North Woolwich line

NORTH WOOLWICH LINE

Opened in 1846 between Stratford and Canning Town, the line was extended to North Woolwich the following year. Services were extended north to Palace Gates in 1887 although that line (northwards from Seven Sisters) was closed to passengers in 1963.
1979 saw the North Woolwich branch incorporated into the North London Line, pre-empting the closure of the Broad Street line (Broad Street station had hitherto provided the eastern terminus for the North London Line).

LEA BRIDGE

(1840 - 1985)

One of the stations on the North Woolwich and Stratford line, which later had its services extended to run up to Palace Gates in North London. The closure of the Palace Gates branch as far as Seven Sisters, meant a curtailment of services and this station never recovered, especially after services to North Woolwich were rerouted to form part of the new look North London Line.

There is a possibility that this station will be reopened as part of the transport improvements for the 2012 Olympics.

The site of the station building on Lea Bridge Road. The station building still exists, it is just hidden by the advertising hoardings.

(Aug 2006)

The dilapidated station building interior. This was not the elegant original but a charmless 1960s replacement built for function rather than comfort or style.

(Aug 2006)

Looking north from the station building at the overgrown platforms.
The road on the right hand side of the track is recent and built on the site of industrial works.

(Aug 2006 )

View down to the eastbound platform. The stairs leading down to the west/northbound platform have been removed.

(Aug 2006)

Looking back up toward the station building.

(Aug 2006)

Northward view from the south/eastbound platform.

(Aug 2006)

Southward view from the south/eastbound platform.

(Aug 2006)

View from the new road that parallels the track for a distance. A signboard frame is still visible on the platform.

(Aug 2006)

View southward from the northern end of the platforms.

(Aug 2006)

Lea Bridge platform sign on display at the marvellous North Woolwich railway museum.

For photos of this station shortly before and after closure, click here: www.disused-stations.org.uk

Locals have been campaigning for quite a while to have the station reopened and the advent of the 2012 Olympics
has added further weight to the case. Some links to relevant sites are here:

Guardian-Series

Railwatch Magazine

House of Commons

STRATFORD (LOW LEVEL)

(1854 - present)

The Low Level platforms at Stratford were added fifteen years after the high level station opened. The DLR extension to Stratford International will use the track between here and Canning Town. North London Line trains are due to move to the Lea Valley high level platforms.

The remodelled Stratford station set the standard for future station designs. The former station building (which itself replaced an earlier building) was situated on the left of the photo, where the blue emergency doors are.

This view is looking south - the platform area seen here won't be used when the DLR takes over the line. Instead the platforms will be shifted southwards to a straighter section of track. See www.alwaystouchout.com for full details.

(Nov 2006)

Elegant use of glass in the new station. The presence of the actual track seems almost incongruous with the rest of the station.

(Nov 2005)

Looking north.

(Nov 2005)

View northward. The new Jubilee Line terminus is on the left of the photo. The track area seen in the centre right is where the new DLR platforms will be extended to.

(Nov 2006)

Reference: London Railways by Edwin Course. B T Batsford Ltd, London, 1962.

North Woolwich Line: Stratford - Canning Town