North Weald railway station

North Weald station is a former London Underground station in Essex, England. Located between Epping and Blake Hall stations on the Central line the station is part of the Epping Ongar Railway. It serves the village of North Weald.

History
The station was opened by the Great Eastern Railway on 1 April 1865, serving principally as a goods station taking agricultural produce from the nearby farms into central London. During World War II, it was frequently used by airmen travelling to and from the nearby North Weald Airfield. Steam locomotives operated by British Rail for the London Underground ran a shuttle service from Epping to Ongar (stopping at North Weald) from 1949 to 1957, when the track was electrified and taken over by the Underground's Central line.

While the Epping to Ongar branch was normally operated as an isolated section of the Central line, for two days every year trains were run from London to terminate at North Weald. These trains served the North Weald airshow on the Saturday and Sunday of its opening at the aerodrome almost adjacent to the station. The normal Epping to Ongar shuttle dovetailed with this service passing the terminating train on the adjacent line during its southbound journey.

The line from Epping to Ongar is a single track line with the exception of North Weald station which functioned as the only available passing place for trains travelling in opposite directions. In 1888, however, the eastern end of the loop was severed and it was used as a siding. The loop was restored in 1949 after transfer to London Transport, and a second (westbound) platform was built at this time, and both platforms were used from 1949 until 1976, the westbound track being lifted in 1978. Until this time, access to the two platforms was controlled from the original Eastern Counties Railway signal box still sited on the southbound platform to this day. Until this occurred, North Weald was the last section of the London Underground network to be signalled using mechanical semaphore signals. Although disused, the illuminated track diagram in the signal box continued to show the progress of trains until its closure.

Closure
The Epping to Ongar branch was not heavily used and became increasingly unprofitable. The service was further undermined when the Greater London Council removed the running subsidy for the line because it was not within the boundaries of Greater London, and no comparable subsidy was forthcoming from the local government agencies in Essex, which meant that fare levels were much higher than on the rest of the London Underground network. Initially, the Sunday service was dropped, and then the Saturday service. Subsequently, the service was restricted to a rush hour service only of just 7 trains in each direction per day (3 in the morning and 4 in the evening). London Transport (later London Underground Ltd) had made repeated representations to the government to close the line, but each was refused as there was no alternative mode of transport between Epping and Ongar.

A final request was made in 1994 with a proviso that the line was to be sold to a private organisation who would continue to run the services. With the promise of continued services, the government finally agreed to London Underground closing the line. The line, including North Weald station, was closed on 30 September 1994. It was because of the intent of continued services that the line was left largely intact, though the two conductor rails were lifted (the insulating supports of which are still present on those parts of the line that have not been replaced). However, the promised service did not immediately materialise, and it wasn't until 2004 that a volunteer force restored a partial service as a heritage railway. Because London Underground would not provide platform space at Epping, North Weald is currently the westernmost terminus of the line, though a shuttle runs further west as far as Coopersale, though there are no station facilities there. It is intended to run to a separate station facility near Epping station in the future.

Current ownership
North Weald Station, as with the rest of the 6.5 mile branch reaching to the outskirts of Epping station, is currently undergoing significant improvement and infrastructure works in connection with its use as a heritage railway. These works are designed with the long term future of the branch and to enable the use of locomotive hauled trains (hauled by steam and diesel locomotives). The station itself has been extensively restored, with all the rooms being restored to their original uses, restoring the station back to LNER / BR (E) colours. The original GER signalbox dating from 1888 is being restored, complete with its original lever frame, as part of the works to signal the passing loop which has been reinstated through the station. The Up (westbound) platform has been restored, with a new DDA ramp installed and an original GER latticework footbridge (formerly from Woodford) is in the process of being installed to replace the BR concrete structure. The branch will once again run locomotive hauled trains between Ongar and North Weald, with a diesel shuttle towards Coopersale and connecting heritage buses to Epping. The railway company have a long term aim to once again run trains to Epping, both to encourage tourism and to run services for local people as it is hoped that a new platform can be built to be serviced by their trains, providing a viable interchange with LU services to put back the rail services removed in 1994.

The railway re-opened on 25 May 2012. Trains are provided on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays:

Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays (tph = trains per hour):
 * 2 tph North Weald to Coopersale and back (xx:20 and xx:50 departures)
 * 1 tph North Weald to Ongar and back (xx:45 departures)

Last trains in the summer timetable are at 16:45 (to Ongar, returning at 17:25), and 17:20 (to Coopersale, returning at 17:38). From late October these respective timings are two hours earlier (14:45 to Ongar, 15:20 to Coopersale).

Connections
Local Bus Routes 62, 380, 381, 396, 501 (Sundays only), SB06 and Epping Ongar Railway Vintage Route 339 to Epping tube station serve the station (and village).