Chingford railway station
Encyclopedia
Chingford Station stands on the edge of Epping Forest
, and serves the suburb of Chingford
in North-east London.
had begun its venture into a main line railway that would head north to compete with the Great Northern
. Limited funds and incessant squabbling had slowed its progress.
After the merger with several other lines, the ECR became part of the Great Eastern Railway
. The GER planned a network of lines to serve countryside around London by its Metropolitan Station and Railways Act of 1864. It also planned a line to High Beach
to serve Epping Forest, which in the event, reached a terminus in Bull Lane, Chingford, in 1873. In 1878 the little station that had served the village well and had been placed near to the village green, was replaced by a much more grandiose station on the very edge of town, overlooking the forest. The extension of the railway by only 600 yards to a place far less useful to the local population was purely an attempt to trap tourist traffic to the forest, and also to stimulate suburban growth in the fields surrounding it. The rail line had been doubled and the new station built as a through station, with its platforms and tracks leading out onto an embankment ready to leap across the newly named Station Road and enter the forest.
The railway itself by means of its positioning had fostered new interest in the forest as a trip destination and the popularity of this Crown land and its impending loss to development was not unnoticed. In 1882 none other than Queen Victoria
herself came by train to Chingford and declared the forest open to the public forever. The railway that had encouraged so much interest and carried the Royal party to the very edge of town was now stumped as any new development on the forest lands would be strictly controlled. However, the Chingford Rise Estate company developed land to the south with large villas, some of which now sell for over £1 million each.
Chingford station became a commuter terminal and was eventually truncated to make way for a bus station. The line no longer towers over the forest, but hides quietly behind the bustle of Station Road, its electric trains now transporting workers into the city, rather than helping the masses to escape it.
The station building is relatively unchanged since its 1878 construction, and still carries the grandeur that accompanied the railway schemes of the late 19th century.
There is a plastic owl situated in the underside of the canopy over platform two, just outside the newsagent
's. This was an attempt to stop pigeons landing there.
The typical off-peak service is:
Epping Forest
Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London and Essex. It is a former royal forest, and is managed by the City of London Corporation....
, and serves the suburb of Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
in North-east London.
History
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...
had begun its venture into a main line railway that would head north to compete with the Great Northern
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
. Limited funds and incessant squabbling had slowed its progress.
After the merger with several other lines, the ECR became part of the Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
. The GER planned a network of lines to serve countryside around London by its Metropolitan Station and Railways Act of 1864. It also planned a line to High Beach
High Beach
High Beach also known as High Beech is a hamlet located within Epping Forest. Epping is located to the north east and Central London at Charing Cross lies approximately to the south west.-Description:...
to serve Epping Forest, which in the event, reached a terminus in Bull Lane, Chingford, in 1873. In 1878 the little station that had served the village well and had been placed near to the village green, was replaced by a much more grandiose station on the very edge of town, overlooking the forest. The extension of the railway by only 600 yards to a place far less useful to the local population was purely an attempt to trap tourist traffic to the forest, and also to stimulate suburban growth in the fields surrounding it. The rail line had been doubled and the new station built as a through station, with its platforms and tracks leading out onto an embankment ready to leap across the newly named Station Road and enter the forest.
The railway itself by means of its positioning had fostered new interest in the forest as a trip destination and the popularity of this Crown land and its impending loss to development was not unnoticed. In 1882 none other than Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
herself came by train to Chingford and declared the forest open to the public forever. The railway that had encouraged so much interest and carried the Royal party to the very edge of town was now stumped as any new development on the forest lands would be strictly controlled. However, the Chingford Rise Estate company developed land to the south with large villas, some of which now sell for over £1 million each.
Chingford station became a commuter terminal and was eventually truncated to make way for a bus station. The line no longer towers over the forest, but hides quietly behind the bustle of Station Road, its electric trains now transporting workers into the city, rather than helping the masses to escape it.
The station building is relatively unchanged since its 1878 construction, and still carries the grandeur that accompanied the railway schemes of the late 19th century.
There is a plastic owl situated in the underside of the canopy over platform two, just outside the newsagent
Newsagent
A newsagent's shop , newsagency or newsstand is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and often items of local interest. In Britain and Australia, these businesses are termed newsagents...
's. This was an attempt to stop pigeons landing there.
Transport Link
London Buses routes 97, 179, 212, 313, 379, 385,397,444, LSP routes 505, 845 and Night routes N26.Services
The maximum carriages for any service departing from Chingford Station is 8 carriages.The typical off-peak service is:
- 4tph to Liverpool StreetLiverpool Street stationLiverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...