Epping tube station
Encyclopedia
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
. It is one of eight London Underground stations in the district and is in Travelcard Zone 6
.
(later Great Eastern Railway) opened a double-track railway between Stratford
and Loughton
and added a single-track extension from Loughton to Ongar in 1865. The popularity of the line led to the doubling of the track between Loughton and Epping. The line was well served with 50 trains operating between London and Loughton each day, a further 22 continuing to Epping and 14 more to Ongar. Loughton to Epping became part of the London Underground
Central Line
on 25 September 1949, leaving the single track line from Epping to Ongar
as the last steam-worked section. British Rail
ways ran the service until 1957 when the line was electrified and became part of the Central Line. However, services were not connected to the rest of the Central Line network, so passengers wishing to continue beyond Epping had to change platforms there. Until 30 September 1994 Epping station served as the transfer station for the single-track line to Ongar
via North Weald
and Blake Hall
stations.
itself and surrounding villages. Another major contributing factor is that many people living in not too distant towns such as Harlow
and Bishop's Stortford
use the station instead of their own National Rail
stations, because it is considerably cheaper to travel to London by London Underground than it is to use National Rail services. Growth is now at such a point where the station’s car park is full by 6:30 am and parking around the station (as with other stations on this part of the line, e.g. Theydon Bois
and Debden
) has become a serious problem for local residents, which in turn has caused many residents and local groups to call for the re-opening of North Weald and Ongar stations to help ease demand on Epping station.
As of 11 May 2008 an e-petition calling for the reopening of North Weald and Ongar stations was created on the Downing Street website.
. It closed on Dec 11 2008 with 1012 signatures. Part of the Epping-Ongar line is now a heritage railway
, the Epping Ongar Railway
.
. This scheme is currently being pursued by the developers of Crossrail. It would take over the Central Line from Leytonstone
and continue to Epping serving as its terminus.
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...
is the north-eastern terminus of 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...
. The station before Epping is Theydon Bois
Theydon Bois tube station
Theydon Bois is a London Underground station in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is served by the Central Line and is between Debden and Epping...
, which is about three minutes travelling time away. Epping station is in the Epping Forest District
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...
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...
. It is one of eight London Underground stations in the district and is in Travelcard Zone 6
Travelcard Zone 6
Fare zone 6 is an outer 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. The zone was created in January 1991; from May 1983 it had...
.
History
In 1856, 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...
(later Great Eastern Railway) opened a double-track railway between Stratford
Stratford station
Stratford station is a large multilevel railway station in Stratford, east London. The station is served by the National Rail services National Express East Anglia, London Overground and c2c, by London Underground's Central and Jubilee lines, and by the Docklands Light Railway . Stratford is in...
and Loughton
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...
and added a single-track extension from Loughton to Ongar in 1865. The popularity of the line led to the doubling of the track between Loughton and Epping. The line was well served with 50 trains operating between London and Loughton each day, a further 22 continuing to Epping and 14 more to Ongar. Loughton to Epping became part 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...
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 25 September 1949, leaving the single track line from Epping to Ongar
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...
as the last steam-worked section. 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 ran the service until 1957 when the line was electrified and became part of the Central Line. However, services were not connected to the rest of the Central Line network, so passengers wishing to continue beyond Epping had to change platforms there. Until 30 September 1994 Epping station served as the transfer station for the single-track line to 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...
via 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 Blake Hall
Blake Hall tube station
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...
stations.
The station today
Epping station saw a growth in passenger numbers in the mid 1990s due to the closures of nearby North Weald, Blake Hall and Ongar stations. This growth has continued due to significant development in EppingEpping
Epping is a small market town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of the County of Essex, England. It is located north-east of Loughton, south of Harlow and north-west of Brentwood....
itself and surrounding villages. Another major contributing factor is that many people living in not too distant towns such as Harlow
Harlow
Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the Stort Valley, The town is near the M11 motorway and forms part of the London commuter belt.The district has a current population of 78,889...
and Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
use the station instead of their own National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
stations, because it is considerably cheaper to travel to London by London Underground than it is to use National Rail services. Growth is now at such a point where the station’s car park is full by 6:30 am and parking around the station (as with other stations on this part of the line, e.g. Theydon Bois
Theydon Bois tube station
Theydon Bois is a London Underground station in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is served by the Central Line and is between Debden and Epping...
and Debden
Debden tube station
Debden is a London Underground station on the Central Line in Debden, in the Epping Forest district of Essex. The station is between Loughton and Theydon Bois...
) has become a serious problem for local residents, which in turn has caused many residents and local groups to call for the re-opening of North Weald and Ongar stations to help ease demand on Epping station.
As of 11 May 2008 an e-petition calling for the reopening of North Weald and Ongar stations was created on the Downing Street website.
. It closed on Dec 11 2008 with 1012 signatures. Part of the Epping-Ongar line is now a heritage railway
Heritage 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...
, 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...
.
Future
Epping Station is a stop on the proposed London Underground Chelsea-Hackney lineChelsea-Hackney Line
The Chelsea–Hackney line is a safeguarded route for an underground railway running from south-west London to north-east London...
. This scheme is currently being pursued by the developers of Crossrail. It would take over the Central Line from Leytonstone
Leytonstone tube station
Leytonstone tube station is on the Central Line of the London Underground, on the boundary of Zones 3 and 4. Towards London the next station is Leyton, while going east from Leytonstone, the line divides into two branches...
and continue to Epping serving as its terminus.
Trivia
- The longest possible journey on the London Underground without changing trains is the Central line route between West Ruislip and Epping (34.1 miles / 54.9 km).
- Epping station counts approximately users daily.
- Epping has the largest public London Underground station car park with 519 spaces.