Roding Valley tube station
Encyclopedia
Roding Valley is a London Underground
station situated in Buckhurst Hill
in the Epping Forest
district of Essex
immediately to the north of the border with Woodford in the London Borough of Redbridge
. The station is between Chigwell
and Woodford
stations, on the Central Line. It is located in Station Way and Cherry Tree Rise (off Buckhurst Way). Since 2 January 2007, the station has been in Travelcard Zone 4
.
With roughly 201,000 passengers a year, Roding Valley is the least-used station on the entire Underground network, passenger numbers have remained flat for the period 2008-2010.
(GER) on its Woodford to Ilford
line (the Fairlop Loop
). The station was not opened until 3 February 1936 by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER, successor to the GER). It was originally named "Roding Valley Halt" (though while the full name appeared on tickets and timetables, the word "Halt" appeared on only some of the station signage), and was opened to serve new housing developments between Buckhurst Hill and Woodford. It was named after the River Roding
which is close by, to the east. The track rises towards Chigwell and crosses the Roding over an impressive viaduct. Woodford Junction, where the Hainault branch leaves the main Central Line to Epping
, is very close to the station - Roding Valley's platforms are visible from the train in either direction between Woodford and Buckhurst Hill (on the left of the train towards Woodford).
As part of the 1935–1940 "New Works Programme" of the London Passenger Transport Board
the majority of the Woodford to Ilford
loop was to be transferred to form the eastern extensions of the Central line. Although work started in 1938 it was suspended at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 and work was only was resumed in 1946. In connection with the alterations required for the electrification of the line, the station was closed from 29 November 1947. It reopened, with its present name, and was first served by the Central Line from 21 November 1948. The rather basic station buildings (all-wooden on the Woodford-bound side) were replaced by more substantial structures by 1949.
From the mid 1960s until the early 1990s the Woodford-Hainault section was largely operated separately from the rest of the Central Line, using four-car (later three-car) trains of 1960 Stock. The three car units had a 1938 tube stock middle carriage. These trains were adapted for Automatic Train Operation
(ATO): the Woodford-Hainault section became the testing ground for ATO on the Victoria Line. Some Victoria Line (1967 Stock) trains were also used to operate this section and named FACT, 'Fully Automatic Controlled Train'. The separate operation has now been abolished, the 1960 Stock withdrawn and through trains to Central London now operate, albeit via Hainault. Because of this, it is normally quicker to travel to Woodford and change there, as trains to central London run frequently from that point. At the build up to the peak periods, some trains starting from Hainault depot operate to central London via Grange Hill, Chigwell, Roding Valley and Woodford, although this service is provided merely for operating convenience rather than passenger demand.
Roding Valley is the most lightly used station on the Underground, and Since 5 February 2006 this has been one of the small number of stations on the network to have no staffed ticket office, however staff are available 24 hours a day for customer information and the train service has been extended to midnight to take into account the rising passenger numbers. It is also one of the very few tube stations not to have ticket barriers.
Before this, the ticket office was only staffed for a few hours every week to allow the sale of period Travelcard
s and other season tickets. In the 1980s the station had a foreman, a ticket office clerk and two railmen, one of whom sold tickets on the Woodford bound (inner rail) platform using a Gibson machine, the other collecting tickets on the Chigwell bound (outer rail) platform.
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...
station situated in Buckhurst Hill
Buckhurst Hill
Buckhurst Hill is an affluent suburban town in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. Located adjacent to the northern boundary of Greater London, it forms part of the Greater London Urban Area.- Overview :...
in the Epping Forest
Epping Forest (district)
Epping Forest is a local government district of the county of Essex, England. It is named after Epping Forest, of which the district contains a large part...
district of 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...
immediately to the north of the border with Woodford in the London Borough of Redbridge
London Borough of Redbridge
The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in outer north-east London. Its administrative headquarters is at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford. The local authority is Redbridge London Borough Council.-Etymology:...
. The station is between Chigwell
Chigwell tube station
Chigwell is a London Underground station at Chigwell in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located on the Hainault Loop of the Central Line and is between Grange Hill and Roding Valley stations...
and Woodford
Woodford tube station
Woodford is a London Underground station in Woodford in the London Borough of Redbridge, United Kingdom.The station is on the Central Line between South Woodford and Buckhurst Hill. The station is also a terminus for services via the Hainault loop....
stations, on the Central Line. It is located in Station Way and Cherry Tree Rise (off Buckhurst Way). Since 2 January 2007, the station has been in Travelcard Zone 4
Travelcard Zone 4
Fare zone 4 is a zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services...
.
With roughly 201,000 passengers a year, Roding Valley is the least-used station on the entire Underground network, passenger numbers have remained flat for the period 2008-2010.
History
The tracks through Roding Valley were opened on 1 May 1903 by the Great Eastern RailwayGreat 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) on its Woodford to Ilford
Ilford railway station
Ilford railway station is a suburban National Rail station located in Ilford in the London Borough of Redbridge. Passenger services are operated by National Express East Anglia and most trains run between Shenfield and Liverpool Street...
line (the Fairlop Loop
Fairlop Loop
The Fairlop Loop was a 6.5-mile branch line of the Great Eastern Railway . It opened to freight on 20 April 1903 and to passengers on 1 May 1903. It connected Woodford on the Ongar branch to Ilford on the Main Line, along with an eastward freight connection for freight, excursions and stock...
). The station was not opened until 3 February 1936 by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER, successor to the GER). It was originally named "Roding Valley Halt" (though while the full name appeared on tickets and timetables, the word "Halt" appeared on only some of the station signage), and was opened to serve new housing developments between Buckhurst Hill and Woodford. It was named after the River Roding
River Roding
The River Roding is a river in England that rises near Dunmow, flows through Essex and forms Barking Creek as it reaches the River Thames in London....
which is close by, to the east. The track rises towards Chigwell and crosses the Roding over an impressive viaduct. Woodford Junction, where the Hainault branch leaves the main Central Line to 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...
, is very close to the station - Roding Valley's platforms are visible from the train in either direction between Woodford and Buckhurst Hill (on the left of the train towards Woodford).
As part of the 1935–1940 "New Works Programme" of the London Passenger Transport Board
London Passenger Transport Board
The London Passenger Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1933 to 1948...
the majority of the Woodford to Ilford
Ilford
Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...
loop was to be transferred to form the eastern extensions of the Central line. Although work started in 1938 it was suspended at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 and work was only was resumed in 1946. In connection with the alterations required for the electrification of the line, the station was closed from 29 November 1947. It reopened, with its present name, and was first served by the Central Line from 21 November 1948. The rather basic station buildings (all-wooden on the Woodford-bound side) were replaced by more substantial structures by 1949.
Automatic train operation
Automatic train operation ensures partial or complete automatic train piloting and driverless functions.Most systems elect to maintain a driver to mitigate risks associated with failures or emergencies....
(ATO): the Woodford-Hainault section became the testing ground for ATO on the Victoria Line. Some Victoria Line (1967 Stock) trains were also used to operate this section and named FACT, 'Fully Automatic Controlled Train'. The separate operation has now been abolished, the 1960 Stock withdrawn and through trains to Central London now operate, albeit via Hainault. Because of this, it is normally quicker to travel to Woodford and change there, as trains to central London run frequently from that point. At the build up to the peak periods, some trains starting from Hainault depot operate to central London via Grange Hill, Chigwell, Roding Valley and Woodford, although this service is provided merely for operating convenience rather than passenger demand.
Roding Valley is the most lightly used station on the Underground, and Since 5 February 2006 this has been one of the small number of stations on the network to have no staffed ticket office, however staff are available 24 hours a day for customer information and the train service has been extended to midnight to take into account the rising passenger numbers. It is also one of the very few tube stations not to have ticket barriers.
Before this, the ticket office was only staffed for a few hours every week to allow the sale of period Travelcard
Travelcard
The Travelcard is an inter-modal travel ticket for unlimited use on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, Tramlink, London Buses and National Rail services in the Greater London area. Travelcards can be purchased for a period of time varying from one day to a year,...
s and other season tickets. In the 1980s the station had a foreman, a ticket office clerk and two railmen, one of whom sold tickets on the Woodford bound (inner rail) platform using a Gibson machine, the other collecting tickets on the Chigwell bound (outer rail) platform.
Services
Typical off-peak services are:- 3 trains per hour to Ealing BroadwayEaling Broadway stationEaling Broadway is an east-west National Rail and London Underground station in Ealing in west London. The station is located in Haven Green , at the termination of The Broadway, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
via HainaultHainault tube stationHainault is a London Underground station on the Central Line in Hainault in the London Borough of Redbridge. Since 2 January 2007 the station is in Travelcard Zone 4. This station is home to one of the three Central Line depots.-History:... - 3 trains per hour to WoodfordWoodford tube stationWoodford is a London Underground station in Woodford in the London Borough of Redbridge, United Kingdom.The station is on the Central Line between South Woodford and Buckhurst Hill. The station is also a terminus for services via the Hainault loop....
Transport links
| Route Number | Route | Via | Operator | Operation |
| 549 | South Woodford Station South Woodford tube station South Woodford tube station is a London Underground station on the Central Line, between Snaresbrook and Woodford in Zone 4.-History:The station opened as South Woodford on 22 August 1856 as part of the Eastern Counties Railway branch to Loughton, which was eventually extended to Epping and... to Loughton Station Loughton tube station Loughton is a London Underground station, some two miles north of the Greater London boundary, in the Epping Forest district of Essex.It is served by the Central Line and lies between Buckhurst Hill and Debden... |
Woodford Woodford tube station Woodford is a London Underground station in Woodford in the London Borough of Redbridge, United Kingdom.The station is on the Central Line between South Woodford and Buckhurst Hill. The station is also a terminus for services via the Hainault loop.... , Roding Valley Roding Valley tube station Roding Valley is a London Underground station situated in Buckhurst Hill in the Epping Forest district of Essex immediately to the north of the border with Woodford in the London Borough of Redbridge. The station is between Chigwell and Woodford stations, on the Central Line. It is located in... Buckhurst Hill Buckhurst Hill tube station Buckhurst Hill is a London Underground station, just outside of London, in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is served by the Central Line and is between Woodford and Loughton.-History:... |
Docklands Buses Docklands Buses Docklands Buses is one of many bus companies operating contracted services on behalf of London Buses.-History:The company was formed by Transit Holdings in 1993 as 'Docklands Transit'. It initially operated local commercial routes using minibuses, but these proved not to be viable so it switched to... |
Mon-Sat except evenings. London Buses London Buses London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme... service. Times |