Southbury Loop - Knowledge

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and the electrification of the wider area. The line was upgraded with colour light signalling which replaced the older mechanical signalling that dated back to the opening of the line. The signalling was commissioned on 3 July 1960 and passenger services began on 21 November 1960. As a consequence of the renaming of Churchbury station to Southbury, the line became known as the

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Operations continued in a similar fashion, but as more new housing was being built locally, plans were made to electrify the line and reopen it for passenger services, an idea first proposed as early as 1944. The site of Carterhatch Lane Halt was used as the electrification depot for both this line

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became a hub for the production of munitions, and as a result, the government called on the GER to reinstate passenger services. On 1 March 1915 the service began operating, with trains stopping at the original stations and from 4 July 1916 (or 12 June 1916, depending on the source) a purpose-built

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In the May 1964 timetable the loop services worked fast from Liverpool Street to Edmonton Green, then called at all stations to Broxbourne, where the trains (formed of two electric multiple units) split, with one half going to Hertford East and the other to Bishop's Stortford (then the limit of

126:. Although construction costs were relatively low, the GER provided well-built stations in anticipation of the business these stations were expected to generate. Goods yards were provided at Churchbury and Forty Hill; there was also a siding serving a brickworks located close to the former. 287:(WAGN) Railway which operated suburban services on the West Anglia Main Line and associated branches. It also operated suburban services out of Kings Cross and Moorgate stations, and its rolling stock was maintained at Hornsey and Ilford depots. It commenced operation in January 1997. 321:; a few peak services run by Abellio Greater Anglia between Liverpool Street and Hertford East or Broxbourne still continued to use the line. This however ceased in May 2023 when Greater Anglia decided to run all its Hertford East peak time trains via Tottenham Hale. 329:

In the early years the loop had a good service, although few trains outside peak hours ran to Liverpool Street. Most trains terminated at White Hart Lane, which necessitated a change of trains, and it was probably this factor that helped to stifle passenger numbers.

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In the May 2014 freight working timetable (Book LD01) one service (6X36 1952 Hoo Junction to Whitemoor) was booked to use the branch between Seven Sisters and Bury Street Junction along with a small number of track machine and light engine moves.

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In the early years market produce was sent out along with bricks, and as the area became more industrialised some factories sent out goods via this route. The First World War generated additional munitions traffic between 1915 and 1918.

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made changes to the franchise arrangements. Therefore, the line became part of the Greater Anglia franchise, which covered the whole of East Anglia. The new franchise was named the "one" franchise by successful bidder

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to grow, so the GER applied for an "Additional Powers Act" to construct a branch that would leave the Bethnal Green to Edmonton line (which is now known as the line via Seven Sisters) and join the main line close to

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was closed south of Cheshunt. Electrification of the line and the reintroduction of passenger services in 1960 saw the line become busy with regular suburban services as part of the

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The May 2014 timetable can be found online and may not be in printed format. There is also a chance that it will not remain available once the validity of the timetable runs out.

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Since then various permutations of the timetable have been tried. From May 2015, a half-hourly service (Table 21) from Cheshunt called at all stations to Liverpool Street.

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in 1908 made it difficult for the railway to compete, leading to a 50% decrease in passenger numbers. The line was not helped by the fact that few trains ran through to

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at Lower Edmonton and the loop. Passengers had to change to the virtually adjacent High Level station (renamed Edmonton Green in 1992) to continue their journey.

103:. It took another seven years before construction started in 1889. The contract, worth £94,322, was awarded to Walter Scott and Co. of Newcastle-under-Tyne. 334: 129:

On 4 July 1899, permission was granted by the Board of Trade for a goods yard at Theobalds Grove, which was built and opened by the end of that year.

846: 1108: 86:(GER) had first considered the loop line in the 1860s as part of the suburban expansion plan. The opening of the Enfield Town branch had helped 156: 57:

workers. Once the war finished the line returned to its goods-only status although it was occasionally used for diversionary purposes when the

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in 1891. Initially, it was not very successful and was closed to passenger traffic in 1909. Goods trains continued to use the line and during

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By the 1980s these units were being withdrawn and replaced by more modern stock. Since then the branch has generally been worked by either

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http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/timetables/working%20timetable%20(wtt)/2%20-%20may%202014%20%20-%20dec%202014/LD/LD01.pdf

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During this period the down line (from London) was used by goods trains whilst the up line (to London) was used for wagon storage.

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National Express Group Announced as Preferred Bidder for new Greater Anglia Franchise Strategic Rail Authority 22 December 2003

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Although it is possible that the decision was driven by concerns about the capacity of the line in the Hackney Downs area.

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being responsible for the maintenance of the infrastructure and a series of different companies operating the services.

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Between the opening in 1891 and the first closure in 1909, trains were operated by small tank locomotives such as the

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https://web.archive.org/web/20040104233341/http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/20031222_greater_anglia_preferred_bidder.tt2

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was constructed. However, the LNER board showed no interest in reopening the line for passenger traffic.

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franchise. However, on 31 May 2015, the suburban Liverpool Street - Cheshunt service was transferred to

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Passenger services were withdrawn on 1 October 1909, and the then president of the Board of trade,

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However, before the franchises were let operation was in the hands of independent business units.

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Despite the efforts, the district remained predominantly rural in nature. The introduction of a

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On 2 January 1945, Theobalds Grove station was damaged by a V2 rocket which exploded close by.

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The goods yards at Theobalds Grove and Southbury were closed in 1966 and 1970 respectively.

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During the re-opening in the First World War the line was operated by a two-car autotrain.

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The line was used for diversionary purposes on a number of occasions, especially during

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Nearly all the locomotives which covered duties in this area were allocated to

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and continued operation of the branch until 2012. Operation then passed to the

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A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain Volume 3 Greater London

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WAGN operated the Southbury Loop from January 1997 until 2004, when the UK

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network. Since May 2015 passenger services on the line have been part of

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The majority of goods services on the branch would have originated from

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House building commenced in the area during the early 1920s, after the

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Theobalds Grove Railway Station with a Class 315 on a local service

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After electrification EMU classes that operated the line included:

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