The Tottenham and Forest Gate Railway was a railway line in north London, formed by the Tottenham and Forest Gate Railway Act 1890 (53 & 54 Vict. c. clviii) and built as joint venture between the Midland Railway and the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway. It officially opened on 1 July 1894 with passenger serviced commencing eight days later and was taken over entirely by the Midland Railway in 1912. [1]
Tottenham and Forest Gate Railway Act 1890 | |
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Act of Parliament | |
Long title | An Act to authorise the construction of Railways between Tottenham and Forest Gate and for other purposes. |
Citation | 53 & 54 Vict. c. clviii |
Dates | |
Royal assent | 4 August 1890 |
Text of statute as originally enacted |
The line was authorised at the request of Sir Courtenay Warner, a property developer who owned land in Walthamstow, in order to serve the new developments there. Much of the route crossed many existing roads, and the area had already been extensively built on, so the line was built on top of a long brick viaduct. Many houses were demolished to make way and there was considerable local opposition to the railway.
The line opened to passengerson 9 July 1894 between South Tottenham and Woodgrange Park where it joined the existing LTSR line to Barking and beyond. On the same date [2] a curve was opened allowing East Ham to be served as an alternative to Barking. Trains did not terminate at South Tottenham but continued westwards to various destinations via the Tottenham and Hampstead Junction Railway, much as the Gospel Oak to Barking line does today.
The line had the following stations (listed from west to east using the original station names):
The line now forms part of the Gospel Oak to Barking line, part of the London Overground.
Manor Park is a residential area of the London Borough of Newham in east London, England. The area is bordered by Ilford to the east, Forest Gate to the west, Wanstead to the north, and East Ham to the south.
Gospel Oak is a London Overground interchange station in the London Borough of Camden in north-west London. It is the western terminus of the Suffragette line to and from Barking Riverside, and is also situated on the Mildmay line between Clapham Junction/Richmond and Stratford. Passengers using Oyster cards are required to tap on interchange Oyster card readers when changing between the two lines. The station is in Travelcard Zone 2.
The Gospel Oak to Barking line, since November 2024 known as the Suffragette line and also shortened to GOBLIN, is a railway line in London. It is 13 miles 58 chains (22.1 km) in length and carries both through goods trains and London Overground passenger trains, connecting Gospel Oak in north London and Barking Riverside in east London. The line is part of Network Rail Strategic Route 6, and is classified as a London and South East Commuter line. On 15 February 2024 Transport for London announced that the Overground service will be renamed as part of a strategic rebrand with the new name in use since November 2024.
Barking is an interchange station serving the town of Barking, east London. It is served by London Underground, London Overground and National Rail main line services. It is located on Station Parade, in the town centre.
East Ham is a London Underground station on High Street North in the East Ham neighbourhood of the London Borough of Newham in east London, England. The station is on the District line and Hammersmith & City line. The station was opened on 31 March 1858 by the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway on a new more direct route from Fenchurch Street to Barking. The large Edwardian station building was constructed to accommodate the electric District Railway services on an additional set of tracks opened in 1905. It has high and growing usage for a suburban station with 13.1 million entries and exits in 2010. It is in London fares zones 3 and 4.
The London, Tilbury and Southend line, also known as Essex Thameside, is a commuter railway line on the British railway system. It connects Fenchurch Street station, in central London, with destinations in east London and Essex, including Barking, Upminster, Basildon, Grays, Tilbury, Southend and Shoeburyness.
Leytonstone High Road is a railway station in Leytonstone in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, on the Suffragette line of the London Overground, 9 miles 76 chains (16.0 km) down the line from Gospel Oak and situated between Leyton Midland Road and Wanstead Park. It has two platforms that are elevated approximately 20 feet (6 m) above ground level, each of which contains a metal shelter, covered but not completely enclosed. Ticket machines and Oyster validators are installed under the arch at the foot of the stairs.
Woodgrange Park is a railway station on Romford Road in Manor Park in the London Borough of Newham, east London. It is served by the Suffragette line of the London Overground. It is located 12 miles 1 chain (19.3 km) down the line from Gospel Oak; it lies in Travelcard Zones 3 and 4. It has only limited station buildings and facilities.
Wanstead Park is a railway station in Forest Gate, London. It is on the Suffragette line of the London Overground in Zone 3, 11 miles 11 chains (17.9 km) down the line from Gospel Oak and situated between Leytonstone High Road and Woodgrange Park. Despite its name, Wanstead Park station is not situated in Wanstead but in Forest Gate – and it is not near Wanstead Park but Wanstead Flats. The station was opened 9 July 1894. The station is 360 yards (330 m) from Forest Gate station, according to TfL's journey planner, and this interchange is suggested in the National Rail Timetable.
Walthamstow Queen's Road railway station is a London Overground station on the Suffragette line between Blackhorse Road and Leyton Midland Road stations, 8 miles 7 chains (13.0 km) down the line from Gospel Oak. It is in Zone 3. It opened as "Walthamstow" on 9 July 1894 and was renamed on 6 May 1968 under British Rail. The station stands on Edinburgh Road facing Walthamstow Cemetery. There is step-free access from the street to both platforms.
Blackhorse Road is an interchange station, located at the junction of Blackhorse Road/Blackhorse Lane with Forest Road in Walthamstow, London for London Underground and London Overground services.
Seven Sisters is an interchange station located in the Seven Sisters area of the London Borough of Haringey, North London for London Underground and London Overground services.
South Tottenham is a railway station on the Suffragette line of the London Overground. It is located on the eastern side of the A10 High Road in Tottenham, North London, 5 miles 69 chains (9.4 km) from St Pancras and situated between Harringay Green Lanes and Blackhorse Road. It is in Zone 3, in the London Borough of Haringey.
Leyton Midland Road is a London Overground station in Leyton of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is on the Suffragette line, 9 miles 18 chains (14.8 km) down the line from Gospel Oak and situated between Walthamstow Queen's Road and Leytonstone High Road stations in Travelcard Zone 3. It is the closest railway station to Bakers Arms.
The Tottenham & Hampstead Junction Railway was a railway line in north London, formed by an act of Parliament, the Tottenham and Hampstead Junction Railway Act 1862, of 28 July 1862, which today is mostly part of the Gospel Oak to Barking line. It was effectively part of an attempt by the Great Eastern Railway to obtain a west end terminus to complement Bishopsgate railway station in east London.
Forest Gate is a district in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England. It is located 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Charing Cross.
Upton Park is an area of the East London borough of Newham, centred on Green Street which is the boundary between West Ham and East Ham. West Ham United Football Club formerly played at the Boleyn Ground, commonly known as Upton Park.
Forest Gate railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line serving Forest Gate in the London Borough of Newham, east London. It is 5 miles 21 chains (8.5 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Maryland and Manor Park. Its three-letter station code is FOG and it is in fare zone 3.
East Ham Depot is a depot on the London, Tilbury and Southend line between East Ham and Barking stations with the depot code EM. The depot is approximately 6+1⁄2 mi (10.5 km) from London Fenchurch Street station, and just west of the River Roding.
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LT&SR), was a British railway company, whose network connected Fenchurch Street station, in central London, with destinations in east London and Essex, including Barking, Upminster, Grays, Tilbury, Southend and Shoeburyness. The company and its assets were sold to the Midland Railway in 1912. The network over which they operated is largely intact and is currently operated as part of the Essex Thameside franchise.