Plaistow (/ˈplɑːst/ PLAHST-oh or /ˈplæst/ PLAST-oh[6][7]) is a London Underground station on Plaistow Road in the London Borough of Newham in Greater London. It is between West Ham and Upton Park stations on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, and in Travelcard Zone 3.

Plaistow London Underground
Plaistow is located in Greater London
Plaistow
Plaistow
Location of Plaistow in Greater London
LocationPlaistow
Local authorityLondon Borough of Newham
Managed byLondon Underground
Number of platforms3
Fare zone3
London Underground annual entry and exit
2019Decrease 5.57 million[1]
2020Decrease 3.77 million[2]
2021Decrease 2.67 million[3]
2022Increase 4.01 million[4]
2023Increase 4.38 million[5]
Key dates
31 March 1858Opened by LT&SR
1902District line started
1916North London Railway withdrawn≥
1936Metropolitan line started
1962London–Southend withdrawn
Other information
External links
Coordinates51°31′53″N 0°01′02″E / 51.53138°N 0.01722°E / 51.53138; 0.01722
London transport portal

History

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The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway direct line from Bow to Barking was constructed east to west through the middle of the Parish of West Ham in 1858. Before this, trains took a longer route to the north via Stratford and Forest Gate on the Eastern Counties Railway's line. The new line opened with stations initially at Bromley, Plaistow and East Ham. Upton Park was added as a new station to the east in 1877 and West Ham was added to the west in 1901. From 18 May 1869 the North London Railway ran a daily service to Plaistow via the Bow–Bromley curve, terminating at the northern bay platform. In 1905 the service switched to a new bay platform on the southern side.[8] The North London Railway service to Plaistow ceased on 1 January 1916.

With the completion of the Whitechapel and Bow Railway in 1902 the line was doubled to four tracks and through services of the Metropolitan District Railway (commonly known as the District Railway) were able to operate to Upminster. The District Railway converted to electric trains in 1905 and services were cut back to East Ham. The District Railway was incorporated into London Transport in 1933, and became known as the District line.

The 1947 timetable shows only a few services a day on the main lines[9] and a frequent service provided by the District line.[10] The remaining Fenchurch StreetSouthend services were withdrawn in 1962 when the LT&SR route was electrified with overhead lines.

Ownership of the station passed to the Midland Railway in 1912 and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923. After nationalisation of the railways in 1948 management of the station passed to British Railways. In 1969 ownership was transferred to the London Underground.

Design

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The station has three platforms in use, comprising two through platforms and a third bay platform enabling eastbound trains to terminate and reverse back to central London. Two other platforms used to serve the LTSR line but are now closed and derelict; c2c trains pass through non-stop. Plaistow used to have sidings on the north side of the line, but the site is now derelict, having formerly been occupied by a Dagenham Motors car showroom.

The station booking hall, built in 1905, is the subject of a local listing which, while not conferring any additional planning controls on a building under current legislation, encourages the proper consideration of a building's architectural or historic interest(s) in the exercise of normal planning controls.

Works and engine sheds

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Plaistow railway works were built adjacent to the station on the north side of the line to the west of the station in 1879 to 1880. A separate engine shed was opened in 1899 adjoining the western end of the works. The locomotive works closed in 1925, with responsibility being transferred to Bow railway works which were a short distance away. Carriage and wagon work lasted until 1932 when that work was transferred to Wolverton railway works.

On 30 September 1911 a new depot—initially called "West Ham"—opened on the south side of the line and this became a Midland Railway depot in 1912 when the Midland Railway took over the London Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR) and then a London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) shed in 1923 following the grouping, when it was allocated the 13a depot code. Following nationalization in 1948 the depot was initially part of British Railways London Midland Region, although on 20 February 1949 it transferred to the Eastern Region. The depot code was changed to 33A which it retained until November 1959. From then until closure in 1962 it was a sub-shed of Tilbury (33B), then closed following electrification of the LTSR system.[11]

In 1950 Plaistow had an allocation of 83 locomotives, the majority (70) of which were tank engines for passenger traffic to and from Fenchurch Street with 6 freight engines and 7 shunting engines making up the balance.[12]

Location

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Although there is no station car park, there is a Newham London Borough Council-run pay and display car park to the immediate south, connected by a set of steps. This was closed for neighbouring building works that were expected to run until 2023.

Buses

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London Buses routes 69, 241, 262 and 473 serve the station.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2019. Transport for London. 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2020. Transport for London. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2021. Transport for London. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2022. Transport for London. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2023. Transport for London. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  6. ^ Wells, J. C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 3rd edn, Harlow, UK: Longman
  7. ^ Daniel Jones, Peter Roach, et al. (2011). Cambridge Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th edn, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press
  8. ^ The London & Tilbury Railway vol 1 page 41 by Peter Kay ISBN 1-899890-10-6
  9. ^ "Table 214 London, Tilbury, Southend-on-Sea and Shoeburyness". London Midland & Scottish Railway: Passenger Train Services. Timetable World. June 1947. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  10. ^ "Table 217 District line – Bromley, Plaistow, East Ham, Barking, Upney, Becontree, Heathway, Dagenham, Hornchurch and Upminster". London Midland & Scottish Railway: Passenger Train Services. Timetable World. June 1947. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  11. ^ Connor, J.E. (August 1998). Fenchurch Street – Barking. Midhurst UK: Middleton Press. pp. 90–94. ISBN 1-901706-20-6.
  12. ^ Mcarthy, P J (January 1985). "Locomotive allocations of the LTSR in the early British Railways period". Great Eastern Journal. 41: 22.
  13. ^ "Plaistow Station". TfL. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
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Preceding station   London Underground Following station
West Ham
towards Hammersmith
Hammersmith & City line Upton Park
towards Barking
West Ham District line
Upton Park
towards Upminster
Former services
West Ham
towards Hammersmith
Metropolitan line
Hammersmith branch (1936–1990)
Upton Park
towards Barking
Historical railways
West Ham   British Rail Eastern Region
London, Tilbury and Southend line
  Upton Park
  NODES
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