Epping - Ongar 125 + Lament

In Spring 1990 a special event was held on the then London Underground Central line route between Epping and Ongar, celebrating it being 125 years since the Great Eastern Railway (GER) opened a single track line between Loughton and Ongar, and this film is based on the festivities.

Built by the Eastern Counties Railway trains first reached Loughton in 1858, and the Ongar extension opened in 1865. London Transport Central line electric trains reached Loughton in 1948, Epping in 1949 and Ongar in 1957. However mainline freight trains were only withdrawn when the freight yards were closed in 1966 and mainline diesel trains in the mid 1970's (by which time very few mainline trains were still using this route).

The train used on in the special event was a 3-car 1960 Tube Stock unit which had been painted in the original 1938 Tube livery of grey roof, red body, cream window pillars and gilt 'London transport' fleetnames & car numbers. It comprised of 2x 1960 Tube Stock Cravens' Driving Motors (DM) plus a single 1938 Tube Stock Trailer (T) which had been specially modified to work with these DM's.

Footage includes a cab ride, lineside views, views taken at all stations (Epping, North Weald, Blake Hall - which by then was closed - and Ongar), inside the signal box at North Weald (which still retained its original GER levers) and the more modern signal box at Epping, where several trains are seen moving along the illuminated route display.

Against a backdrop of the train travelling through empty green fields there is also a comment about some of the railway routes in London which around the same time as this line was electrified were closed, despite them serving densely populated areas which suffer from much traffic congestion and air pollution. This includes both former LNER routes serving Alexandra Palace area, plus more. Some of these routes were originally intended to become part of the Northern Line. Some people may remember how the 1941 advertising slogan on the electrification to Mill Hill East of more for you' soon became no more for you', with the rest of the route to Edgware never reopening.

Only space prevented mentioning more lines, such as both GWR Uxbridge branches, the Staines branches, (all of which could have formed the bases for outer suburban links with Heathrow Airport) the LNWR Stanmore branch, etc... and also making a direct contrast with the Romford - Upminster and Greenford branches, which are still open, and the Wimbledon - West Croydon branch which is now part of the Croydon Tramlink.

Also seen at Epping are trains of 1962 and 1992 Tube Stock - the latter in 1994, a few months before the line closed. Oh and the local Parliamentary representative - who was also a Government Transport Minister - also gets a mention, it is almost unheard of that an MP would support the closure of a railway in his / her own constituency, but having done so rather than face his electorate again the Rt. Hon. Steve Norris retired from Parliament at the next general election.

Nowadays the line is owned by the 'Epping Ongar Railway' who would be delighted to welcome you at their website @ http://www.eorailway.co.uk/