Closure of intermediate BR stations Upminster to Fenchurch Street

[StephenHunter]

Why were the BR platforms at Hornchurch, Dagenham East, Becontree, East Ham, Upton Park, Plaistow and Bromley by Bow closed on electrification?

 

[pdeaves]

Why were the BR platforms at Hornchurch, Dagenham East, Becontree, East Ham, Upton Park, Plaistow and Bromley by Bow closed on electrification?

To give a faster BR service, local travel being catered for by the Underground.

 

[W-on-Sea]

The quantity of services which stopped at some of those intermediate stations wasn't huge, in any case.

Looking in the 1948 timetable (and I don't think the basic outline of the timetable changed much between then and electrification), this is the full list of departures, towards London, on weekdays (Mondays to Saturdays)

at Hornchurch 0347, 0434, 0845, 1914, 2112
at Dagenham (East) 0354, 0439, 0542, 0622, 0843, 1704, 1803, 1919, 2117
at Becontree 0401, 0445
at Upton Park 0417, 0501, 0614, 1242, 1249, 1300, 1317, 1954, 2332
at Bromley (by Bow) 0427, 0509 (both trains are set-down only)

East Ham did have a more regular service in the early morning and daytime, but even there there was a gap between 0753 and 1014. Likewise (but to a lesser extent) Plaistow, but there there was a gap between 0739 and 1222, and another between 1322 and 1727.

It seems clear that by then the tube was already the main service into town: Becontree and Bromley-by-Bow, in particular, could probably have lost their main line platforms much earlier than they did without much inconvenience being caused.

 

[DidcotDickie]

As others have said - to provided a fast electric service on the BR lines with the District line serving the intermediate stations.

Prior to electrification the District and 'main' lines weren't segregated like they are now and there were several flat junctions between them. Before the OLE went up there were extensive works to segregate the BR and Underground lines such as the Barking flyover (which also removed freight conflicts between what is now the GOBLIN and the Tilbury loop line) and diveunder.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Transfer BR to LT , (of the stations) only took place in 1969 , there must have been lease arrangements in the interim period)

 

[Bunting14]

I have just been looking at my London Railway Atlas and see that Hornchurch Goods Yard closed in 1981. Having lived nearby I don't ever remember seeing anything there from the early70s onwards. Has anyone got any info please.

 

[Bishopstone]

I have just been looking at my London Railway Atlas and see that Hornchurch Goods Yard closed in 1981. Having lived nearby I don't ever remember seeing anything there from the early70s onwards. Has anyone got any info please.

My earliest reliable memories would have been circa 1980, but at that time I don't recall a rail connection into the yard. I suspect it fell into disuse some time prior to formal closure.

I do, however, recall tracks into a yard/siding on the Up side, somewhere between East Ham and Plaistow.