Upminster Bridge tube station
Encyclopedia
Upminster Bridge tube station is a London Underground
station on Upminster Road in the Upminster Bridge
neighbourhood of the London Borough of Havering
in northeast London
, England. The station is on the District line
and is the penultimate station on the eastern extremity of that line. The station was opened on 17 December 1934 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
on the local electrified tracks between Upminster
and Barking
that were constructed in 1932. The main station building is of a distinctive polygonal design. It has low usage for a suburban station with 0.93 million entries and exits during 2008.
from Fenchurch Street
and Barking was constructed through the Upminster Bridge area in 1885, with stations at Hornchurch
and Upminster
. The Whitechapel and Bow Railway opened in 1902 and allowed through services of the Metropolitan District Railway
to operate to Upminster. The Metropolitan District converted to electric trains in 1905 and services were cut back to East Ham. Delayed by World War I
, electrified tracks were extended by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
to Upminster and through services resumed in 1932. The Metropolitan District Railway was incorporated into London Transport
in 1933, and became known as the District line
.
The new tracks built by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway allowed additional intermediate stations to be constructed on the local lines between 1932 and 1935. Increased local demand was caused by the expansion of the built up area of suburban London during the interwar period
. The station at Upminster Bridge opened with platforms on the local electric lines on 17 December 1934. The station was operated by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway but was only served by District line
trains. After nationalisation of the railways in 1948
management of the station passed to British Rail
ways and in 1969 ownership transferred to the London Underground
.
The station consists of a central island platform
between the tracks that are elevated on a railway embankment. There are four tracks through the site. The platforms are located on the northern pair of tracks with another pair to the south used by c2c
outer suburban services. The full length of the platform is covered by a single station canopy with a central waiting room. The Art Deco
red brick ticket office is located below platform level to which it is connected by a subway and stairway. Although similar to the other single-storey station buildings on this part of the route, it is notable for its high atrium roof and polygonal shape. The floor is tiled with a reversed swastika
pattern, a popular decorative design at the time the station was constructed.
As part of the public–private partnership arrangement for maintenance of the London Underground, the station was refurbished by Metronet
during 2005 and 2006. Works included provision of tactile strips and colour contrasted handrails for the visually impaired, installation of closed-circuit television camera
s, passenger help points, new electronic departure information displays on the platforms, a new public address system, and improved lighting. The station does not have step free access from the platforms to the street.
. The river was the boundary between the ancient parishes of Hornchurch
and Upminster
and the station is located on the western Hornchurch side. The station is situated on Upminster Road in the London Borough of Havering
and is flanked by a parade of shops. It is situated in a primarily residential area and is near to Havering Sixth Form College
and Hornchurch Stadium
. London bus routes 248
and 370 serve the site of the station, providing connections to Hornchurch
, Lakeside
, Romford
and Upminster
. The London Loop
key walking route passes outside the station, and it forms the end point of section 22 from Harold Wood
and the starting point of section 23 to Rainham
. The station is located on the eastern extremity of the District line and is the penultimate station before the terminus at Upminster. Upminster station is 1.24 kilometre (0.77050219344576 mi) to the east of the station and Hornchurch is 1.26 kilometre (0.782929648178757 mi) to the west.
trains per hour to Upminster and twelve to Earl's Court
, of which six continue to Wimbledon
and six continue to Richmond
. At peak
periods the number of trains per hour increases to fifteen. Services towards central London operate from approximately 05:00 to 23:30 and services to Upminster operate from approximately 06:00 to 01:30. The journey time to Upminster is two minutes; to Barking is approximately 20 minutes, and to Victoria is approximately 56 minutes. Since 2006, the station has been one of the first on the network to operate without a staffed ticket office. During 2008 there were 0.93 million passenger entries and exits at the station, higher than the annual usage over the preceding five years, but lower than neighbouring stations on the route.
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 on Upminster Road in the Upminster Bridge
Upminster Bridge
Upminster Bridge is a crossing of the River Ingrebourne carrying the A124 road between the suburbs of Hornchurch and Upminster in northeast London, England. The bridge is known to have existed since at least 1375...
neighbourhood of the London Borough of Havering
London Borough of Havering
The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in North East London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main communities are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. The borough is mainly characterised by suburban development with large...
in northeast 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...
, England. The station is on the District line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
and is the penultimate station on the eastern extremity of that line. The station was opened on 17 December 1934 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
on the local electrified tracks between Upminster
Upminster station
Upminster station is a London Underground and National Rail station located in Upminster in the London Borough of Havering and in London fare zone 6. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is the easternmost station on the London Underground network and the eastern terminus of the District...
and Barking
Barking station
Barking station is a railway station served by National Rail and London Underground services. It is located in Barking in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in east London, England. The station is in Zone 4, has nine platforms, and is managed by c2c. It has been proposed that ownership of...
that were constructed in 1932. The main station building is of a distinctive polygonal design. It has low usage for a suburban station with 0.93 million entries and exits during 2008.
History
The London, Tilbury and Southend RailwayLondon, 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...
from Fenchurch Street
Fenchurch Street railway station
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...
and Barking was constructed through the Upminster Bridge area in 1885, with stations at Hornchurch
Hornchurch tube station
Hornchurch tube station is a London Underground station on the District Line, located in Hornchurch and a short walk south from the town centre. The station is in Zone 6, located between Elm Park and Upminster Bridge stations.-History:...
and Upminster
Upminster station
Upminster station is a London Underground and National Rail station located in Upminster in the London Borough of Havering and in London fare zone 6. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is the easternmost station on the London Underground network and the eastern terminus of the District...
. The Whitechapel and Bow Railway opened in 1902 and allowed through services of the Metropolitan District Railway
Metropolitan District Railway
The Metropolitan District Railway was the predecessor of the District line of the London Underground. Set up on 29 July 1864, at first to complete the "Inner Circle" railway around central London, it was gradually extended into the suburbs...
to operate to Upminster. The Metropolitan District converted to electric trains in 1905 and services were cut back to East Ham. Delayed by World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, electrified tracks were extended by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
to Upminster and through services resumed in 1932. The Metropolitan District Railway was incorporated into London Transport
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...
in 1933, and became known as the District line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
.
The new tracks built by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway allowed additional intermediate stations to be constructed on the local lines between 1932 and 1935. Increased local demand was caused by the expansion of the built up area of suburban London during the interwar period
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
. The station at Upminster Bridge opened with platforms on the local electric lines on 17 December 1934. The station was operated by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway but was only served by District line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
trains. After nationalisation of the railways in 1948
Transport Act 1947
The Transport Act 1947 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Under it the railways, long-distance road haulage and various other types of transport were acquired by the state and handed over to a new British Transport Commission for operation...
management of the station passed to British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways and in 1969 ownership transferred 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...
.
Design
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
between the tracks that are elevated on a railway embankment. There are four tracks through the site. The platforms are located on the northern pair of tracks with another pair to the south used by c2c
C2c
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...
outer suburban services. The full length of the platform is covered by a single station canopy with a central waiting room. The Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
red brick ticket office is located below platform level to which it is connected by a subway and stairway. Although similar to the other single-storey station buildings on this part of the route, it is notable for its high atrium roof and polygonal shape. The floor is tiled with a reversed swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
pattern, a popular decorative design at the time the station was constructed.
As part of the public–private partnership arrangement for maintenance of the London Underground, the station was refurbished by Metronet
Metronet
Metronet Rail was one of two companies in a public-private partnership with London Underground.Metronet was responsible for the maintenance, renewal, and upgrade of the infrastructure on nine London Underground lines from 2003 to 2008. This included track, trains, signals, civil work and stations...
during 2005 and 2006. Works included provision of tactile strips and colour contrasted handrails for the visually impaired, installation of closed-circuit television camera
Closed-circuit television camera
Closed-circuit television cameras can produce images or recordings for surveillance purposes, and can be either video cameras, or digital stills cameras...
s, passenger help points, new electronic departure information displays on the platforms, a new public address system, and improved lighting. The station does not have step free access from the platforms to the street.
Location
The station is named after a nearby crossing of the River IngrebourneRiver Ingrebourne
The River Ingrebourne, 27 miles in length, is a tributary of the River Thames. It is considered a strategic waterway in London, forming part of the Blue Ribbon Network...
. The river was the boundary between the ancient parishes of Hornchurch
Hornchurch
Hornchurch is a large suburban town in England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Hornchurch is in North-East London .It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan. It comprises a number of shopping...
and 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...
and the station is located on the western Hornchurch side. The station is situated on Upminster Road in the London Borough of Havering
London Borough of Havering
The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in North East London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main communities are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. The borough is mainly characterised by suburban development with large...
and is flanked by a parade of shops. It is situated in a primarily residential area and is near to Havering Sixth Form College
Havering Sixth Form College
Havering Sixth Form College , abbreviated as HSFC, is a sixth form college in Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch in the London Borough of Havering, East London, England. Built on the site of Dury Falls Secondary School, it opened in September 1991, and educates full-time students from the ages of 16 to 19...
and Hornchurch Stadium
Hornchurch Stadium
Hornchurch Stadium is located on Bridge Avenue in Upminster in the London Borough of Havering, east London, England.It was opened in 1956 by Hornchurch Urban District Council and is home to A.F.C...
. London bus routes 248
London Buses route 248
London Buses route 248 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:...
and 370 serve the site of the station, providing connections to Hornchurch
Hornchurch
Hornchurch is a large suburban town in England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Hornchurch is in North-East London .It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan. It comprises a number of shopping...
, Lakeside
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...
, Romford
Romford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
and 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...
. The London Loop
London Outer Orbital Path
The London Outer Orbital Path — more usually the "London LOOP" — is a signed walk along public footpaths, and through parks, woods and fields around the edge of Outer London, England, described as "the M25 for walkers"...
key walking route passes outside the station, and it forms the end point of section 22 from Harold Wood
Harold Wood
Harold Wood is a place in the London Borough of Havering, east London, England.It is a suburban development situated east-northeeast of Charing Cross...
and the starting point of section 23 to Rainham
Rainham, London
Rainham is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan and is surrounded by a residential area, which has grown from the historic village,...
. The station is located on the eastern extremity of the District line and is the penultimate station before the terminus at Upminster. Upminster station is 1.24 kilometre (0.77050219344576 mi) to the east of the station and Hornchurch is 1.26 kilometre (0.782929648178757 mi) to the west.
Services
The station is in London fare zone 6. The typical off-peak service from the station is twelve District lineDistrict Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
trains per hour to Upminster and twelve to Earl's Court
Earl's Court tube station
Earl's Court tube station is a London Underground station in Earls Court. The station is located between Earls Court Road and Warwick Road . It is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1 and 2 and is in both zones....
, of which six continue to Wimbledon
Wimbledon station
Wimbledon station is a National Rail, London Underground, and Tramlink station located in Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton, and is the only London station that provides an interchange between rail, Underground, and Tramlink services...
and six continue to Richmond
Richmond station (London)
Richmond station is a National Rail and London Underground station in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London which is managed by South West Trains....
. At peak
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
periods the number of trains per hour increases to fifteen. Services towards central London operate from approximately 05:00 to 23:30 and services to Upminster operate from approximately 06:00 to 01:30. The journey time to Upminster is two minutes; to Barking is approximately 20 minutes, and to Victoria is approximately 56 minutes. Since 2006, the station has been one of the first on the network to operate without a staffed ticket office. During 2008 there were 0.93 million passenger entries and exits at the station, higher than the annual usage over the preceding five years, but lower than neighbouring stations on the route.
External links
- London UndergroundLondon UndergroundThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
- Departure boards - District line: Upminster Bridge station