Hornchurch tube station
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox London station Hornchurch is a London Underground station in the town Hornchurch in the London Borough of Havering, East London. It is on the District line between Template:Lus to the west and Template:Stn to the east. It is Template:Convert along the line from the eastern terminus at Template:Stn and Template:Convert to Template:Lus in central London. The station was opened on 1 May 1885 by the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway on a new direct route from London to Southend that avoided Tilbury. The station was rebuilt and expanded in 1932 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway with a new entrance and an additional pair of platforms constructed to serve the electric District Railway local service which was extended from Template:Stn to Upminster. The London–Southend service was withdrawn from Hornchurch and the original platforms abandoned in 1962. The single-storey brick building is of a similar design to those constructed at Becontree and Dagenham East. It is in London fare zone 6.
History
The original 1854 route of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR) passed through the south of the parish of Hornchurch near the River Thames without stopping; the nearest station was at Rainham.Template:Sfn Between 1885 and 1888 a new route authorised as the Barking and Pitsea Railway was constructed. It provided a direct service from Fenchurch Street to Southend, avoiding Tilbury.<ref name="Barking LTSR">Template:Citation</ref> The George Hopkins designed station at Hornchurch opened with the first section of the new line to Upminster on 1 May 1885.Template:Sfn Through service to Southend commenced on 1 June 1888.Template:Sfn The Whitechapel and Bow Railway opened on 2 June 1902 and allowed through services of the District Railway to operate as far as Upminster.Template:Sfn The District converted to electric trains on 30 September 1905 and services were cut back to East Ham.Template:EfnTemplate:Sfn The LTSR was purchased by the Midland Railway in 1912.Template:Sfn It was amalgamated into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) on 1 January 1923.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Hornchurch was served by regular daily District/LTSR through trains from June 1912 to September 1932, changing from electric District to steam LTSR locomotives at Barking.Template:Sfn Delayed by World War I, an additional pair of electrified fourth rail tracks were extended by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway to Upminster and services of the District resumed at Hornchurch in 1932.<ref name="Barking LTSR"/><ref name="rose">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Wolmar">Template:Cite book</ref> To coincide with the introduction of electric services, the station was rebuilt with two additional platforms and a new ticket office spanning the tracks facing onto Station Lane. The goods yard was moved from the north to the south of the station to accommodate the new slow lines.Template:Sfn The station was built to the designs of LMS architect William Henry Hamlyn, drawing inspiration from London Underground station architecture.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Electric train service was initially a train every 10 minutes at peak times and every 20 minutes off-peak.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The District Railway was incorporated into London Transport in 1933, and became known as the District line.Template:Sfn A new station at Upminster Bridge became the next station to the east in 1934 and Elm Park was added to the west in 1935. The 1947 timetable shows only a few services a day provided by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and a frequent service provided by the District.<ref name="1947 LMS A">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="1947 LMS B">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
After nationalisation of the railways in 1948, management of the station passed to British Railways.Template:Sfn The remaining Fenchurch Street–Southend services were withdrawn on 14 June 1962 with the introduction of full overhead line electric service.Template:Sfn Barking station was reconfigured to provide cross-platform interchange between District line and Fenchurch Street services. British Rail continued to manage the station despite providing none of the services and on 1 January 1969 ownership transferred to the London Underground.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Design
There is no trace of the 1885 George Hopkins designed station buildings, but they were similar to those still in existence at West Horndon.Template:Efn Two platforms with short canopies were connected by a footbridge at their eastern end.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Initially it was planned to have station buildings on the down platform, but it was decided to provide better access to the station by placing them on the road.Template:SfnTemplate:Efn
The station consists of two side platforms—numbered 1 for westbound and 2 for eastbound—located either side of the running tracks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> There are four tracks through the site, with the operational platforms located on the northern pair. Another pair of tracks to the south are used by London, Tilbury and Southend line outer suburban services and there are disused platforms on those lines. The operational platforms are mostly covered by station canopies with a waiting room and toilets on the westbound platform.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The red brick ticket office is located at street level above the platforms, to which it is connected by a covered footbridge stairway. A second peak-hours station exit on the eastbound platform is now disused.Template:Sfn The 1930s architecture is similar in design to Becontree and Dagenham East and is contemporary with the introduction of electric services. The heritage platform benches are of Midland Railway design.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
As part of the public–private partnership arrangement for maintenance of the London Underground, the station was due to be refurbished by Metronet. Following the collapse of Metronet, responsibility of station upkeep was transferred to Transport for London in 2008.Template:Efn Transport for London has assigned the station to the 'limited works' category and plans to complete these improvements incrementally, according to the need to preserve assets.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The station does not have step free access from the platforms to the street,<ref name="Step free">Template:Citation step free tube map</ref> although there are two out of use lift shafts from the platforms to the booking hall.
Location
The station is named after the town of Hornchurch in which it is situated approximately Template:Convert south of the high street. The station is located on Station Lane in the London Borough of Havering and is surrounded by a cluster of shops. It is in a primarily residential area and is near to St George's Health and Wellbeing Hub and Hornchurch Country Park. A 68 space station car park, managed by National Car Parks, is accessed from Naunton Way.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Upminster Bridge station is Template:Convert to the east of the station and Elm Park is Template:Convert to the west. It is Template:Convert along the line from Template:Lus in central London and Template:Convert from the eastern terminus at Upminster.<ref name="Working Timetable 155">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
London Buses routes 165, 193, 248, 252, 256, 370, 372 and school routes 646, 648 and 652 serve the station, providing connections to Collier Row, County Park Estate, Cranham, Lakeside Shopping Centre, Noak Hill, Queen's Hospital, Rainham, Romford and St George's Park.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Services
Template:External media The station is managed by London Underground.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is in London fare zone 6. The typical off-peak service from the station is 12 District line trains per hour to Upminster and 12 to Earl's Court, of which six continue to Ealing Broadway and six continue to Richmond.<ref name="Working Timetable 155"/> At peak periods the number of trains per hour increases to 15 and some trains continue from Earl's Court to Wimbledon.<ref name="Working Timetable 155"/> Services towards central London operate from approximately 05:00 to 23:45 and services to Upminster operate from approximately 06:00 to 01:30.<ref name="first and last">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The journey time to Upminster is approximately four minutes, to Barking 13 minutes and to Tower Hill in central London 36 minutes.<ref name="Working Timetable 155"/> With 1.62 million entries and exits in 2023, it ranked 235th busiest London Underground station.<ref name=infobox_stats_ref_tube_2023/>
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Template:Adjacent stations Template:District line navbox Template:Transport in London