Lea Valley lines

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Lea Valley lines
710122 Hackney Downs.jpg
Overview
StatusOperational
Owner Network Rail (Anglia Route)
Locale
Termini
Stations31
Service
Type Commuter rail, Suburban rail
System National Rail
Services5
Operator(s)
Depot(s)Ilford
Rolling stock
Technical
Number of tracks2–4
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead lines
Operating speed40–50 mph (64–80 km/h)
Route map
Lea Valley lines.png
(Click to expand)

The Lea Valley lines are two commuter lines and two branches in north-east London, so named because they run along the Lower Lea Valley of the River Lea. They were part of the Great Eastern Railway, [2] now part of the Anglia Route of Network Rail.

Contents

On 31 May 2015, services between London Liverpool Street to Chingford, Cheshunt and Enfield Town were transferred to London Overground; services from London Liverpool Street and Stratford via Tottenham Hale to Hertford East and Bishops Stortford remain with Greater Anglia. Services operated by London Overground are now fully operated by new-built Class 710 rolling stock, replacing older Class 315 and Class 317 stock inherited from Greater Anglia. [3]

History

The first section was opened by the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) on 20 June 1839 from the London end at Devonshire Street to Romford, extended on 1 July 1840 to Bishopsgate (London end) and Brentwood. The Northern and Eastern Railway (N&ER) opened its first section from that line at Stratford to Broxbourne on 15 September 1840, and to Harlow in 1841; though it remained a separate entity, its line was leased to the ECR from 1 January 1844. A branch from Broxbourne to Hertford opened in 1843.

Enfield was reached on 1 March 1849 by the single-track Enfield Town branch from the N&ER at Angel Road via Lower Edmonton. The ECR was incorporated into the Great Eastern Railway (GER) in 1862. A shorter route to Edmonton was provided by the GER in 1872, from Bethnal Green via Hackney Downs and Stoke Newington, which opened on 27 May; the section via Seven Sisters and Lower Edmonton, at a new high-level station provided adjacent to the old low-level station, opened on 22 July. The line from there to Enfield was doubled at the same time. The old line between Angel Road and Lower Edmonton was closed to passenger trains in 1939, except for occasional diversionary traffic including the period in the 1950s when the rest of the local network was being electrified under the Eastern Region; the line closed completely in 1964 and the track was removed soon after.

Another branch, the Chingford branch line, went from Lea Bridge to Walthamstow, Shern Hall Street, in 1870, extended southwards to Hackney Downs in 1872 and northwards to Chingford in 1873.

The final section linked Lower Edmonton on the Enfield branch via Churchbury (later Southbury) with the Broxbourne line at Cheshunt, opening on 1 October 1891; it was known as the Churchbury loop until the renaming of that station in 1960, then the Southbury loop.

A station was proposed near Clapton called Queens Road but never opened. [4]

Electrification of the lines via Seven Sisters to Hertford East, Enfield Town and Bishops Stortford, plus the Chingford branch, were completed in 1960. The line via Tottenham Hale was not electrified until 1969, using Class 125 diesel multiple units between 1958 and 1969.

Renaming

In July 2023, TFL announced that it would be giving each of the six Overground services unique names by the end of the following year. [5] [6] In February 2024, it was confirmed that the Lea Valley section would be named the Weaver line (to honour the weaving and textile industry in the city) and would be coloured maroon on the updated network map. [7]

Route and services

All express services start at either London Liverpool Street or Stratford and are operated by Abellio Greater Anglia as part of the Greater Anglia franchise. Suburban services operating on the Southbury Loop terminating at Cheshunt, on the Enfield Town branch and on Chingford branch are operated by London Overground. Services operating via the Southbury Loop that continue beyond Cheshunt, as well as on the line via Tottenham Hale, including services originating at Stratford, are operated by Greater Anglia. The routes are:

Until 1968 the Hall Farm Curve allowed trains from Stratford to Chingford. It may be reconstructed. [8]

The lines were historically part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5, SRS 05.02, 05.04 and part of 05.01. This was classified as a London and South East Commuter line. [9]

A number of services to/from Liverpool Street/Enfield Town start or terminate in different places on special occasions. When Tottenham Hotspur F.C. are playing at home, additional trains run, some starting/terminating from White Hart Lane or Seven Sisters.

The lines are double track for most of its length, however between Hackney Downs and Liverpool Street it is multitrack – the suburban lines for trains stopping at Bethnal Green, Cambridge Heath and London Fields and the Main Lines for non-stop West Anglia/Stansted Express services. It is electrified at 25 kV AC using overhead line equipment and has a line speed of 40–75 mph (64–121 km/h) except between Cheshunt and Coppermill junction where it is 60–85 mph (97–137 km/h). Different sections have different loading gauges. Most is W8, with the branches to Enfield Town and Chingford being W6 and the branch to Stratford W9. [9]

Future developments

The Tottenham Hale–West Anglian route is planned to become part of Crossrail 2 to Cheshunt, Broxbourne and Hertford East.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enfield, London</span> Suburb of London

Enfield is a large town in north London, England, 10.1 miles (16.3 km) north of Charing Cross. It had a population of 156,858 in 2018. It includes the areas of Botany Bay, Brimsdown, Bulls Cross, Bullsmoor, Bush Hill Park, Clay Hill, Crews Hill, Enfield Highway, Enfield Lock, Enfield Town, Enfield Wash, Forty Hill, Freezywater, Gordon Hill, Grange Park, Hadley Wood, Ponders End, and World's End.

The Northern & Eastern Railway (N&ER) was an early British railway company, that planned to build a line from London to York. Its ambition was cut successively back, and it was only constructed from Stratford, east of London, to the towns of Bishop's Stortford and Hertford. It was always short of money, and it got access to London over the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR). It was built at the track gauge of 5 ft, but it converted to standard gauge in 1844.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tottenham Hale station</span> London Underground and railway station in the London Borough of Haringey

Tottenham Hale is an interchange station located in Tottenham Hale, North London for London Underground and National Rail services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clapton railway station</span> London Overground station

Clapton is a railway station on the Chingford branch of the Lea Valley lines, located in Upper Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney, east London. It is 3 miles 78 chains (6.4 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Hackney Downs and St. James Street. The station has been operated by London Overground since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hackney Downs railway station</span> National Rail station in London, England

Hackney Downs is a London Overground and National Rail station in Hackney Central and serves the old common land of Hackney Downs in Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney, it is on the Lea Valley lines and West Anglia Main Line. It is 2 miles 78 chains (4.8 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and has a direct passenger link to Hackney Central station, providing interchange with the North London line of the Overground network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmonton Green railway station</span> London Overground station

Edmonton Green is a London Overground and National Rail station on the Lea Valley lines which formerly was a part of the West Anglia Main Line, located in Edmonton in the London Borough of Enfield, north London. It is 8 miles 45 chains (13.8 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Silver Street to the south and Bush Hill Park and Southbury to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southbury railway station</span> London Overground station

Southbury is a London Overground station on the Southbury Loop section of the Lea Valley lines, located on the easterly side of Enfield in north London. It is 10 miles 32 chains (16.7 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Edmonton Green and Turkey Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkey Street railway station</span> London Overground station

Turkey Street is a London Overground station on the Southbury Loop section of the Lea Valley lines, located in the Bullsmoor area to the north of Enfield in north London. It is 12 miles 16 chains (19.6 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Southbury and Theobalds Grove.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broxbourne railway station</span> Network Rail station in Hertfordshire, England

Broxbourne railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the towns of Broxbourne and Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, England. It is 17 miles 17 chains (27.7 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Cheshunt and Roydon. Its three-letter station code is BXB and it is in fare zone B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheshunt railway station</span> National Rail station in Hertfordshire, England

Cheshunt is a National Rail and London Overground station in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England. On the National Rail network it is on the West Anglia Main Line, 14 miles 1 chain (22.6 km) from London Liverpool Street and situated between Waltham Cross and Broxbourne. On the London Overground network it is one of three northern termini of the Lea Valley lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waltham Cross railway station</span> National Rail station in Hertfordshire, England

Waltham Cross railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line, serving the suburban town of Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, and the neighbouring Waltham Abbey in Essex, England. It is 12 miles 63 chains (20.6 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Enfield Lock and Cheshunt. Its three-letter station code is WLC and it is in Travelcard zone 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Anglia Main Line</span> Mainline railway line in East Anglia, England

The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main lines that operate out of Liverpool Street. It runs generally north through Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Audley End to Cambridge, with branches between serving Stratford, Hertford and Stansted Airport. The line runs along the boundary between Hertfordshire and Essex for much of its length.

Enfield Lock is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, north London. It is approximately located east of the Hertford Road between Turkey Street and the Holmesdale Tunnel overpass, and extends to the River Lee Navigation, including the Enfield Island Village. The locality gains its name from the lock on the River Lee Navigation. Today's Enfield Lock was rebuilt in 1922. The area forms part of the Lee Valley Park and the Enfield Lock Conservation Area. On its eastern boundary Enfield Lock has marshland formerly used as a testing site between the Royal Small Arms Factory and the Gunpowder Mills, beyond this is the village of Sewardstone and the Epping forest boundary. To the south is Brimsdown, the north Waltham Cross and to the west Bullsmoor and Freezywater. Enfield Lock forms part of the London boundary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lea Bridge railway station</span> Railway station in Greater London, England

Lea Bridge is a railway station on the line between Stratford and Tottenham Hale on the Lea Valley Lines, which reopened on 15 May 2016 with the full service beginning on 16 May 2016, operated by Greater Anglia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishop's Stortford railway station</span> Railway station in Hertfordshire, England

Bishop's Stortford railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the town of Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire, England. It is 30 miles 27 chains (48.8 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Sawbridgeworth and Stansted Mountfitchet stations. Its three-letter station code is BIS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chingford branch line</span>

The Chingford branch line is a railway line between Clapton Junction and Chingford station. Services operate between Liverpool Street station and Chingford. The branch is part of the London Overground.

Lower Edmonton railway station was a station in Edmonton, London opened in 1849 by the Eastern Counties Railway as part of the original Enfield Town branch line. Originally named Edmonton it was renamed as Lower Edmonton low level to distinguish it from neighbouring Lower Edmonton high level. It closed to passengers in 1939 although the line on which it stood lasted until 1964.

The Greater Anglia Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy published by Network Rail in December 2007. It was the sixth RUS to be produced. The area covered includes the whole of Route 5 West Anglia (WA) and Route 7 Great Eastern (GE), which both focus for passenger purposes on London Liverpool Street, and the London Fenchurch Street services from Route 6. As with other RUSs, the Greater Anglia RUS took into account a number of responses, including the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southbury Loop</span>

The Southbury Loop is a line linking Edmonton Green, in north-east London, to Cheshunt. It was opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1891. Initially it was not very successful and was closed to passenger traffic in 1909. Goods trains continued to use the line and during World War I passenger services were reinstated for munitions workers. Once the war finished the line returned to its goods-only status although it was occasionally used for diversionary purposes when the West Anglia Main Line was closed south of Cheshunt. Electrification of the line and the reintroduction of passenger services in 1960 saw the line become busy with regular suburban services as part of the Lea Valley Lines network. Since May 2015 passenger services on the line are part of London Overground.

The Enfield Town branch is a suburban branch line in the England. In 2014 it is in fact the combination of the original Enfield branch which was built in 1849 by the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) and a later line built by the Great Eastern Railway (GER) from Hackney Downs to Edmonton in 1872. The line is currently a double-tracked suburban railway with services running between Liverpool Street station and Enfield Town as well as some other services running from Liverpool Street to Cheshunt. Part of the original branch is closed and little visible remains today.

References

  1. Railway Magazine December 1957 p. 891
  2. White, H.P. (1987). Thomas, David St John (ed.). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain — Volume 3: Greater London (3rd ed.). Dawlish: David & Charles.
  3. "This is what the new London Overground trains will look like". Evening Standard. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  4. Brown, Joe (2006). London Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Ian Allan Publishing. p. 23. ISBN   0-7110-3137-1.
  5. "Naming London Overground lines". Transport for London. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  6. "London Overground lines to be given unique names". BBC News . 25 August 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  7. London Overground: New names for its six lines revealed, BBC News, 15 February 2024
  8. "The Case for a Chingford to Stratford Rail Service". London Borough of Waltham Forest. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2012. See also Greater Anglia Route Utilisation Strategy.
  9. 1 2 "Route 5 – West Anglia" (PDF). Network Rail. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2009.

Brown, Joe (2006). London Railway Atlas. ISBN   978-0-7110-3137-1.