Stratford station
Encyclopedia
Stratford station is a large multilevel railway station in Stratford
, east London. The station is served by the National Rail
services National Express East Anglia, London Overground
and c2c
, by London Underground
's Central
and Jubilee line
s, and by the Docklands Light Railway
(DLR). Stratford is in London Travelcard Zone 3
, and Network Rail
owns the station. To distinguish it from , this station is called Stratford (London) by National Rail
, and is sometimes referred to as Stratford Regional to distinguish it from Stratford International station
some 400 yards (365.8 m) away. The station will be a key arrival point for the London 2012 Summer Olympics
.
Stratford station was opened on 20 June 1839 by the Eastern Counties Railway
(ECR). The Northern and Eastern Railway
opened a section of its authorised line from to join the ECR at Stratford on 15 September 1840. As well as a station, a railway works was built, much of which has since been turned into a freight terminal.
Central Line services started on 4 December 1946, extended from Liverpool Street station in new tunnels after being delayed due to the Second World War. The line was further extended to on 5 May 1947 and then to the former London and North Eastern Railway
branch lines to , and progressively until 1957.
The Docklands Light Railway opened on 31 August 1987 reusing redundant rail routes through the Bow
and Poplar
areas to reach the new Docklands developments on the Isle of Dogs
.
The low-level station was substantially rebuilt in the late 1990s as part of the Jubilee Line Extension
works, with a large new steel and glass building designed by Wilkinson Eyre
that encloses much of the low-level station, and a new ticket hall. The old ticket hall, at the eastern end of the station and connected via a subway, has since been demolished. The Jubilee Line opened to passengers on 14 May 1999 as far as station, and to and in November 1999.
With the great increase in services and passengers since the Second World War, Stratford has changed from a fairly busy junction into one of Britain's major rail interchanges. Growth is set to continue in the future with the opening of the Crossrail
line across London and the nearby Stratford International station
.
The high-level platforms run at right angles to the low-level, roughly east-west. The lines to the old platforms 1 & 2 pass beneath the high-level station. Access from the main station entrance is via a subway
; a second subway links the Jubilee line
platforms directly to platforms 3–10. A third subway, which served the old entrance to the station, is closed and available for emergency use only, but is scheduled to be reopened.
opened on 30 November 2009 (for preview services only). Since 13 December 2009 Southeastern
began its full domestic high-speed service between London St Pancras
, and Kent
. Currently a bus service provides an interchange between Stratford Regional and Stratford International which leaves the regional station from the northern end of platform 11, where rail tickets are available at a temporary ticket office. The Docklands Light Railway 'Stratford International' extension has provided a link between the two stations since 31 August 2011.
Despite Stratford International's name, no international trains call there, and Eurostar
(currently the only international operator) has no plans to do so. However, there are a number of other potential operators that may use the station for international services. These include Deutsche Bahn
's proposed London-Frankfurt/Amsterdam service and the proposed "Transmanche Metro" service to Calais via local stations.
in use, a record for any station in London. However, since the diversion of the North London Line from the low-level to the new high-level platforms these trains have changed the electrical system they use while at this station. The remaining systems used are:
In 1949 the Great Eastern Main Line through Stratford was electrified at 1500 V dc overhead before being converted to 6.25 kV AC 50 Hz overhead in 1960 and converted again in about 1976 to 25 kV.
development, a new north-facing exit and ticket hall has been built. Both existing passenger subways have been extended north to connect with the ticket hall, and the abandoned subway at the eastern end of the station, which formed part of the old station complex, has been reopened and refurbished to allow interchange between platforms 3-12 and the new high-level platforms 1 & 2. A new pedestrian bridge has also been built to connect Stratford shopping centre with the Stratford City development. This also connects the mezzanine-level ticket hall with the northern one. The northern ticket hall and the footbridge opened along with the Westfield shopping centre at Stratford City
on 13 September 2011.
may see a re-opened station at . This is not likely to take place until after the 2012 Olympics. However, NXEA will most likely not be operating for the Olympics as they will cease operations in February.
The station will also become a major interchange for Crossrail
services, due to commence in 2018. This would mean that Stratford would be directly linked to Heathrow Airport, Maidenhead
and possibly Reading
.
Stratford station also has a major bus interchange
, completed in November 1994. Bus routes 25
, 69
, 86
, 104, 108
, 158, 238, 241, 257, 262, 276, 308, 425, 473, 678, D8, N8 and N86 serve the station, and additionally routes 97 and 339 serve Stratford City from September 2011 All routes mentioned are operated as part of the Transport for London
, London Buses
network. These are operated by three main bus operators which are East London
, First London
and Go-Ahead London
. Transport for London
owns and manages the bus station, while National Express Coaches routes 010 to Cambridge
and A9 to London Stansted Airport
also serve.
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
, east London. The station is served by the National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
services National Express East Anglia, London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
and c2c
C2c
c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
, by London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
's Central
Central Line
The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
and Jubilee line
Jubilee Line
The Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
s, and by the Docklands Light Railway
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
(DLR). Stratford is in London Travelcard Zone 3
Travelcard Zone 3
Fare zone 3 is a zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services...
, and Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
owns the station. To distinguish it from , this station is called Stratford (London) by National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
, and is sometimes referred to as Stratford Regional to distinguish it from Stratford International station
Stratford International station
Stratford International station is a main line railway and Docklands Light Railway station located in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham in northeast London, United Kingdom...
some 400 yards (365.8 m) away. The station will be a key arrival point for the London 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
.
History
Eastern Counties Railway
The Eastern Counties Railway was an early English railway company incorporated in 1836. It was intended to link London with Ipswich via Colchester, and then on to Norwich and Yarmouth. Construction began in late March 1837 on the first nine miles, at the London end of the line.Construction was...
(ECR). The Northern and Eastern Railway
Northern and Eastern Railway
The Northern & Eastern Railway operated one of the two main lines which eventually became the Great Eastern Railway: the other being the Eastern Counties Railway....
opened a section of its authorised line from to join the ECR at Stratford on 15 September 1840. As well as a station, a railway works was built, much of which has since been turned into a freight terminal.
Central Line services started on 4 December 1946, extended from Liverpool Street station in new tunnels after being delayed due to the Second World War. The line was further extended to on 5 May 1947 and then to the former London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
branch lines to , and progressively until 1957.
The Docklands Light Railway opened on 31 August 1987 reusing redundant rail routes through the Bow
Bow, London
Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...
and Poplar
Poplar, London
Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is about east of Charing Cross. Historically a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, in 1817 Poplar became a civil parish. In 1855 the Poplar District of the Metropolis was...
areas to reach the new Docklands developments on the Isle of Dogs
Isle of Dogs
The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is bounded on three sides by one of the largest meanders in the River Thames.-Etymology:...
.
The low-level station was substantially rebuilt in the late 1990s as part of the Jubilee Line Extension
Jubilee Line Extension
The Jubilee Line Extension is the extension of the London Underground Jubilee line from to through south and east London. An eastward extension of the Jubilee line was first proposed in the 1970s and a modified route was constructed during the 1990s...
works, with a large new steel and glass building designed by Wilkinson Eyre
Wilkinson Eyre
Wilkinson Eyre Architects is an international architecture firm based in London, England. The firm won the Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize two years in a row...
that encloses much of the low-level station, and a new ticket hall. The old ticket hall, at the eastern end of the station and connected via a subway, has since been demolished. The Jubilee Line opened to passengers on 14 May 1999 as far as station, and to and in November 1999.
With the great increase in services and passengers since the Second World War, Stratford has changed from a fairly busy junction into one of Britain's major rail interchanges. Growth is set to continue in the future with the opening of the Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
line across London and the nearby Stratford International station
Stratford International station
Stratford International station is a main line railway and Docklands Light Railway station located in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham in northeast London, United Kingdom...
.
High-level platforms
Subway (underpass)
In England and Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong and some Commonwealth countries , the term subway normally refers to a specially constructed underpass for pedestrians and/or cyclists beneath a road or railway, allowing them to reach the other side in safety.The term is also used in the...
; a second subway links the Jubilee line
Jubilee Line
The Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
platforms directly to platforms 3–10. A third subway, which served the old entrance to the station, is closed and available for emergency use only, but is scheduled to be reopened.
- Platforms 1 & 2: On 15 April 2009 the North London LineNorth London LineThe North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
platforms at Stratford moved to new high-level platforms 1 & 2 from the old low-level platforms 1 & 2, the latter being made available for the DLR's Stratford International service (opened on 31 August 2011). Platforms 1 and 2 comprise an island platform with step-free links to platform 12 and the subway linking to platforms 3 to 11. The platforms can accommodate trains with up to 6 cars, though at present, due to short platforms elsewhere, 4-car trains are used. It had originally been planned to make this change on 2 January 2009 but it was delayed. Note: During the planning of these new platforms they were shown on plans as 12a and 12b.
- Platforms 3, 3A & 6 are used by Central lineCentral LineThe Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
trains, which rise from their tunnels into the open air here and immediately descend back underground afterwards. Platforms 3 & 6 are 'island' platforms providing easy cross-platform interchangeCross-platform interchangeA cross-platform interchange is a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system. The term originates with the London Underground; such layouts exist in other networks but are not commonly so named...
with National Rail services operating from platforms 5 and 8 respectively (see below), while platform 3a has a direct step-free connection at mezzanine level, facilitating easier interchange with Jubilee lineJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
trains on platforms 13-15 and Docklands Light RailwayDocklands Light RailwayThe Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
trains on platforms 4a & 4b. Westbound Central line trains travelling towards London Liverpool Street Station and Central London open their doors on both sides, so that passengers can alight and board trains from either side, reducing dwell times and peak-hour congestion in the passageways.
- Platforms 4 & 7 are abandoned. When the London to Shenfield line was electrified in the 1940s, there was an intention to run a shuttle service from to Stratford, calling at StepneyLimehouse stationLimehouse station is a railway station located in the Limehouse district of east London. The station is in Travelcard Zone 2 and is served by Docklands Light Railway services and by National Rail services operated by c2c out of Fenchurch Street station...
and Bow RoadBow Road railway stationBow Road railway station was in Bow, London on the opposite side of Bow Road from Bow Road tube station.It was opened on the south side of Bow Road in 1876 by the Great Eastern Railway, between Stratford station and the now closed Burdett Road station. It was resited in 1892 to the north side of...
, which would have terminated at these bay platformBay platformBay platform is a railway-related term commonly used in the UK and Australia to describe a dead-end platform at a railway station that has through lines...
s. However, this service was never introduced (despite all the works required being carried out). In the 1980s platform 4 was used as the terminus of the Docklands Light RailwayDocklands Light RailwayThe Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
while platform 7 remained abandoned. In 2007 platform 4 was abandoned again as the DLR moved to two new platforms to the south of platform 4.
- Platforms 4A & 4B are used by the Docklands Light RailwayDocklands Light RailwayThe Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
for services to Canary WharfCanary Wharf DLR stationCanary Wharf DLR station is a Docklands Light Railway station in London, England. Built into the base of One Canada Square, between two parts of a shopping centre, it serves the Canary Wharf office complex...
, GreenwichGreenwich stationGreenwich railway station is about 400 m southwest of the town centre of Greenwich, London, England. It is an interchange between National Rail trains between central London and Dartford , and the Docklands Light Railway between Lewisham to the south and the Docklands area and the City of London...
and LewishamLewisham stationLewisham station is a National Rail and Docklands Light Railway station in Lewisham, south east London. It is on the south-east London commuter rail network operated by Southeastern. The Docklands Light Railway station opened in 1999 on a southward extension from Island Gardens on the Isle of Dogs...
. They consist of a single island platform with two faces, numbered 4a and 4b.
- Platforms 5 & 8 are used by National Express East Anglia (NXEA) services on the slow lines out of London Liverpool StreetLiverpool Street stationLiverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
. These are mostly the 'Shenfield metro' services to , but during the off-peak they are also used by trains to . Two late-night c2cC2cc2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
trains pass through the station each day on the way from Liverpool Street to BarkingBarking stationBarking station is a railway station served by National Rail and London Underground services. It is located in Barking in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in east London, England. The station is in Zone 4, has nine platforms, and is managed by c2c. It has been proposed that ownership of...
and vice versa. c2cC2cc2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
also pass through when there are engineering works between Barking & London Fenchurch StreetFenchurch Street railway stationFenchurch Street railway station, also known as London Fenchurch Street, is a central London railway terminus in the south eastern corner of the City of London, England. The station is one of the smallest terminals in London in terms of platforms and one of the most intensively operated...
. Cross-platform interchangeCross-platform interchangeA cross-platform interchange is a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system. The term originates with the London Underground; such layouts exist in other networks but are not commonly so named...
is available with Central line services running from platforms 3 and 6 respectively (see above).
- Platforms 9, 10 & 10a are used by NXEA services on the fast lines out of London towards NorwichNorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and destinations served by branches off the Great Eastern Main LineGreat Eastern Main LineThe Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
, e.g. Clacton-on-SeaClacton-on-SeaClacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring peninsula, in Essex, England and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that attracted many tourists in the summer months between the 1950s and 1970s, but which like many other British sea-side resorts went into decline as a holiday...
, BraintreeBraintree, EssexBraintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
, and Southend. Originally there were only two platforms here, but in the 1990s the station buildings on Platform 9 were demolished to make an island platform with faces on both sides. The new face became 9, the old 9 became 10 and the old 10 became 10a. Platform 10a is now rarely used because of its inconvenient location, accessible from only one of the two open station subways.
- Platforms 11 & 12 have been used since December 2005 for NXEA services to BroxbourneBroxbourneBroxbourne is a commuter town in the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England with a population of 13,298 in 2001.It is located 17.1 miles north north-east of Charing Cross in London and about a mile north of Wormley and south of Hoddesdon...
, Bishop's StortfordBishop's StortfordBishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
and Stansted Airport. There is a half-hourly service in the peak hours, hourly off-peak and at weekends. Most services use platform 12, since trains cannot terminate and reverse direction in platform 11.
Low-level platforms
These platforms are at ground level and run north-south. Platforms 13-16 are served by a footbridge (with lifts and escalators) from the main station entrance, while platform 17 adjoins directly on to the main station concourse.- Platforms 13–15 were built in the late 1990s to serve the Jubilee lineJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
when it was extended here in 1999. All three are bay platformBay platformBay platform is a railway-related term commonly used in the UK and Australia to describe a dead-end platform at a railway station that has through lines...
s. A footbridgeFootbridgeA footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
joins the platforms at the south end, away from the main station building.
- Platforms 16 & 17 originally served trains from Palace GatesPalace Gates (Wood Green) railway stationPalace Gates railway station was a railway station on the Palace Gates Line in Wood Green, north London. It was located on the corner of Bridge Road and Dorset Road....
(near Alexandra PalaceAlexandra PalaceAlexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
) to , a service which no longer operates. In the 1980s, trains from to Broad Street were diverted to run via these platforms to North Woolwich. Following the closure of the line to North Woolwich on 9 December 2006, these platforms effectively became a terminus, with trains heading west only, towards Richmond. However, they also left the station at its south end to reverse, so both platforms were used. On 14 April 2009 these platforms, originally numbered 1 and 2, closed and the North London LineNorth London LineThe North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
service moved to the current platforms 1 and 2, which are in the high-level part of the station and have step-free access. The old platforms are now in use by DLR services, platform 16 is for Northbound trains to Stratford International and platform 17 is for Southbound trains to BecktonBeckton DLR stationBeckton DLR station is the eastern terminus of the Beckton branch of the Docklands Light Railway in the Docklands area of east London. It is located in Travelcard Zone 3. The DLR branch from Poplar was opened on 28 March 1994...
during off-peak times and Woolwich Arsenal during peak times.. The new platforms have also been built with a reversing siding immediately south of the platforms, accessible from both running lines. This enables trains from Stratford International to terminate at the station, and trains from Canning Town to also terminate here. There is also a crossover immediately north of the platforms, allowing trains from the southbound platform to reverse onto the northbound line back to Stratford International.
Stratford International
The nearby Stratford International stationStratford International station
Stratford International station is a main line railway and Docklands Light Railway station located in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham in northeast London, United Kingdom...
opened on 30 November 2009 (for preview services only). Since 13 December 2009 Southeastern
Southeastern (train operating company)
London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
began its full domestic high-speed service between London St Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
, and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. Currently a bus service provides an interchange between Stratford Regional and Stratford International which leaves the regional station from the northern end of platform 11, where rail tickets are available at a temporary ticket office. The Docklands Light Railway 'Stratford International' extension has provided a link between the two stations since 31 August 2011.
Despite Stratford International's name, no international trains call there, and Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
(currently the only international operator) has no plans to do so. However, there are a number of other potential operators that may use the station for international services. These include Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
's proposed London-Frankfurt/Amsterdam service and the proposed "Transmanche Metro" service to Calais via local stations.
Service patterns
The typical off-peak service per hour (tph) from Stratford is as follows:| Train Operator | Frequency and Destination |
|---|---|
| London Underground Central Line Central Line The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground... |
15 tph to 15 tph to 9 tph to via Newbury Park 3 tph to via Hainault 15 tph to |
| London Underound Jubilee line Jubilee Line The Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects... |
16 tph to / |
| National Express East Anglia | 13 tph (+ 1 tph to set down only) to London Liverpool Street Liverpool Street station Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England... 6 tph to 3 tph to 1 tph to 1 tph to 1 tph to 1 tph to 1 tph to 1 tph to 1 tph to |
| London Overground | 4 tph to 2 tph to |
| c2c | Limited services to and Limited services to London Liverpool Street |
| Docklands Light Railway | 6 tph to Canary Wharf Canary Wharf DLR station Canary Wharf DLR station is a Docklands Light Railway station in London, England. Built into the base of One Canada Square, between two parts of a shopping centre, it serves the Canary Wharf office complex... via Poplar Poplar DLR station Poplar is a station on the Docklands Light Railway in Travelcard Zone 2. It is served by three of the six regular routes on the DLR making it one of the busiest stations on the network in terms of services.-History:Long before the opening of the DLR in 1987, there had been three stations with the... |
| 6 tph to Stratford International Stratford International station Stratford International station is a main line railway and Docklands Light Railway station located in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham in northeast London, United Kingdom... 6 tph to Beckton Beckton DLR station Beckton DLR station is the eastern terminus of the Beckton branch of the Docklands Light Railway in the Docklands area of east London. It is located in Travelcard Zone 3. The DLR branch from Poplar was opened on 28 March 1994... via Custom House (off-peak only; service operates to Woolwich Arsenal via London City Airport London City Airport DLR station London City Airport DLR station is a station on the Docklands Light Railway which serves the London City Airport. It opened on 2 December 2005. It is located on the King George V branch. Until the extension to Woolwich Arsenal, this station was the reason for this branch. It continues to be an... during peak hours) |
Electrification
All lines at Stratford are electrified, although a few passenger and freight services which pass through this station are hauled by diesel locomotives. At one time there were four different systems of electrificationRailway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
in use, a record for any station in London. However, since the diversion of the North London Line from the low-level to the new high-level platforms these trains have changed the electrical system they use while at this station. The remaining systems used are:
- 25 kV 50 Hz overhead on Network RailNetwork RailNetwork Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
lines (high level) - 630 V dc fourth rail on London UndergroundLondon UndergroundThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
CentralCentral LineThe Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
and JubileeJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
lines - 750 V dc bottom-contact conductor rail on Docklands Light RailwayDocklands Light RailwayThe Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
- Since April 2009, 750 V dc third rail is no longer used at this station. This was used for the London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
(low level) North London LineNorth London LineThe North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
services.
In 1949 the Great Eastern Main Line through Stratford was electrified at 1500 V dc overhead before being converted to 6.25 kV AC 50 Hz overhead in 1960 and converted again in about 1976 to 25 kV.
Stratford City
In preparation for the Olympics and the Stratford CityStratford City
Westfield Stratford City is a shopping centre in Stratford, London, owned by the Westfield Group. The centre opened on 13 September 2011. With a total retail floor area of , it is one of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe. It is the 3rd largest shopping centre in the United Kingdom by...
development, a new north-facing exit and ticket hall has been built. Both existing passenger subways have been extended north to connect with the ticket hall, and the abandoned subway at the eastern end of the station, which formed part of the old station complex, has been reopened and refurbished to allow interchange between platforms 3-12 and the new high-level platforms 1 & 2. A new pedestrian bridge has also been built to connect Stratford shopping centre with the Stratford City development. This also connects the mezzanine-level ticket hall with the northern one. The northern ticket hall and the footbridge opened along with the Westfield shopping centre at Stratford City
Stratford City
Westfield Stratford City is a shopping centre in Stratford, London, owned by the Westfield Group. The centre opened on 13 September 2011. With a total retail floor area of , it is one of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe. It is the 3rd largest shopping centre in the United Kingdom by...
on 13 September 2011.
Future
The National Express East Anglia service north to Tottenham HaleTottenham Hale station
Tottenham Hale, is a National Rail and London Underground Victoria Line station in Tottenham, north London. It is on Hale Road near the Tottenham Hale one-way gyratory system...
may see a re-opened station at . This is not likely to take place until after the 2012 Olympics. However, NXEA will most likely not be operating for the Olympics as they will cease operations in February.
The station will also become a major interchange for Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
services, due to commence in 2018. This would mean that Stratford would be directly linked to Heathrow Airport, Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
and possibly Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
.
Services
Other transport links
Stratford bus station
Stratford Bus Station serves the Stratford area of the London Borough of Newham, London, England. The station is owned and maintained by Transport for London. The station can be accessed from Great Eastern Road as well as Stratford tube, DLR and railway station....
, completed in November 1994. Bus routes 25
London Buses route 25
London Buses route 25 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to First Capital.-History:...
, 69
London Buses route 69
London Buses route 69 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:...
, 86
London Buses route 86
London Buses route 86 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:Route 86 was created in 1936. The core route has always been between Stratford and Romford...
, 104, 108
London Buses route 108
London Buses route 108 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.The 108 is considered to be one of London's most difficult routes to operate...
, 158, 238, 241, 257, 262, 276, 308, 425, 473, 678, D8, N8 and N86 serve the station, and additionally routes 97 and 339 serve Stratford City from September 2011 All routes mentioned are operated as part of the Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
, London Buses
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
network. These are operated by three main bus operators which are East London
East London (bus company)
East London is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London, mainly in the east of the city. Its legal name is East London Bus & Coach Company Ltd, and it is currently owned largely by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London.-History:East London was established in...
, First London
First London
.First London is one of many operators of London Buses and owned by First Group. They did also run the Tramlink network, in a partnership with Tramtrack Croydon before June 2008. Their registered office is at Paddington station in London...
and Go-Ahead London
Go-Ahead London
Go-Ahead London is the trading name used collectively for the London bus operations of the Go-Ahead Group. The name first appeared in August 2008, before which the company had traded under separate names and brands...
. Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
owns and manages the bus station, while National Express Coaches routes 010 to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and A9 to London Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
also serve.