Fenchurch Street railway station
Encyclopedia
Fenchurch Street railway station, also known as London Fenchurch Street, is a central London railway terminus in the south eastern corner of the City of London
, England. The station is one of the smallest terminals in London in terms of platforms and one of the most intensively operated. Uniquely among London railway termini, Fenchurch Street does not have a direct link to the London Underground
, but a second entrance at Crosswall (also known as the Tower entrance) is near to Tower Hill tube station
and Tower Gateway DLR station
, and Aldgate tube station
is also nearby. It is one of eighteen UK railway stations managed by Network Rail
.
is of grey stock brick and has a rounded gable
roof. In the 1870s a flat awning over the entrance was replaced with the zig-zag canopy
seen today. Above, the first floor facade has 11 round-arched windows, and above these is the station clock
, which has been returned to working order in recent years. The station has four platforms arranged on two islands elevated on a viaduct
. The station operates at capacity, especially during peak hours, thus making it impossible for another rail operator to serve Fenchurch Street. To avoid overcrowding of the station, trains arriving during the morning peak period use alternate island platforms whenever possible. Office blocks (including the 15 floor One America Square) have been built above the station platforms in two places with only one short section of canopied platform and another short section of exposed platform. The station has two exits; a main entrance to Fenchurch Place and another with access to Tower Hill
Underground Station. The main station concourse is arranged on two levels connected by stairs, escalators and lifts. There is a ticket office and automatic ticket barriers at each entrance and retail outlets located on both levels of the station.
and was opened on 20 July 1841 for the London and Blackwall Railway
(L&BR), replacing a nearby terminus at Minories
that had opened in July 1840. The station was rebuilt in 1854, following a design by George Berkley
, adding a vaulted
roof
and the main facade
. The station became the London terminus of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
(LT&SR) in 1858; additionally, from 1850 until the opening of Broad Street station in 1865 it was also the City terminus of the North London Railway
. The Great Eastern Railway
(GER) also used the station as an alternative to an increasingly overcrowded Liverpool Street station
for the last part of the 19th and first half of the 20th century over the routes of the former Eastern Counties Railway
. The L&BR effectively closed in 1926 after the cessation of passenger services east of Stepney
. When the former Eastern Counties lines transferred to the Central line
in 1948 the LT&SR became the sole user of the station.
network. An extension from the end of the existing track terminus at Charing Cross
to Fenchurch Street via Aldwych
and Ludgate Circus
would then have seen the line go on to a destination in East London, most probably via a new station at St Katharine Docks
. Political wrangling delayed the extension, despite being considered the highest priority transport project in the city, and when in 1999 the extension was finally completed as part of the Jubilee Line
the route did not go through Fenchurch Street
, but instead went south of the River before cutting back northwards at North Greenwich
. Fenchurch Street remains isolated from the London Underground network, although within close walking distance of Tower Hill tube station
. The station is served by London bus route 40.
, with services to east London
and south Essex
which call at stations including West Ham
, Barking
, Upminster
, Basildon
, Benfleet
, Chafford Hundred
(for Lakeside Shopping Centre
), Grays
, Tilbury
, Southend
and Shoeburyness
. The typical off peak service consists of eight trains per hour (tph) arriving and departing Fenchurch Street:
During peak periods services are increased to approximately 20 trains per hour with some trains operating between Laindon and London while others run non-stop to and from Benfleet.
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, England. The station is one of the smallest terminals in London in terms of platforms and one of the most intensively operated. Uniquely among London railway termini, Fenchurch Street does not have a direct link to 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...
, but a second entrance at Crosswall (also known as the Tower entrance) is near to Tower Hill tube station
Tower Hill tube station
Tower Hill is a London Underground station at Tower Hill in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1 and near the Tower of London...
and Tower Gateway DLR station
Tower Gateway DLR station
Tower Gateway is a Docklands Light Railway station near the Tower of London. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. It adjoins the tracks to Fenchurch Street station and is on the site of the closed Minories railway station....
, and Aldgate tube station
Aldgate tube station
Aldgate tube station is a London Underground station located at Aldgate in the City of London.The station is on the Circle Line between Tower Hill and Liverpool Street. It is also the eastern terminus of the Metropolitan Line...
is also nearby. It is one of eighteen UK railway stations managed by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
.
Design
The station facadeFacade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
is of grey stock brick and has a rounded gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
roof. In the 1870s a flat awning over the entrance was replaced with the zig-zag canopy
Canopy (building)
A canopy is an overhead roof or else a structure over which a fabric or metal covering is attached, able to provide shade or shelter. A canopy can also be a tent, generally without a floor....
seen today. Above, the first floor facade has 11 round-arched windows, and above these is the station clock
Clock
A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
, which has been returned to working order in recent years. The station has four platforms arranged on two islands elevated on a viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
. The station operates at capacity, especially during peak hours, thus making it impossible for another rail operator to serve Fenchurch Street. To avoid overcrowding of the station, trains arriving during the morning peak period use alternate island platforms whenever possible. Office blocks (including the 15 floor One America Square) have been built above the station platforms in two places with only one short section of canopied platform and another short section of exposed platform. The station has two exits; a main entrance to Fenchurch Place and another with access to Tower Hill
Tower Hill
Tower Hill is an elevated spot northwest of the Tower of London, just outside the limits of the City of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Formerly it was part of the Tower Liberty under the direct administrative control of Tower...
Underground Station. The main station concourse is arranged on two levels connected by stairs, escalators and lifts. There is a ticket office and automatic ticket barriers at each entrance and retail outlets located on both levels of the station.
History
The station was the first to be constructed inside the City; the original station was designed by William TiteWilliam Tite
Sir William Tite, CB was an English architect who served as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He was particularly associated with various London buildings, with railway stations and cemetery projects....
and was opened on 20 July 1841 for the London and Blackwall Railway
London and Blackwall Railway
Originally called the Commercial Railway, the London and Blackwall Railway was a railway line in east London, England. It ran from the Minories to Blackwall via Stepney, with a branch line to the Isle of Dogs, thus connecting central London to many of London's docks in the 19th and 20th centuries...
(L&BR), replacing a nearby terminus at Minories
Minories railway station
Minories railway station was a railway station located on the east side of Minories, near Tower Hill, London.It opened on 6 July 1840 as the City terminus for the London and Blackwall Railway . Minories was soon supplemented by a new station several hundred yards west, at Fenchurch Street, designed...
that had opened in July 1840. The station was rebuilt in 1854, following a design by George Berkley
George Berkley (engineer)
Sir George Berkley was a British civil engineer. Berkley was born in London. He designed the Colesberg Bridge, a 390 m Warren truss bridge built in 1885 over the Orange River in Colesberg, South Africa....
, adding a vaulted
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
roof
Roof
A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
and the main facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. The station became the London terminus of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway is an English railway line linking Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London with northeast London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area of southern Essex. It is currently known as the Essex Thameside Route by Network Rail...
(LT&SR) in 1858; additionally, from 1850 until the opening of Broad Street station in 1865 it was also the City terminus of the North London Railway
North London Railway
The North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
. 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...
(GER) also used the station as an alternative to an increasingly overcrowded Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool 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...
for the last part of the 19th and first half of the 20th century over the routes of the former Eastern Counties Railway
Eastern 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...
. The L&BR effectively closed in 1926 after the cessation of passenger services east of Stepney
Limehouse station
Limehouse station is a railway station located in the Limehouse district of east London. The station is in Travelcard Zone 2 and is served by Docklands Light Railway services and by National Rail services operated by c2c out of Fenchurch Street station...
. When the former Eastern Counties lines transferred to the 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...
in 1948 the LT&SR became the sole user of the station.
Connection to the Underground
In the 1970s Fenchurch Street was considered an integral part of the proposed Fleet Line. This would have brought it into the London UndergroundLondon 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...
network. An extension from the end of the existing track terminus at Charing Cross
Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station, also known as London Charing Cross, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 18 stations managed by Network Rail, and trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
to Fenchurch Street via Aldwych
Aldwych
Aldwych is a place and road in the City of Westminster in London, England.-Description:Aldwych, the road, is a crescent, connected to the Strand at both ends. At its centre, it meets the Kingsway...
and Ludgate Circus
Ludgate Circus
Ludgate Circus is a location in the City of London at the intersection of Farringdon Street / New Bridge Street with Fleet Street/Ludgate Hill....
would then have seen the line go on to a destination in East London, most probably via a new station at St Katharine Docks
St Katharine Docks
St Katharine Docks, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, were one of the commercial docks serving London, on the north side of the river Thames just east of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge...
. Political wrangling delayed the extension, despite being considered the highest priority transport project in the city, and when in 1999 the extension was finally completed as part of the Jubilee Line
Jubilee Line
The Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
the route did not go through Fenchurch Street
Fenchurch Street
Fenchurch Street is a street in the City of London home to a number of shops, pubs and offices. It links Aldgate at its eastern end with Lombard Street and Gracechurch Street to the west. To the south of Fenchurch Street and towards its eastern end is Fenchurch Street railway station...
, but instead went south of the River before cutting back northwards at North Greenwich
North Greenwich
North Greenwich is a 19th century name for the southern tip of the Isle of Dogs, located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It was named for the now defunct North Greenwich railway station , that served a former passenger ferry to Greenwich and stood near the later Island Gardens and...
. Fenchurch Street remains isolated from the London Underground network, although within close walking distance of Tower Hill tube station
Tower Hill tube station
Tower Hill is a London Underground station at Tower Hill in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1 and near the Tower of London...
. The station is served by London bus route 40.
Services
As of 2006, Fenchurch Street is served by c2cC2c
c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
, with services to east London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and south Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
which call at stations including West Ham
West Ham
West Ham is in the London Borough of Newham in London, England. In the west it is a post-industrial neighbourhood abutting the site of the London Olympic Park and in the east it is mostly residential, consisting of Victorian terraced housing interspersed with higher density post-War social housing...
, Barking
Barking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
, Upminster
Upminster
Upminster is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan, and comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential...
, Basildon
Basildon
Basildon is a town located in the Basildon District of the county of Essex, England.It lies east of Central London and south of the county town of Chelmsford...
, Benfleet
Benfleet
South Benfleet is a town in the Castle Point district of Essex, 30 miles east of London. The Benfleet post town includes South Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh. The Battle of Benfleet took place here between the Vikings and Saxons in 894....
, Chafford Hundred
Chafford Hundred
Chafford Hundred is a recent UK housing brownfield just outside Greater London between Grays and South Ockendon in the Borough of Thurrock. It is immediately adjacent to Lakeside Shopping Centre and West Thurrock...
(for Lakeside Shopping Centre
Lakeside Shopping Centre
The Lakeside Shopping Centre is a large out-of-town shopping centre located in West Thurrock, in the borough of Thurrock, Essex just beyond the eastern boundary of Greater London...
), Grays
Grays
Grays is the largest town in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex and one of the Thurrock's traditional parishes...
, Tilbury
Tilbury
Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. As a settlement it is of relatively recent existence, although it has important historical connections, being the location of a 16th century fort and an ancient cross-river ferry...
, Southend
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
and Shoeburyness
Shoeburyness
Shoeburyness is a town in southeast Essex, England, situated at the mouth of the river Thames Estuary. It is within the borough of Southend-on-Sea, and is situated at the far east of the borough, around east of Southend town centre...
. The typical off peak service consists of eight trains per hour (tph) arriving and departing Fenchurch Street:
| TPH | Destination | Route | Stopping pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Shoeburyness Shoeburyness railway station Shoeburyness is a railway station located in the small town of Shoeburyness in the borough and unitary district of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England. The station serves as the eastern terminus of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London,... |
via Basildon Basildon railway station Basildon is railway station located in Basildon, Essex, England. The station was opened in 1974. The Station is managed by and all train services are operated by c2c... |
not stopping at Limehouse, West Horndon or Pitsea |
| 2 | Shoeburyness | via Basildon | all stations |
| 2 | Southend Central Southend Central railway station Southend Central is a railway station on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway. Train services are provided by the National Express Group train operating company c2c... |
via Ockendon Ockendon railway station Ockendon station is a railway station located in South Ockendon in the borough of Thurrock, England. The station is located between Upminster and Chafford Hundred and is down the line from its London terminus at Fenchurch Street. The station is located on a passing loop of a single track branch... |
all stations |
| 2 | Grays Grays railway station Grays railway station is a railway station located in the town of Grays in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in the East of England. Although outside London fare zones 1 to 6, the station became part of the Oyster card pay-as-you-go rail network in January 2010.-History:It was opened in... |
via Rainham Rainham railway station (London) Rainham railway station is located in Rainham, in the London Borough of Havering in northeast London, England. It is in London fare zone 6 and is managed, and passenger train services are provided, by c2c. The station was opened in 1854 as part of the original route of the London, Tilbury and... |
all stations |
During peak periods services are increased to approximately 20 trains per hour with some trains operating between Laindon and London while others run non-stop to and from Benfleet.
In media
- Fenchurch Street is one of the four stations featured in the standard UK edition of the game of MonopolyMonopoly (game)Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
.
- The character Fenchurch in Douglas AdamsDouglas AdamsDouglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
' So Long, and Thanks for All the FishSo Long, and Thanks for All the FishSo Long, and Thanks for All the Fish is the fourth book of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy" written by Douglas Adams. Its title is the message left by the dolphins when they departed Planet Earth just before it was demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass, as described in The...
was named after Fenchurch Street station, where she was conceived in the ticket queue.
- The name of the clothing brand FenchurchFenchurch (clothing)Fenchurch is a company and brand of skater clothing, based in Acton, London, England. Although a relatively new brand, it has quickly become a significant part of the urban fashion scene.-History:...
is derived from the station.
- In Jerome K. JeromeJerome K. JeromeJerome Klapka Jerome was an English writer and humorist, best known for the humorous travelogue Three Men in a Boat.Jerome was born in Caldmore, Walsall, England, and was brought up in poverty in London...
's novel Three Men on the BummelThree Men on the BummelThree Men on the Bummel is a humorous novel by Jerome K. Jerome. It was published in 1900, eleven years after his most famous work, Three Men in a Boat ....
, the characters start their journey in Fenchurch Street station.
- In the 2005 film Green StreetGreen StreetGreen Street is a 2005 British/American independent drama film about football hooliganism in England. It was directed by Lexi Alexander and stars Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam. In the United States and Australia, the film is called Green Street Hooligans, while in the United Kingdom it has the...
, Fenchurch street is used to represent Manchester Piccadilly
External links
- Station information on Fenchurch Street railway station from Network RailNetwork RailNetwork Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...