger children.
The Wharncliffe Viaduct crosses the Brent River Park, where the river runs through meadows and woodland, and the park suits a school nature trip or a family picnic.
Hanwell Zoo and the parks
Hanwell Zoo, in Brent Lodge Park, is a small, friendly animal centre with meerkats, monkeys, birds and reptiles, and a big favourite with nurseries and primary schools, with free entry and donations welcome. Brent Lodge Park also has a maze, a playground and a café. Elthorne Park and Churchfields have more open space, sports pitches and room for a picnic.
Nurseries, childminders and primary schools book us for outings to the zoo, with the drop at the park entrance and the pickup at the time you set. Hanwell's schools also book us for museum visits, swimming and sports fixtures.
The Broadway and family celebrations
Hanwell Broadway, around the clock tower, has restaurants, pubs and cafés, and groups book us for birthday dinners and anniversary meals there and in Ealing. The Viaduct pub and the bars around the clock tower are popular on a Friday night, and the driver can collect from the Broadway at the end. Hanwell also has a strong music scene, with live gigs in local pubs and the Hanwell Hootie, a free music festival held in the summer.
For family events, guests are collected from homes across Hanwell and West Ealing and dropped back at the end.
The Uxbridge Road and the clock tower
The Uxbridge Road runs through Hanwell, and it's busy with buses, bus lanes and traffic most of the day, especially around the clock tower junction and the Broadway. Boston Road and Greenford Avenue are the other two main routes, and both slow at peak times. The streets around St Mary's and the river are narrow. Minibus hire Hanwell families book for a Saturday wedding is planned with time for the Broadway, and pickups happen on side roads.
For minibus hire in Hanwell, call 020 7183 0567.