View source for Upminster Bridge tube station

{{short description|London Underground station}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox London station|symbol=Underground
| name          = Upminster Bridge  
| manager       = [[London Underground]]
| locale        = [[Upminster Bridge]]
| borough       = [[London Borough of Havering]]
| platforms     = 2
| fare_zone     = 6
| image_name    = Upminster Bridge station building 2021 1 (cropped).jpg
| image_alt     = 
| caption       = Entrance on [[A124 road|Upminster Road]]
| coordinates   = {{coord|51.558|0.2341|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| original      = [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]]
| years1        = 17 December 1934    
| years2        = 1 January 1948
| years3        = 1 January 1969
| events1       = Opened 
| events2       = Ownership transferred to British Railways
| events3       = Ownership transferred to London Transport
<!--| tubeexits09   = {{decrease}} 0.865-->
}}
'''Upminster Bridge''' is a [[London Underground]] station in the [[Upminster Bridge]] neighbourhood of the [[London Borough of Havering]], East London. It is on the [[District line]], between [[Hornchurch tube station|Hornchurch]] and [[Upminster station|Upminster]] stations. It is {{convert|1.2|km}} along the line from the eastern terminus at Upminster and {{convert|22|km}} from {{lus|Tower Hill}} in Central London. The station was opened on 17 December 1934 by the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] on the local electrified tracks between Upminster and [[Barking station|Barking]] that were constructed in 1932. The main station building, on [[A124 road|Upminster Road]], is of a distinctive polygonal design by [[William Henry Hamlyn]]. It has relatively low usage for a suburban station and was the least busy station on the District line in 2023. It is in [[List of stations in London fare zone 6|London fare zone 6]].

==History==
The [[London, Tilbury and Southend Railway]] from [[Fenchurch Street railway station|London Fenchurch Street]] and Barking was constructed through the Upminster Bridge area in 1885, with stations at [[Hornchurch tube station|Hornchurch]] and [[Upminster station|Upminster]].<ref name="Barking LTSR">{{citation | publisher=Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council | url=https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Infosheet10-LTS-railway.pdf | work=Local Studies Information Sheets | title=London, Tilbury and Southend Railway | year=2008 | access-date=21 February 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023160023/https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Infosheet10-LTS-railway.pdf | archive-date=23 October 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Whitechapel and Bow Railway]] opened in 1902 and allowed through-services of the [[District Railway]] to operate to Upminster. The District Railway converted to electric trains in 1905 and services were cut back to {{lus|East Ham}}.{{efn|Electric service was extended to Barking on 1 April 1908.}} Delayed by [[World War I]], electrified tracks were extended by the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] (LMS) to Upminster and through-services resumed in 1932.<ref name="Barking LTSR"/><ref name="rose">{{cite book | author=Rose, Douglas | title=The London Underground: A diagrammatic history | year=1999 | publisher= Douglas Rose | edition=7 | isbn=1-85414-219-4}}</ref><ref name="Wolmar">{{cite book |author = Wolmar, Christian |title = The Subterranean Railway: How the London Underground Was Built and How It Changed the City Forever  |publisher = Atlantic Books | year=2005 |isbn = 1-84354-023-1  |page = 268 |author-link = Christian Wolmar }}</ref> The District Railway was incorporated into [[London Passenger Transport Board|London Transport]] in 1933 and became known as the [[District line]].<ref name="Horne">{{cite book |last=Horne |first=Mike |title=The District Line |year=2006 |publisher=Capital Transport |isbn=1-85414-292-5 }}</ref>
 
The new tracks built by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway allowed additional intermediate stations to be constructed on the local lines between 1932 and 1935. Increased local demand was caused by the expansion of the built-up area of suburban London during the [[interwar period]]. The [[infill station]] at Upminster Bridge was built to the designs of LMS architect [[William Henry Hamlyn]], drawing inspiration from [[Underground Electric Railways Company of London|London Underground]] station architecture.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lawrence |first=David |date=2018 |title=British Rail Architecture 1948–97 |publisher=Crecy Publishing Ltd |page=20 |isbn=9780860936855 }}</ref> It opened with platforms on the local electric lines on 17 December 1934.<ref name="rose"/> The station was operated by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway but was only served by District line trains.{{efn|The 1947 LMS timetable shows a single daily steam service to Fenchurch Street.}}<ref name="1947 LMS A">{{cite web | url=https://timetableworld.com/ttw-viewer.php?token=1cf7325d-73d0-4e45-98f0-6240ee2fff62 | title=Table 214 London, Tilbury, Southend-on-Sea and Shoeburyness | work=London Midland & Scottish Railway: Passenger Train Services | publisher=Timetable World | date=June 1947 | access-date=8 June 2025 | url-status= | archive-url= | archive-date= }}</ref><ref name="1947 LMS B">{{cite web | url=https://timetableworld.com/ttw-viewer.php?token=1cf7325d-73d0-4e45-98f0-6240ee2fff62 | title=Table 217 District Line – Bromley, Plaistow, East Ham, Barking, Upney, Becontree, Heathway, Dagenham, Hornchurch and Upminster | work=London Midland & Scottish Railway: Passenger Train Services | publisher=Timetable World | date=June 1947 | access-date=8 June 2025| url-status=| archive-url= | archive-date= }}</ref> After [[Transport Act 1947|nationalisation of the railways]] in 1948 management of the station passed to [[British Rail]]ways.<ref name="Horne"/> In 1969 ownership transferred to the [[London Underground]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Upminster Line |journal=Underground |date=June 1969 |volume=8 |issue=90 |pages=92-93 |url=https://www.lurs.org.uk/UN90_JUN_1969.pdf |access-date=9 June 2025 |publisher=London Underground Railway Society.}}</ref> 

In 2006, the station became one of the first on the network to operate without a staffed ticket office.<ref name="ticket office">{{cite web | publisher=[[Transport for London]] | url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/3677.html | title=New ticket office opening hours from February 5 | date= 3 February 2006 | access-date=24 November 2012 }}</ref>

==Design==
[[File:Upminster Bridge tube station 6.jpg|Island platform with an eastbound Upminster train at the platform and the London, Tilbury and Southend line tracks on the left|thumb|left]]
The station consists of a central [[island platform]]—numbered 1 for westbound and 2 for eastbound—between the tracks that are elevated on a railway embankment.<ref name="Carto">{{cite web |title=Detailed  London transport map |url=https://cartometro.com/cartes/metro-tram-london/index.php |website=cartometro.com |access-date=8 June 2025}}</ref> There are four tracks through the site although there are no platforms for the [[London, Tilbury and Southend line]]. The full length of the platform is covered by a single canopy with a central waiting room and public toilet.<ref>{{cite web |title=TfL toilet map |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/toilets-map.pdf |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=6 June 2025 |date=April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Improving our toilet provision |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-toilet-feasibility-study-improving-our-toilet-provision-2024.pdf |website=Transport for London |access-date=8 June 2025 |date=October 2024}}</ref>
[[File:Upminster Bridge swastika (8625611094).jpg|The swastika in the ticket hall|thumb|left]]
The [[Art Deco]] red brick ticket office is located below platform level, to which it is connected by a subway and stairway. Although similar to the other single-storey station buildings on this part of the route, it is notable for its high atrium roof and polygonal shape.<ref name="Menear">{{cite book | title=London's Underground Stations: A Social and Architectural Study | author=Menear, Laurence | year=1985 | publisher=Baton Transport | page=89 | isbn=0-85936-124-1}}</ref> The floor is tiled with a reversed [[swastika]] pattern, a popular decorative design at the time the station was constructed.<ref name="photo floor">{{cite web | url=http://www.ltmcollection.org/photos/photo/photo.html?_IXSR_=XYhAIfzySF2&_IXMAXHITS_=1&IXinv=1998/73015&IXsummary=results/results&IXsearch=U18829&_IXFIRST_=1 | title= Upminster Bridge Underground station, District line | work= Photographic collection | publisher=[[London Transport Museum]] | year=1935 | access-date=8 February 2010 }}</ref> The station was [[Locally listed building|listed locally]] as a building of local heritage interest by [[Havering London Borough Council]].<ref name="Havering Heritage">{{ cite web | url=http://www.havering.gov.uk/Media/Heritage%20SPD.pdf | title=Heritage Supplementary Planning Document | publisher=Havering London Borough Council | year=2011 | access-date=24 November 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233148/http://www.havering.gov.uk/Media/Heritage%20SPD.pdf | archive-date=3 March 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

As part of the [[public–private partnership]] arrangement for maintenance of the London Underground, the station was refurbished by [[Metronet (British infrastructure company)|Metronet]] during 2005 and 2006. Works included provision of tactile strips and colour contrasted handrails for the visually impaired, installation of [[closed-circuit television camera]]s, passenger help points, new electronic departure information displays on the platforms, a new public address system and improved lighting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Delivering a world-class, safe and reliable Tube for London |url=http://www.metronetrail.com/webfiles/Publications/Brochure%202005.pdf |website=[[Metronet (British infrastructure company)|Metronet]] |access-date=6 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061031091812/http://www.metronetrail.com/webfiles/Publications/Brochure%202005.pdf |archive-date=31 October 2006 |date=2005}}</ref> The station does not have step-free access from the platforms to the street.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/step-free-tube-guide-map.pdf|title=Step-free Tube Guide|date=December 2023|publisher=Transport for London|access-date=8 February 2024}}</ref>
{{clear left}}

==Location==
[[File:HaveringLU.svg|thumb|Location of the station on part of the [[District line]]]]
The station is named after a nearby crossing of the [[River Ingrebourne]].<ref name="mills">{{cite book | title=Dictionary of London Place Names | author=Mills, A.D. | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=2001 | isbn=0-19-280106-6}}</ref> The river was the boundary between the ancient parishes of [[Hornchurch]] and [[Upminster]] and the station is located on the western Hornchurch side.<ref name="Upminster history">{{cite book | url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42829 | publisher=[[British History Online]] | title=Upminster: Introduction and manors, A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7 |series= [[Victoria County History]] | year=1978 | author=Powell, W.R. (Edr.)  | access-date=8 February 2010}}</ref> The station is situated on [[A124 road|Upminster Road]] in the [[London Borough of Havering]] and is flanked by a [[parade of shops]]. It is situated in a primarily residential area and is near to [[Havering Sixth Form College]] and [[Hornchurch Stadium]].<ref name="college">{{cite web | url=http://www.havering-sfc.ac.uk/2009/images/location_map.jpg | title=How to get to Havering Sixth Form College | access-date=8 February 2010 | publisher=[[Havering Sixth Form College]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929013640/http://www.havering-sfc.ac.uk/2009/images/location_map.jpg | archive-date=29 September 2011 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="stadium">{{cite web | url=http://www.runtrackdir.com/details.asp?track=hornchurch | title=Hornchurch Stadium | author=Grose, Tim | publisher=UK Running Track Directory | date=1 October 2004 | access-date=8 February 2010}}</ref>

The [[London Outer Orbital Path|London Loop]] key walking route passes outside the station, and it forms the end point of section 22 from [[Harold Wood]] and the starting point of section 23 to [[Rainham, London|Rainham]].<ref name="loop 22">{{cite web | url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/walkfinder/walkdetails.asp?id=95 | title=Section 22 Harold Wood to Upminster Bridge | work=London Loop | publisher=[[Transport for London]] | access-date=8 February 2010}}</ref><ref name="loop 23">{{cite web | url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/walkfinder/walkdetails.asp?id=96 | title=Section 23 Upminster Bridge to Rainham | work=London Loop | publisher=[[Transport for London]] | access-date=8 February 2010}}</ref> The station is located on the eastern extremity of the District line and is the penultimate station before the terminus at Upminster.<ref name="tube map">{{cite web | url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf | title=Tube Map | publisher=[[Transport for London]] | date=December 2009 | access-date=8 February 2010 }}</ref> Upminster station is {{convert|1.24|km}} to the east of the station and Hornchurch is {{convert|1.26|km}} to the west.<ref name="Inter Station Database">{{cite web | url=http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1779/response/5516/attach/3/Inter%20station%20database.xls | title=Inter Station Database | publisher=[[Transport for London]] | author=Baker, Charles | year=2006 | access-date=8 February 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319210740/https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/distance_between_adjacent_underg/response/5516/attach/3/Inter%20station%20database.xls | archive-date=19 March 2024}}</ref> It is {{convert|22|km}} along the line from {{lus|Tower Hill}} in central London.<ref name="Working Timetable 155">{{cite web |title=District line Working Timetable 155 |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/wtt-155-district-13-jan-2025.pdf |website=Transport for London |access-date=2 June 2025 |quote=13 January 2025 until further notice}}</ref> The station is 14 miles and 38 chains down the line from [[Fenchurch Street railway station|Fenchurch Street]].<ref>{{cite web |title=FSS2 mileages |url=http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/elrs/_mileages/f/fss2.shtm |website=Railway Codes |access-date=7 June 2025}}</ref>

[[London Buses]] routes [[London Buses route 193|193]], [[London Buses route 248|248]] and [[London Buses route 370|370]] serve the station, providing connections to [[Emerson Park|County Park Estate]], [[Cranham]], [[Lakeside Shopping Centre|Lakeside]], [[Queen's Hospital]] and [[Romford]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/upminster-bridge-190315.pdf|title=Buses from Upminster Bridge|date=March 2015|website=TfL|access-date=30 May 2020}}</ref>

==Services==
{{external media|width=200px
| float  =right |
image1=[https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/system/files/styles/collection_item_gallery_fullscreen/private/collection_item/9870779.jpg?itok=HQVCU2js Exterior of Upminster Bridge, British Railways station, 1956]|
image2=[https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/system/files/styles/collection_item_gallery_fullscreen/private/collection_item/9870783.jpg?itok=JUBgv4AP Exterior of Upminster Bridge, LMS station, 1935] }}
Upminster Bridge station is on the eastern part of the District line in London fare zone 6. It is between [[Hornchurch tube station|Hornchurch]] to the west and [[Upminster station|Upminster]] to the east. The typical off-peak service from the station is 12 [[District line]] trains per hour to Upminster and 12 to [[Earl's Court tube station|Earl's Court]], of which six continue to [[Ealing Broadway station|Ealing Broadway]] and six continue to [[Richmond station (London)|Richmond]].<ref name="Working 155">{{cite web |title=District line working timetable 155 |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/wtt-155-district-13-jan-2025.pdf |website=Transport for London |access-date=5 June 2025 |date=13 January 2025}}</ref> At [[rush hour|peak]] periods the number of trains per hour increases to 15 and some trains continue from Earl's Court to [[Wimbledon station|Wimbledon]].<ref name="Working 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">{{cite web | url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/fandl-dis-wtt-155.pdf | title=District line | work=First and Last Trains | publisher=Transport for London | date=13 January 2025 | access-date= 5 June 2025 }}</ref> The journey time to Upminster is approximately two minutes, to Barking 15 minutes and to [[Tower Hill tube station|Tower Hill]] in central London 38 minutes.<ref name="Working 155"/>

Total number of passenger entries and exits at the station during the year is as follows:<ref name=2011stats>{{cite web|title=Upminster Bridge – Annual entry and exit frequencies 2011|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/modesoftransport/tube/performance/entriesandexits.asp?id=268&agekey=2011|publisher=Transport for London|access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref>
{{columns-start|num=3}}
{{Bar chart
| title      = 
| label_type = Year
| data_type  = Thousands of entries/exits (% change from prior year)
| data_max   = 1200
| label3  = 2003 | data3  = 750
| label4  = 2004 | data4  = 870 | comment4  = +13.79%
| label5  = 2005 | data5  = 856 | comment5  = -1.64%
| label6  = 2006 | data6  = 822 | comment6  = -4.14%
| label7  = 2007 | data7  = 781 | comment7  = -5.25%
| label8  = 2008 | data8  = 930 | comment8  = +16.02%
| label9  = 2009 | data9  = 865 | comment9  = +6.06%
| label10 = 2010 | data10 = 890 | comment10 = +2.81%
| label11 = 2011 | data11 = 990 | comment11 = +10.10%
| label12 = 2012 | data12 = 1100 | comment12 = +10.00%
}}
{{column}}
{{Bar chart
| title      = 
| label_type = Year
| data_type  = Thousands of entries/exits (% change from prior year)
| data_max   = 1200
| label13 = 2013 | data13 = 1100 | comment13 = =
| label14 = 2014 | data14 = 1140 | comment14 = +3.51%
| label15 = 2015 | data15 = 1146 | comment15 = +0.52%
| label16 = 2016 | data16 = 1160 | comment16 = +1.21%
| label17 = 2017 | data17 = 1150 | comment17 = -0.87%
| label18 = 2018 | data18 = 1154 | comment18 = 0.35%
| label19 = 2019 | data19 = 1110 | comment19 = -3.96%
| label20 = 2020 | data20 = 790 | comment20 = -40.51%
| label21 = 2021 | data21 = 510 | comment21 = -54.90%
| label22 = 2022 | data22 = 740 | comment22 = +31.08%
}}
{{column}}
{{Bar chart
| title      = 
| label_type = Year
| data_type  = Thousands of entries/exits (% change from prior year)
| data_max   = 1200
| label23 = 2023 | data23 = 840 | comment23 = +11.90%
}}
{{columns-end}}

With 0.84 million entries and exits in 2023, it ranked 259th busiest London Underground station. It was the least busy station on the District line.<ref name=infobox_stats_ref_tube_2023/>

==Notes==
{{noteslist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Upminster Bridge tube station}}
*{{LTM photo|Upminster Bridge station}}

{{Adjacent stations|system=London Underground|line=District|left=Hornchurch|right=Upminster|type=Upminster}}

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{{Transport in London}}
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[[Category:District line stations]]
[[Category:Tube stations in the London Borough of Havering]]
[[Category:Former London, Midland and Scottish Railway stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1934]]
[[Category:William Henry Hamlyn buildings]]