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Plaistow tube station

Coordinates: 51°31′53″N 0°01′02″E / 51.53138°N 0.01722°E / 51.53138; 0.01722
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Plaistow London Underground
District and Hammersmith & City line eastbound platform
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
2020Decrease 3.77 million[1]
2021Decrease 2.67 million[2]
2022Increase 4.01 million[3]
2023Increase 4.38 million[4]
2024Increase 4.66 million[5]
Railway companies
Original companyLondon, Tilbury and Southend Railway
Pre-groupingMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
31 March 1858Opened
18 May 1869North London Railway started
2 June 1902District line started
1 January 1916North London Railway withdrawn
30 March 1936Metropolitan line started
1 January 1948Ownership transferred to British Railways
14 June 1962London–Southend withdrawn
1 January 1969Ownership transferred to London Transport
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

Plaistow (/ˈplɑːstoʊ/ PLAHST-oh or /ˈplæstoʊ/ PLAST-oh)[6][7] is a London Underground station, on Plaistow Road in the London Borough of Newham, East London. It is on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, between West Ham to the west and Upton Park to the east. The station was opened by the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway on 31 March 1858 on a new more direct route from Fenchurch Street to Barking. The station was expanded to accommodate the electric District Railway services on an additional set of tracks in 1905. Metropolitan line service commenced in 1936. British Railways Fenchurch Street–Southend service was withdrawn in 1962, leaving abandoned platforms. It is in London fare zone 3.

History

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The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR) direct line between Bow and Barking was constructed east–west through the middle of the parish of West Ham with service starting on 31 March 1858.[8] Prior to the building of the line, trains took a longer and more congested route via Stratford and Forest Gate.[9] The new line initially had stations at Bromley, Plaistow and East Ham,[10] with Upton Park added as the next station to the east of Plaistow on 1 September 1877.[11] 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.[12] The North London Railway service to Plaistow ceased on 1 January 1916.

The Whitechapel and Bow Railway opened on 2 June 1902 and allowed through services of the District Railway to operate to Upminster.[13] Service began at Plaistow on 2 June 1902.[14] The District Railway was electrified over a second pair of tracks, with electric service operating from 30 September 1905. The District provided the majority of services at the station from this date. The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway became part of the Midland Railway in 1912. The Midland Railway was amalgamated into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) on 1 January 1923. The District Railway was incorporated into London Transport in 1933, and became known as the District line.[15]

The eastern section of the District line was very overcrowded by the mid 1930s. In order to relieve this, the Metropolitan line service was extended to Barking.[a] Plaistow was served by a single daily Metropolitan line train from Hammersmith from 30 March 1936. This was expanded from 4 May 1936 with an eight trains per hour service between Barking and Hammersmith at peak times.[16] This was increased to ten trains per hour at Plaistow from 8 May 1938.[b] The Hammersmith service was swapped for longer Uxbridge trains from 17 July 1939, at eight trains per hour at peak times. This service was suspended on 6 October 1941 with Hammersmith trains again running to Barking.[17] The 1947 timetable shows only a few services a day on the Fenchurch Street–Southend line calling at Plaistow and a frequent service provided by the District line.[18][19]

After nationalisation of the railways in 1948, management of the station passed to British Railways.[20] The Fenchurch Street–Southend services were withdrawn on 14 June 1962 with the introduction of full overhead line electric service.[21][c] On 1 January 1969 ownership transferred to the London Underground.[23][24] On 30 July 1990, the Hammersmith–Barking service of the Metropolitan line gained a separate identity as the Hammersmith & City line.[14] From 13 December 2009, off-peak Hammersmith & City line service was extended from Whitechapel to Barking with a daily all-day service at Upton Park.[25]

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.[26]

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.[27]

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 two-storey station booking hall at street level dates from 1882/3.[28] Part of the southern wall of the 1880 Plaistow railway works remains as the northern wall of the eastbound platform.[28] The remainder of the station buildings are from the 1902/3 expansion for District Railway service.[28] The station has a local listing by Newham Council for its historic interest.[29]

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. London Buses routes 69, 241, 262 and 473 serve the station.[30]

Notes

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  1. ^ This was achieved by diverting Metropolitan line trains that had previously been routed onto the East London Line at Whitechapel.
  2. ^ The two extra trains terminated at East Ham.
  3. ^ Limited summer services to Southend continued throughout the 1960s.[22]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2020. Transport for London. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 11 April 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2021. Transport for London. 12 July 2022. Archived from the original on 6 April 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2022. Transport for London. 4 October 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2023. Transport for London. 8 August 2024. Archived from the original on 31 May 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2024. Transport for London. 8 October 2025. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  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. ^ Phillips, Charles (2024). The Great Eastern Railway, the Early History, 1811-1862 (1st ed.). Havertown: Pen & Sword Books Limited. ISBN 9781399024716.
  9. ^ Kay 1996, p. 25-28.
  10. ^ Kay 1996, p. 26.
  11. ^ Kay 1997, p. 113.
  12. ^ Kay 1996, p. 41.
  13. ^ Horne 2018, pp. 160–171.
  14. ^ a b Rose, Douglas (1999). The London Underground: A diagrammatic history (7 ed.). Douglas Rose. ISBN 1-85414-219-4.
  15. ^ Horne 2019, p. 353.
  16. ^ Horne 2019, p. 354.
  17. ^ Horne 2006, p. 68.
  18. ^ "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.
  19. ^ "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.
  20. ^ Horne 2006, pp. 82–83.
  21. ^ Horne 2006, p. 82.
  22. ^ Kay 2020, p. 610.
  23. ^ Kay 2020, pp. 612–613.
  24. ^ "The Upminster Line" (PDF). Underground. 8 (90). London Underground Railway Society: 92–93. June 1969. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  25. ^ "Review of the New Sub-Surface Railway Service Pattern Introduced on 13 December 2009" (PDF). Transport for London. 8 February 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 August 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  26. ^ Connor, J.E. (August 1998). Fenchurch Street – Barking. Midhurst UK: Middleton Press. pp. 90–94. ISBN 1-901706-20-6.
  27. ^ Mcarthy, P J (January 1985). "Locomotive allocations of the LTSR in the early British Railways period". Great Eastern Journal. 41: 22.
  28. ^ a b c Kay 2012, p. 49.
  29. ^ "Locally Listed Buildings in Newham". Newham Council. 30 September 2010. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  30. ^ "Plaistow Station". TfL. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.

Sources

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  • Horne, Mike (2006). The District Line. Capital Transport. ISBN 1-85414-292-5.
  • Horne, Mike (2019). London's District Railway: A History of the Metropolitan District Railway Company. Twentieth Century. Volume two. Capital Transport Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85414-430-0.
  • Kay, Peter (2012). London's Railway Heritage: Volume One: East. P. Kay. ISBN 978-1899890453.
  • Kay, Peter (1996). The London, Tilbury & Southend Railway: A History of the Company and Line Volume 1. Wivenhoe: P. Kay. ISBN 189-9-890106.
  • Kay, Peter (1997). The London, Tilbury & Southend Railway: A History of the Company and Line Volume 2. Wivenhoe: P. Kay. ISBN 189-9-89019X.
  • Kay, Peter (2010). The London, Tilbury & Southend Railway: A History of the Company and Line Volume 3. Wivenhoe: P. Kay. ISBN 978-1-899890-43-9.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Plaistow tube station.
Preceding station London Underground Following station
West Ham
towards Hammersmith
 Hammersmith & City line Upton Park
towards Barking
West Ham
towards Wimbledon, Richmond or Ealing Broadway
 District line
 Upton Park
towards Upminster
Former services
Bromley   Eastern Region of British Railways
London, Tilbury and Southend 		  Upton Park
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