Epping tube station

Epping
Station entrance
Epping Location of Epping in Essex
Location	Epping
Local authority	District of Epping Forest
Managed by	London Underground
Number of platforms	2
Accessible	Yes Platform 1 is step free exit only but Platform 2 is fully accessible
Fare zone	6
London Underground annual entry and exit
2011	3.10 million
2012	3.03 million
2013	3.14 million
2014	3.07 million
Key dates
1865 (1865)	Opened
1949	London Underground services start
18 April 1966	Goods yard closed
1994	Ongar services end
Other information
Lists of stations	DLR Underground National Rail Tramlink
London Transport portal

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.

History

In 1856, the Eastern Counties Railway opened a double-track railway between Stratford and Loughton. In 1865, its successor, the Great Eastern Railway, added a single-track extension from Loughton to Ongar. The popularity of the line led to the doubling of the track between Loughton and Epping in 1892. The line was well served, with 50 trains operating between Liverpool Street 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 Railways ran the service until 1957 when the line was electrified and became part of the Central line. However, services did not run through to the rest of the Central line except for occasional depot workings, so passengers to/from stations beyond Epping normally had to change platforms for the single-track line to Ongar via North Weald and Blake Hall stations. On 2 November 1981, Blake Hall closed and trains passed through the station. On 30 September 1994 London Underground withdrew the service between Epping and Ongar and subsequently sold this section of the Central line. This later became the privately owned preserved line Epping Ongar Railway.

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 Epping 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 11 December 2008 with 1012 signatures. Part of the Epping-Ongar line is now a heritage railway, the Epping Ongar Railway.

Abandoned Future Proposal

Epping Station was a stop on the proposed London Underground Chelsea-Hackney line (Crossrail 2). This scheme is currently being pursued by the developers of Crossrail. It would have taken over the Central line from Leytonstone and continue to Epping serving as its terminus. However, as of 2013, the route options for this proposed line no longer include the Epping branch.

Connections

Local bus Routes 7, 19, 20, 21, 380, 381, 382, 501 (Sundays only), 541, 900 and Epping Ongar Railway Vintage Route 339 to North Weald railway station serves the station.

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 6,200 users daily.
• Epping has the largest public London Underground station car park with 519 spaces.

Gallery

• 

  Station platform Roundel

• 

  Platform 1 looking north

• 

  Platform 2 looking north, with a siding branching off to the left in the distance, and the former single-track route to Ongar to the right

• 

  Platform 2 looking south

• 

  Looking south from footbridge

• 

  The station in 1957

External links

• London's Abandoned Tube Stations - Epping to Ongar branch
• Epping station in 1952
• Epping station in 1953

Preceding station		London Underground		Following station
Theydon Bois towards Ealing Broadway or West Ruislip		Central line		Terminus
	Disused railways
Preceding station		London Underground		Following station
Terminus		Central line Epping-Ongar branch		North Weald towards Ongar
	Heritage railways
Terminus		Epping Ongar Railway		North Weald