Elm Park
LU S7 stock on a District Line service to Upminster, on the left, departing from Elm Park station, in that part of Essex now within Greater east London, on 24th June 2021. On the right, another S7 train waits to leave with a District Line service to Ealing Broadway. Travelling east from Barking, this is the third island platform after Upney and Dagenham Heathway opened with the quadrupling of the line between Barking and Upminster by the LMSR but for the exclusive use of District Line trains, on 12th September 1932. A fourth island platform at Upminster Bridge was opened in 1934 while the LMSR stations at Dagenham (now Dagenham East) and Hornchurch received extra platforms while a brand new station at Becontree replaced the LMSR's Gale Street Halt. A service of District trains all the way from Ealing Broadway to Southend Central, with District electric locomotives being changed to LMS steam ones at Barking, ceased at the start of World War Two and was not reinstated after 1945. Finally, in 1962 concurrent with the electrification of the ex-Tilbury & Southend Line, these trains ceased to call at Becontree, Dagenham East and Hornchurch stations leaving these with two disused platforms but all the stations between Barking and Upminster (with the exception of the latter two) remained in British Rail Eastern Region ownership until 1969 when they were transferred to London Transport and BR totem signs were replaced by the famous LU roundels. Beyond on the far right, are the fast tracks on what is now the C2C line between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness.
Location: Elm Park
Original line: Barking to Upminster Quadrupling (London, Midland and Scottish Railway)
Photographer: David Bosher
Contact photographer: David Bosher
Photosets: LU S7 stock trains, Circle, District and Hammersmith & City Lines, 2014-2023
Date: 24/06/2021
Image number: 80553
