Southward view from Newbury Park station showing the
original route to Ilford (centre) and the two tunnels subsequently
built for the Central Line.
The original line as shown in
the centre of the photo, was retained after 1947 for the length
of a freight train, to cater for the freights which operated
to Newbury Park yard, believed to have finished in the early
1960s (possibly at the same time as those on the Epping line
which ended in 1964). The trains, which ran from Temple Mills
Yard via Woodford and Fairlop, ran through Newbury Pk station
(from which the photo was taken) onto the stretch of line shown,
then propelled back through the other platform and into the goods
yard. After the freight service finished this stretch of line
was retained for a good number of years and was occasionally
used to stable tamping and similar machines.
The freight trains on the Newbury
Pk and Epping lines (and occasional steam or diesel hauled special
passenger trains on the Epping line) caused great surprise to
passengers waiting on the various stations en route for underground
trains who were not expecting such things to appear on an 'Underground'
line.
(David Burrows)
This photo was taken in March 2006, a quarter of a
century or so after the photo above. The central siding was removed in 1992.
The bridge over Wards Road. It has a strange design
in that motor traffic is separated from pedestrians, though it
seems probable that this was a post-closure alteration. The view
here is of the south facing wall on the railway side; the road
is behind the wall and there is an equivalent wall on the other
(north) side of the road. Though the cutting for the line has
been filled in, there is still a drop in the pavement level,
to such an extent that a gap has been left between the bridge
and the pavement (now boarded up) as seen here.
The bridge over Benton Road viewed from the trackbed
north of the bridge.
(Mar 2006)
The bridge at Vicarage Lane looking south. Putting
paid to any talk about the line being reopened is this housing
estate recently built on the line. While not exactly on the track
route itself, it is hard to imagine residents of this estate
agreeing to have it bisected by a 'new' railway.
(Mar 2006)
Northward view of the Vicarage Lane bridge. The trees
in the centre-right of the photo indicate the path of the line
north of the housing estate.
(Mar 2006)
The view south of the Benton Road bridge and construction
is underway for some more buildings, presumably housing to join
up that north of the bridge and that seen on the right of this
photo.
(Mar 2006)
Eastward view of the existing GER line between Seven
Kings and Ilford stations, and the tracks leading to the Ilford
Car Sheds, built on the route of the line to Newbury Park.
(Mar 2006)
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