Annie Mole's, webmaster of Going Underground, daily web log (blog).
If you like this you'll LURVE One Stop Short of Barking, THE fun and informative BOOK about travelling on the London Underground.
Don't forget that the Epping Ongar Railway will be resuming steam and
heritage diesel hauled passenger trains on the former end of the London Underground Central Line from today Friday 25th May 2012 and over this weekend . For the first time in 55 years you'll have the chance to travel on a steam train on the Epping Ongar branch of this Tube Line. Volunteers have
been working towards restoring on the track, signals, buildings and
rolling stock. They'll also be running this service, throughout the summer on every weekend and Bank Holidays
(including the Jubilee bank holidays) and also daily
during the Olympics at nearby Stratford.
The railway will operate steam hauled passenger services between
Ongar and North Weald, a diesel shuttle from North Weald into Epping
Forest, and a heritage bus service connecting to Epping LUL Station and
High Street.
The photo above shows a leaflet issued by London Transport for
when the Underground was originally extended on the Central line - west to West Ruislip and eastwards to Loughton on
the way to Epping & Ongar.
The last Epping-Ongar service ran in 1994. At the time the line was only carrying a mere 80 passengers
a day. However, the train that ran the final London Underground service on the
line, a three-car unit of 1960 stock,
has been preserved by Cravens Heritage Trains. After a variety of
special opening days, at the end of 2007, the railway was sold
to a new private owner who was committed to bring steam back to the
line.
"The magic, mystery & sometimes maddening shortcomings of London's Tube are documented with love, enthusiasm & sometimes despair by its unofficial social historian." The Guardian
