Epping - Ongar 125 + Lament
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มี.ค. 2010
- In Spring 1990 a special event was held on the then London Underground Central line route between Epping and Ongar, celebrating it being 125 years since the Great Eastern Railway (GER) opened a single track line between Loughton and Ongar, and this film is based on the festivities.
Built by the Eastern Counties Railway trains first reached Loughton in 1858, and the Ongar extension opened in 1865. London Transport Central line electric trains reached Loughton in 1948, Epping in 1949 and Ongar in 1957. However mainline freight trains were only withdrawn when the freight yards were closed in 1966 and mainline diesel trains in the mid 1970's (by which time very few mainline trains were still using this route).
The train used on in the special event was a 3-car 1960 Tube Stock unit which had been painted in the original 1938 Tube livery of grey roof, red body, cream window pillars and gilt 'London transport' fleetnames & car numbers. It comprised of 2x 1960 Tube Stock Cravens' Driving Motors (DM) plus a single 1938 Tube Stock Trailer (T) which had been specially modified to work with these DM's.
Footage includes a cab ride, lineside views, views taken at all stations (Epping, North Weald, Blake Hall - which by then was closed - and Ongar), inside the signal box at North Weald (which still retained its original GER levers) and the more modern signal box at Epping, where several trains are seen moving along the illuminated route display.
Against a backdrop of the train travelling through empty green fields there is also a comment about some of the railway routes in London which around the same time as this line was electrified were closed, despite them serving densely populated areas which suffer from much traffic congestion and air pollution. This includes both former LNER routes serving Alexandra Palace area, plus more. Some of these routes were originally intended to become part of the Northern Line. Some people may remember how the 1941 advertising slogan on the electrification to Mill Hill East of more for you' soon became no more for you', with the rest of the route to Edgware never reopening.
Only space prevented mentioning more lines, such as both GWR Uxbridge branches, the Staines branches, (all of which could have formed the bases for outer suburban links with Heathrow Airport) the LNWR Stanmore branch, etc... and also making a direct contrast with the Romford - Upminster and Greenford branches, which are still open, and the Wimbledon - West Croydon branch which is now part of the Croydon Tramlink.
Also seen at Epping are trains of 1962 and 1992 Tube Stock - the latter in 1994, a few months before the line closed. Oh and the local Parliamentary representative - who was also a Government Transport Minister - also gets a mention, it is almost unheard of that an MP would support the closure of a railway in his / her own constituency, but having done so rather than face his electorate again the Rt. Hon. Steve Norris retired from Parliament at the next general election.
Nowadays the line is owned by the 'Epping Ongar Railway' who would be delighted to welcome you at their website @ www.eorailway.co.uk/
I think you mean the bit where it says "evening rush hour spring 1994". I was standing on the road bridge just past Epping station and that train was arriving from North Weald and Ongar.
The line on the left is a siding, it goes nowhere.
I'm pleased that you found my film to be of interest.
Simon
Always fascinated by Blake Hall Station. Hard to believe there ever was a station servicing a handful of passengers. Yet it's so wonderful that it stayed open for so many years.
This is a really good video! I was only 9 when the Ongar branch closed so I didn't get to travel on it. I'm a volunteer at the railway now. It's amazing how different North Weald station was then! The passing loop has been reinstated and there's now tracks running back into the bay platform and yard. The concrete bridge has gone (what an eyesore!) and has been replaced by a lattice bridge from Woodford station (albeit that it's not accessible at the moment). Good job on the video!
agree .. North weald station looks wonderful these days and the bridge is now open :-)
What a lovely video, thank you for sharing. Im lucky enough to remember the branch line when it was open and regularly used it. Now im still as fortunate to travel on it by Steam and Diesel thanks to Epping Ongar Railway. Yes its sad that it was closed but on the other hand it was a blessing for those of us who enjoy heritage trains. Looking forward to the Craven when it visits EOR next weekend 26,27,28th Spetember 14.
Essex Pikey Hello, thanks for your kind comments. I plan to attend the event, I already have my ticket. I hope that the weather will be kind to us. I wanted to film the train as it travels along the central Line to / from Epping, however it is travelling outside normal traffic hours, so all the stations will be closed and whilst I know some good roadside viewpoints it will be too dark to see anything.
This is great to see. I was on the red train that day going to Ongar and it was truly a memorable occasion. The train back to Epping was packed like the rush hour. I still have the photos I took that day somewhere. Just been walking near North Weald today and have seen the excellent restoration taking place there and harking back to 1973 when I first travelled on a 1962 stock train to Ongar in the days when an 11 year old could do such things on their own. Happy memories.
To me the real tragedy of this route is that although it was a part of the Central Line, it was not fully integrated. It didn't even have an electrical substation to provide sufficient power for the trains.
I'm sure that if the war had happened later, the route to Ongar would have been redeveloped for the better with the local community having easy access to central London.
Superb work taking an editing this. I used to manage the branch as Area Manager (as well as other sections of the Central line) back in the 1980's. I therefore passed signalman out in all the signal boxes and gave final qualification to the drivers. Brings back happy memories for me.
the problem with ongar being closed is that when it shut down the reason given was nobody used it,which was true now though this whole area has been built right up and we totally need it to be running again something the powers that be seem to not understand,,thankfully though there are a group of individuals that are working solidly to restore some sort of service..
A wonderful piece of nostalgia...superb production and quality...a joy to watch..Thanks...5* Bob
1960 tube stock - these were experimental and only a few pair were built.
Originally they worked with 2 'standard stock' trailers, making 4 car units; eventually the centre cars were replaced with one 1938 trailer.
Hope this helps.
The tube in the countryside certainly seems a little odd, but it's worth recording that trams from London ran out as far as the Napier Arms, Woodford and Waltham Abbey, once upon a time!
I went on this one,
yes in spring 1990.
i wore a yellow shirt, at that time.
there was a poster, that had a steam train, with a tube train beside it
excellent. thanks!
The Epping Ongar Railway Company that now owns the line certainly hope something can use the line again!! They have a Thumper & a class 117 waiting for the line to reopen in Spring this year!!
GREAT FILM
Central Line 1960 Tube Stock
brilliant. loved it:
Gold dust.
Loved the bit of railway gossip when leaving Epping 😂
I know... it felt a bit like being the proverbial fly on the wall!
It looks so different in thos days :) i went to the epping ongar railway this year its suprising how much its changed :D
I think the red writing is cool, it adds atmosphere :)
BUT........There is a BMW advert before this video! A sign of things to come?
Great video 5* - I was working in London when this line closed. - Mike
omg that was excellent!
I used to drive that branch in BVE-(I am making it in trainz soon). I love the historic trains :)
Thanks for uploading that and you should send it to the LU :)
Alex
@OldPrawnFace I did try to highlight some features which almost certainly would have otherwise been missed, as I wonder how many people read the footnotes
I was concerned that a small font would not be readable - especially if the video was not watched full screen.
Simon
bless me that was along time ago :-O sadly i was not there being only 4 at the time and all Good Video :-D
Absolutely fascinating. Maybe a tram, or something, can use the Ongar stretch eventually...
Mind you, the way the tube passengers are growing, the Central Line might even carry on up the line once more.
@muscleco I've read somewhere that if / when the Chelney line is built then there will be people calling for the route as far as North Weald (if not Ongar) to be reopened, as a way of reducing P+R people driving in to Epping.
Simon
If what Video 125 said was true, when they recorded the route for posterity in 1992, despite being out of use the panel in the disused signal box at North Weald still recorded the progress of trains
this would not surprise me as the Underground does not always rush to disconnect and remove old equipment in case it has unintended / undesirable side-effects.
Well the cost of converting the standard stock trailers became a concern, as did the timescale of the entire project - so LT bought more of the same trains they'd just put on the Piccadilly Line.
The timescale was an issue because BR were electrifying urban services from Liverpool Street to places such as Enfield, Chingford, Hertford (etc) and there was a concern that the 'sparks effect' would see so many new passengers on the Central Line that its existing trains would be overwhelmed.
amazing footage, had to be Steven Norris a Tory MP who would support the closure of a station at his own constituency.
Is the Ongar Branch Reopened back to steam and diesel operation?
They run steam and diesel services between North Weald and Ongar, and DMU shuttle between North Weald and Coopersale. The DMU in question is a Class 205 "Thumper" unit. The long-term objective of the Railway is to build a new station or halt near to the current Epping Underground station. Currently, the Railway picks up passenger from Epping station using their own heritage bus fleet, made up of Routemasters and RTs.
@OldPrawnFace
Normally I use white but for this video decided upon 'Central Line red'.
I am sorry that you feel that way about it.
Simon
What a pity this branch could not have been made profitable as a public service, but as it was not to be, would not the London Transport museum have been able to run it as a Heritage railway for the Underground. It would have been the only electrified heritage museum railway, right on the outskirts of London. All the stock in the museum at Acton available, steam? Heritage bus services on weekends-a London Beamish?...money obviously is the question,.. heritage lottery? #missedoppertunity
@shyboyangelus nope its still there,,obviously after it was decommissioned in (i think) 1994 the electricity was turned off,, and despite petitions to get it reconnected and reopened (something tfl/whomever decided against) there are a group of people that are currently restoring the station and tracks as a steam railway...google EOR ~epping/ongar railway and you can see whats going on..sorry its vague but the info is on their website...hope this helps
@PESTinUK would that be the video 125 central drivers eye view ?
Blake was required as had large goods traffic and milk dock it was very isolated (and still is ) by road..
Were there any Tripcock systems used on the Epping to Ongar Line?
I dont remember, but I would expect so, yes. Especially in the early days when goods trains still operated and Blake Hall still had a railway siding.
The train featured appears to be a mixture. The middle carriage looks like a 1938 but the end carriages are different, I don't like them as much as the 1938 but what class are they?
What's the track on the left at 1:44, some sort of double-tracking to Ongar?
A passing loop used to exist here, but it was later removed. Now this is part of a heritage railwaty company they have restored the passing loop and added extra tracks.
@kav816
Did I film you?
Why there is only old trains art travelling in this route instead of 1992 stocks
What stock is that in 6:35
Sean Lecca Its the same train! 1960's Tube Stock DM + 1938 Tube Stock T. However the point of view is very different. One of these trains will be on the Ongar route again on 26,28,28 September 2014. More information can be found on the website of the Epping-Ongar Railway. eorailway.co.uk/
Did any 92 stock trains ever run to Ongar ?
Romeo6 they trialled the 92 stock on the ongar branch I believe, before it entered full service on the rest of the line
@@finneyno7 how can this be possible? the ongar section can only handle enough electricity for a 4-car train
@@onlinefriend3889 it was possible for the section to be run with an 8 car train, though since there were no radio communications beyond Epping it had to be done "under cover" during off-traffic hours.
Where does the line to left gk after leaving station
If you mean at Epping, that is a siding - so it goes nowhere!
notching up on a 60',
whats happening at ongar now?? , the tracks been bulldozed , is this the end???
Can you remember who the brass band that played were?
sorry, I never got to find out their name
Excellent Video. Well filmed and informative. The minimal red writing did not bother me at all.
Don't listen to Old Prawn Face. Anoraks like him should get a life!
@PESTinUK ok, still its nice film footage anyway!
Oh no it doesn't. It's not that bad.
Thanks. I'm glad the 1960 trains were experimental, they weren't very pretty.
You trying to be sarcastic? Duhhh!