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The Whitechapel and Bow Railway was an underground railway in east London, United Kingdom, now entirely integrated into the London Underground system. [1] It was a joint venture between the Metropolitan District Railway and the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway.
From 1902 to 1950 it was owned and operated as a joint venture. Initially the arrangement was between the Metropolitan District Railway (commonly called the District Railway) and the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway. Both companies went through a series of amalgamations. The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway was purchased by the Midland Railway in 1912. It was subsequently grouped into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923 and was nationalised in 1948 as part of British Railways. The District Railway was part of the Underground Electric Railways Company of London and was absorbed into the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933. This was nationalised as the London Transport Executive in 1948. Complete ownership of the Whitechapel and Bow Railway passed to the London Transport Executive in 1950. [2]
The two mile long line opened in 1902 and linked the Metropolitan District Railway at Whitechapel (St Mary's) with the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway at the above-ground Campbell Road Junction at Bow, to the west of Bromley station. The line from Whitechapel to Bow, and on to East Ham, was electrified in 1905. [3] Regular services were provided by the District Railway with joint stock. A through Ealing Broadway to Southend service was also provided from 1910 to 1939, traction west of Barking being provided by District Railway's electric locomotives. The LMS extended electrified track east from Barking and electric District Railway trains reached Upminster in 1932. [3]
Today the short line forms part of the District line and Hammersmith & City line, between Whitechapel and Bow Road stations. [3]
The District line is a London Underground line that runs from Upminster in the east to Earl's Court in west London, where it splits into a number of branches. One branch runs to Wimbledon in south-west London and one runs north to Edgware Road. A short branch said to be weekends only runs for one stop to Kensington (Olympia), although in fact there are some very limited weekday services, two in the evening out and a number of early morning journeys which commence out of service from Lillie Bridge Depot. The main route continues west from Earl's Court to Turnham Green after which it divides again into two western branches, to Richmond and Ealing Broadway.
The Hammersmith & City line is a London Underground line that runs between Hammersmith in west London and Barking in east London. Coloured pink on the Tube map, it serves 29 stations over 15.8 miles (25.5 km). Between Farringdon and Aldgate East it skirts the City of London, the capital's financial heart, hence the line's name. Its tunnels are just below the surface and are a similar size to those on British main lines. Most of the track and all stations are shared with either the District, Circle or Metropolitan lines, the other parts of London Underground's sub-surface railway, and over 114 million passenger journeys are made each year on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines.
Fenchurch Street railway station, also known as London Fenchurch Street, is a central London railway terminus in the southeastern corner of the City of London. It takes its name from its proximity to Fenchurch Street, a key thoroughfare in the City. The station and all trains are operated by c2c. Services run on lines built by the London and Blackwall Railway (L&BR) and the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR) to destinations in east London and south Essex, including Upminster, Grays, Basildon, Southend and Shoeburyness.
West Ham is a London Underground, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and National Rail intermodal interchange station in West Ham, London, United Kingdom. The station is served by London Underground District, Hammersmith & City and Jubilee lines, the Stratford International branch of the DLR and c2c National Rail services.
Whitechapel is a London Underground and London Overground station located on Whitechapel Road and Durward Street in the Whitechapel area of London, United Kingdom. The station is located behind a street market of the same name and opposite the Royal London Hospital. It lies between Aldgate East and Stepney Green stations on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, and between Shoreditch High Street and Shadwell stations on the East London Line. It is in Travelcard Zone 2.
Dagenham East is a London Underground station located on the eastern side of the town of Dagenham in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, east London. It is on the District line between Dagenham Heathway to the west and Elm Park to the east. It is 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi) along the line from the eastern terminus at Upminster and 27.8 kilometres (17.3 mi) to Earl's Court in central London where the line divides into numerous branches. The station has moderate usage for a suburban station, with approximately 3 million exits/entrances per year.
Stepney Green is a London Underground station located on Mile End Road in Stepney, London, United Kingdom. It is between Whitechapel and Mile End on the District line and the Hammersmith & City line, and is in Travelcard Zone 2.
Mile End is a London Underground station in Mile End, London. It is served by the Hammersmith & City, District and Central lines. This station features a cross-platform interchange in both directions, District and Hammersmith & City lines stopping on the inside tracks and the Central line stopping on the outside tracks. It is in Travelcard Zone 2.
Bromley-by-Bow is a London Underground station located on the Blackwall Tunnel Northern Approach Road in the Bromley-by-Bow area of London, United Kingdom. The station is below the Blackwall Tunnel Northern Approach Road and lies between Bow Road and West Ham stations on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, and is in both Travelcard Zones 2 and 3.
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.
Upminster is an interchange station serving the town of Upminster in the London Borough of Havering, Greater London. It is on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR), 15 miles 20 chains (24.5 km) down the line from London Fenchurch Street; it is the eastern terminus of the District line on the London Underground; and it is the eastern terminus of the Romford to Upminster Line on the London Overground network.
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR), 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.
Upminster Bridge is a London Underground station in the Upminster Bridge neighbourhood of Upminster in the London Borough of Havering, east London. It is on the District line between Hornchurch to the west and Upminster to the east. It is 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) along the line from the eastern terminus at Upminster and 33 kilometres (21 mi) to Earl's Court in central London where the line divides into numerous branches.
Elm Park is a London Underground station serving Elm Park in the London Borough of Havering, east London. It is on the District line between Dagenham East and Hornchurch. It is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) along the line from the eastern terminus at Upminster and 30 kilometres (19 mi) to Earl's Court in central London where the line divides into numerous branches.
Hornchurch is a London Underground station serving the town of Hornchurch in the London Borough of Havering, east London. It is on the District line between Elm Park to the west and Upminster Bridge to the east. It is 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) along the line from the eastern terminus at Upminster and 31.7 kilometres (19.7 mi) to Earl's Court in central London where the line divides into numerous branches.
Plaistow is a London Underground station on Plaistow Road in the London Borough of Newham in Greater London. It is between West Ham and Upton Park stations on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, and in Travelcard Zone 3.
Becontree is a London Underground station located to the south of Becontree in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, east London. It is on the District line between Upney to the west and Dagenham Heathway to the east. It is 9.1 kilometres (5.7 mi) along the line from the eastern terminus at Upminster and 25.1 kilometres (15.6 mi) to Earl's Court in central London where the line divides into numerous branches. It is in Travelcard Zone 5.
The Metropolitan District Railway was a passenger railway that served London from 1868 to 1933. Established in 1864 to complete the inner circle, an underground railway in London, the first part of the line opened using gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. The Metropolitan Railway operated all services until the District introduced its own trains in 1871. The railway was soon extended westwards through Earl's Court to Fulham, Richmond, Ealing and Hounslow. After completing the inner circle and reaching Whitechapel in 1884, it was extended to Upminster in Essex in 1902.
The history of the District line started in 1864 when the Metropolitan District Railway was created to create an underground 'inner circle' connecting London's railway termini. The first part of the line opened using Metropolitan Railway gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. The District introduced its own trains in 1871 and was soon extended westwards through Earl's Court to Fulham, Richmond, Ealing and Hounslow. After completing the 'inner circle' and reaching Whitechapel in 1884, it was extended to Upminster in East London in 1902. To finance electrification at the beginning of the 20th century, American financier Charles Yerkes took it over and made it part of his Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL) group. Electric propulsion was introduced in 1905, and by the end of the year electric multiple units operated all of the services.
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