Redbridge tube station

For the railway station in Hampshire, see Redbridge railway station.
Redbridge London Underground

Station entrance
Redbridge
Location of Redbridge in Greater London
Location Redbridge
Local authority London Borough of Redbridge
Managed by London Underground
Number of platforms 2
Fare zone 4
London Underground annual entry and exit
2012 Decrease 2.57 million[1]
2013 Increase 2.67 million[1]
2014 Increase 2.91 million[1]
2015 Increase 2.93 million[1]
Key dates
1942-1945 Tunnels used as an aircraft parts factory by Plessey during the war
14 December 1947 Opened
Listed status
Listing grade II
Entry number 1401101[2]
Added to list 20 July 2011
Other information
Lists of stations
WGS84 51°34′33″N 0°02′42″E / 51.57574°N 0.04489°E / 51.57574; 0.04489Coordinates: 51°34′33″N 0°02′42″E / 51.57574°N 0.04489°E / 51.57574; 0.04489
London Transport portal

Redbridge is a London Underground station in Redbridge, on the Hainault Loop of the Central line, in Zone 4. It is on the Eastern Avenue.

The station was opened on 14 December 1947. Construction had begun in the 1930s but was delayed by the onset of the Second World War. During the war, the completed train tunnels at Redbridge were used by the Plessey company as an aircraft parts factory. The station building was designed by renowned Tube architect, Charles Holden, who also designed other stations on the same branch. Originally, the station was to have been named "West Ilford", then this changed to "Red House", before the final decision was made on "Redbridge" (also given in the plans as "Red Bridge".)

History and Location

Plessey opened their wartime munitions factory in the (at the time) incomplete tube tunnels between Gants Hill and Wanstead in 1942, and production lasted until 1945.[3] Since the station was built, a large roundabout has been constructed next to it, being a junction between the A406 (originally the terminal section of the M11), and the A12.

Redbridge is often described as the shallowest deep level (as opposed to cut and cover) station on the network, as it is only 5.2 metres (17 ft) beneath the surface. However, this is misleading as the station tunnel was constructed by the cut and cover method, with the running lines descending into genuine tube tunnels at either end of the platforms - similar to the Central line platforms at Mile End.

In July 2011 it was granted Grade II listed building status by English Heritage.[2]

It was also mentioned in the Department S episode The Last Train To Redbridge, although the actual station does not appear in it.

Connections

London Buses routes 66, 145 and 366 serve the station.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Multi-year station entry-and-exit figures" (XLS). London Underground station passenger usage data. Transport for London. April 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1401101)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  3. ↑ Ilford Recorder - Remembrance Sunday: The Secret Munitions Factory in the Underground tunnels at Gants Hill
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Redbridge tube station.
Preceding station   London Underground   Following station
Central line
towards Hainault or
Woodford (via Hainault)
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