Blake Hall tube station
Encyclopedia
Blake Hall station is a disused station in Essex, formerly on the Central Line
of the London Underground
between North Weald
and Ongar
. It was named after Blake Hall
, a country house located a mile or so to the north east of the station in the village of Bobbingworth
, and inhabited by a family of substantial local land owners. The station was built as part of the landlord's agreement to build a railway through his land.
on 1 April 1865, serving principally as a goods station
taking agricultural produce from the nearby farms into central London. Steam locomotive
s operated by British Railways for the Underground ran a shuttle service from Epping
to Ongar (stopping at Blake Hall) from 1949 to 1957, when the line was electrified and taken over by the Underground's Central Line
. On 18 April 1966 the goods yard was closed.
The station subsequently became known as the least used on the entire Underground (fare subsidies provided on the rest of the underground system were not provided on this part of the line because local government agencies for Essex and London failed to agree on their respective public transport responsibilities, and Blake Hall station was located a considerable distance from any substantial settlement). By the time it was closed on 31 October 1981, the station was reported to have only six passengers a day. The entire Epping to Ongar branch was closed 13 years later, on 30 September 1994. The station building still exists but has since been converted into a private home.
The small coal depot at the western end of the station was closed in the early 1960s, soon after the line's electrification, and the passenger platform has now also been demolished.
by the Epping Ongar Railway
.
Central Line
The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
between North Weald
North Weald tube station
North Weald tube station is a former London Underground station in Essex, England. Located between Epping and Blake Hall stations on the Central line the station is part of the Epping Ongar Railway...
and Ongar
Ongar tube station
Ongar tube station is a former London Underground station in the town of Chipping Ongar, Essex. Until its closure in 1994, it was the easternmost point of the Central line, and from 1961 until closure, it held the distinction of being the London Underground station farthest from Central...
. It was named after Blake Hall
Blake Hall
Blake Hall is a country house and gardens near Chipping Ongar in Essex.The house is based around an original fabric dating from the 17th century or older, but was largely rebuilt in the 18th century and later remodelled by George Basevi in 1822. It was home of the Capel Cure family for over 200...
, a country house located a mile or so to the north east of the station in the village of Bobbingworth
Bobbingworth
Bobbingworth is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located about northwest of Chipping Ongar and is west from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district of Epping Forest and the parliamentary constituency of Brentwood & Ongar. According to the 2001 census it...
, and inhabited by a family of substantial local land owners. The station was built as part of the landlord's agreement to build a railway through his land.
History
The station was first opened by the Eastern Counties RailwayEastern Counties Railway
The Eastern Counties Railway was an early English railway company incorporated in 1836. It was intended to link London with Ipswich via Colchester, and then on to Norwich and Yarmouth. Construction began in late March 1837 on the first nine miles, at the London end of the line.Construction was...
on 1 April 1865, serving principally as a goods station
Goods station
A goods station is, in the widest sense, a railway station which is exclusively or predominantly where goods of any description are loaded or unloaded from ships or road vehicles and/or where goods wagons are transferred to local sidings.A station where goods are not specifically received or...
taking agricultural produce from the nearby farms into central London. Steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s operated by British Railways for the Underground ran a shuttle service from Epping
Epping tube station
Epping on the London Underground is the north-eastern terminus of the Central Line. The station before Epping is Theydon Bois, which is about three minutes travelling time away. Epping station is in the Epping Forest District of Essex...
to Ongar (stopping at Blake Hall) from 1949 to 1957, when the line was electrified and taken over by the Underground's Central Line
Central Line
The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
. On 18 April 1966 the goods yard was closed.
The station subsequently became known as the least used on the entire Underground (fare subsidies provided on the rest of the underground system were not provided on this part of the line because local government agencies for Essex and London failed to agree on their respective public transport responsibilities, and Blake Hall station was located a considerable distance from any substantial settlement). By the time it was closed on 31 October 1981, the station was reported to have only six passengers a day. The entire Epping to Ongar branch was closed 13 years later, on 30 September 1994. The station building still exists but has since been converted into a private home.
The small coal depot at the western end of the station was closed in the early 1960s, soon after the line's electrification, and the passenger platform has now also been demolished.
Epping Ongar Railway
The line passing the station site is now private, run as a heritage railwayHeritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
by the Epping Ongar Railway
Epping Ongar Railway
The Epping Ongar Railway operates on a preserved railway along the final section of the old Great Eastern Railway and London Underground Central Line branch line between Epping and Ongar, with an intermediate station at North Weald...
.