I find it interesting that Emerson Park had the run-round loop, but that Romford was left singled instead of being doubled. The loop was there to provide extra service between ONLY Emerson and Upminster, which is making a dinky line even dinkier.
Emerson Park station itself NEVER had a run round loop. There was a passing loop, but this was located to north of the halt, between the station and Osbourne Road / Hillview Avenue foot crossing. However, it did have a second platform ! A south facing bay platform, for when the LTSR ran Upminster to Emerson Park shuttles.
And not to mention that London Overground did have the Class 315 and Class 317 which used to operate on the branch line before London Overground replaced them with the Class 710 Aventra units. And at Upminster platform 6. There isn’t no step-free access. Whilst platforms 1, 2-3 and 4-5 do have lifts which are step-free but platform 6 only has stairs. And the line was electrified in the 1980s to allow the electric trains to operate on which replaced the diesel trains.
The Class 315 and 317 units were not the only EMUs to run on this line. When electrified in 1986, the first EMUs used were the Class 305/1 3 car units, as originally the platform at Emerson Park could only accommodate 3 car units, until it was lengthened in 1986 to its current 4 car length. I have known Class 321s and Class 360s used. In diesel times, the line was normally operated by 2 car Class 105 Cravens DMUs, and occasionally 3 car Class 116s DMUs. Under the stairs at Platform 6 Upminster was housed the Electric Token Block Instrument, before the line was converted to One Train Working, firstly With Train Staff, and then Without Train Staff. Platform 6 also has the distinction of not being accessed from the footbridge at the country end of Upminster that only goes from Platform 1 to Platform 5.
Also there used to be a run round loop at Romford, thats the reason for the strange track layout which was converted to be a link to the GEML. Also trains would use Upminster yard to run round as well.
Romford to Upminster is 3.5 miles. The original LTSR entrance at Romford was boarded up, and the building, and the traincrew messroom on Platform 1 was set alight by vandals. Perhaps the same vandals that set fire to the original wooden building at Emerson Park. Both were destroyed within months of each other in the mid 1980s. The walkway still exists at Romford to connect Platform 1 to Platform 2. There was a ground frame at Romford Junction that used to house the token instrument. Beyond where the branch rans parallel to the GER, there used to be a couple of sidings to serve the coal merchants in Victoria Road. The site is now home to new houses. See also further my remarks to other commentators here.
what happened to the line to Grays? and also I've always wondered why tfl took over only that small branch and not the original whole line, or conversely, why the operators of the rail line didn't keep it, do you know what is it that for? thank you very much! I wonder because it seems a very odd prosthesis to the Overground, and it might be useful to connect railway lines, but since is so short, no wonder it has the least used station of it.
Why does TfL operate the line and not one of the other train companies? What stock is on the line? Doesn’t it make maintenance of track and trains and crewing more difficult given that it is isolated from the rest of the Overground? Are there any plans to extend it or improve frequency? The speed limit indicates the track is kept in a very poor state. Is that right?
It uses the Class 710 Aventa although until recently it used Class 317. I assume Tfl runs it as noone else wanted to and also it does connect up two different tfl services (Tfl rail and The District line) so I guess its convenient. Idk about the crewing and maintenance. I don't believe there are any plans to improve it. Finally the track is in fine condition the low speed limit I would guess is becuase of it being quite a small line and being mildly bendy.
Because it was regarded as no mans land when the franchise was split up, LOROL just ended up with it. All the suburban lines went to TfL, GA with agreement only operate the regional and intercity routes now. Problem with it was that the fast lines cut it off from Crossrail... it suited nobody to take it so they just gave it to LOROL.
I wonder if there's a reason TfL don't run this spur as a part of the TfL Rail/Crossrail/Elizabeth Line with every third or forth Shenfield train running to Upminster instead?
Incorrect my friend. It was the LTSR Romford Branch, but before the District Line severed the connection at Upminster, trains could and did travel from Romford to Grays. Indeed when the LTSR became part of the Midland Railway (that is pre-1923 Grouping), through trains ran from St Pancras to Tilbury Riverside, via the Tottenham & Hamstead Joint (GOBLIN today), Emerson Park and Ockendon. Pulled by 2 steam locos and 17 coaches ! I can even remember the battery lamp on the approach to Upminster, that showed a single yellow (to denote a terminal at Upminster), but older staff could remember when it could also display a green aspect for running onto the Ockendon Branch. I also own a Electric Token inscribed Romford to Upminster WEST, because you would also have a token for the Ockendon Branch.
I know c2c occasionally would divert trains via stratford when there was engineering work at fenchurch street, but did they use that line or is there another branch further down which connects the 2
Barking and Dagenham Dock, etc were originally served from a branch coming off the Great Eastern Mainline at 'Forest Gate Junction' just after the Goblin now crosses the GEML. The Goblin joins this branch just south of that junction at 'Woodgrange Park Junction' which is, funnily enough, right by Woodgrange Park station. The c2c services to Stratford (as well as freight from Tilbury that's not using the Goblin) turns off at Barking and takes that original branch route onto the GEML. Pre-COVID, I believe those diversions into Liverpool Street were not only for engineering works, but ran regularly on Saturdays for access to Westfield.
If there is engineering works on greater anglia from Southend trains going to stratford start at the c2c station Southend central and run down the c2c line using then swap over to the Liverpool Street tracks using the overground line to emerson park and then a small section of frieght line to join the mainline into liverpool street again just before Romford
I live very close to it and I guarantee it is not useless. People use it regualarly and it gets some passengers. What woudl be gained by making it paliamentry anyway?
A branch line like this could very well be great for automated trains in the future, could definitely run 5 or 10 minute shuttles with a passing loop at Emerson Park Station, enabling those who live near Emerson Park frequent services to access Cross rail or the District line, and those on the district line to competitively access Romford Town centre
