87-594: Hackney Central is a London Overground station on the North London line in the London Borough of Hackney . It lies between Dalston Kingsland and Homerton in Travelcard Zone 2 . The station and the trains serving it are operated by Transport for London . The station is connected to Hackney Downs by a direct passenger walkway linking the two stations (replacing an earlier such link) that
174-474: A 50:50 joint venture between Laing Rail and MTR Corporation , was chosen by TfL on 19 June 2007. The contract was signed on 2 July 2007 for seven years with the option of a two-year extension. In preparation for the launch of the Overground, MTR Laing renamed itself London Overground Rail Operations. In February 2013, it was awarded a concession extension until 14 November 2016. In April 2015, TfL placed
261-709: A considerable portion of the network in Zone 2 . The network also uses Euston in central London, the southern terminus of the Watford DC line. The network interchanges with the Bakerloo , Central , Circle , District , Hammersmith & City , Jubilee , Metropolitan , Northern and Victoria tube lines, and also with the Docklands Light Railway , Elizabeth line and Tramlink networks. The Overground lines appear on Tube maps issued by TfL, and
348-557: A curve across north London. Only Richmond and Kew Gardens stations at the western end are south of the River Thames . The river crossing is made by Kew Railway Bridge on tracks which are shared with the London Underground District line. The location of the eastern extremity has varied over the years. Between 1944 and 1986, it was at Broad Street station; then it was switched to North Woolwich . Later, it
435-464: A day at roughly two-hourly intervals. The service called only at principal stations such as Staines , Feltham and Brentford . On the North London line, the trains called only at Stratford , Highbury & Islington , Camden Road (some services), West Hampstead and Willesden Junction. The service was withdrawn in 2002. The AC electrification of the eastern part of the North London line uses
522-424: A lack of trains timetabled to serve Liverpool Street to match the needs of rush-hour passengers, this inevitably led to falling patronage. British Rail applied to close the service in 1990, and the last trains ran two years later. In 2000, Anglia Railways started a service between Basingstoke and Ipswich , utilising parts of the North London line. The service was called London Crosslink and ran up to five times
609-610: A light green background. This ticket stock, coded "TFL" on the reverse, was introduced in November 2007. Oyster PAYG is charged on the same zone-based rules as for the Underground and the Docklands Light Railway . Stations outside Greater London (except Watford Junction) are included in the new Travelcard Zones 7-9 . On 2 January 2008 Acton Central was moved from zone 2 to 3, Hampstead Heath from 3 to 2 and Willesden Junction from 3 to both 2 and 3. Paper tickets are charged on
696-465: A little to the west of the 1870 station. The 1870 station building designed by Edwin Henry Horne is no longer in use by the railway, but is one of only two examples of North London Railway architecture still in situ , the other being Camden Road station , which is still open. Access to the modern Hackney Central station is from an alleyway adjacent to the 1870 building on Mare Street, as well as
783-501: A model similar to that used for the Docklands Light Railway , TfL invited tenders for operation of the Overground. Unlike other National Rail operators under the franchise control of the Department for Transport , TfL sets fares, procures rolling stock and decides service levels. The operator takes only a small element of revenue risk, with TfL taking 90% and the operator 10%. The first operator, London Overground Rail Operations ,
870-619: A more direct access from Amhurst Road. The former station building is now a bar and music venue. As part of the programme to introduce four-car trains on the London Overground network, the North London Line between Gospel Oak and Stratford closed in February 2010 to enable the installation of a new signalling system and the extension of platforms across the network. The line reopened on 1 June 2010, initially with
957-535: A notice in the Official Journal of the European Union , inviting expressions of interest in operating the next concession. In March 2016, TfL announced that Arriva Rail London had won the right to operate the London Overground concession, starting from 13 November 2016. In June 2023, Arriva announced a contract extension had been secured with TfL, pushing the expiry date to May 2026. Ticketing
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#17327915527981044-516: A number of stations. The stations that did not have barriers when TfL took over have been fitted with standalone Oyster card readers similar to those at ungated Underground and DLR stations. The validators at Blackhorse Road which were needed to enter/exit the Oyster card system when changing to and from the Victoria line were replaced with route validators, coloured pink: these are used to show that
1131-407: A poor and unreliable service with extremely congested trains which were often cancelled shortly before they were due to arrive. A 2006 London Assembly report described the current service as "shabby, unreliable, unsafe and overcrowded", proposing the transfer of the service to Transport for London (TfL) as a solution to improve the quality of the service due to upgrade plans which coincided with
1218-457: A project aimed at combating overcrowding on the line. The project was successfully completed and the first five-car trains started to run in summer 2015. In July 2023, TFL announced that it would be giving each of the six Overground services unique names by the end of 2024. In February 2024, it was confirmed that the North London / West London section would be named the Mildmay line (to honour
1305-577: A rail link between the North London and Great Eastern Railways. Graham Road goods yard closed in October 1965. The site was finally used to link the North London and Great Eastern lines when in anticipation of the closure of Broad Street railway station in 1985 the "Graham Road Curve" was opened to traffic. On 12 May 1980, the station was reopened by British Rail as part of the Crosstown Linkline service, this time named Hackney Central ,
1392-507: A reduced service and none on Sundays. The full seven-day service resumed on 22 May 2011, with extra services running all day in place of the additional shuttle trains which had previously run between Camden Road and Stratford stations in the morning and evening peaks. A new entrance from the south in Graham Road with ticket office and footbridge was opened in 2022. The new London Overground line names and colours were introduced across
1479-617: A route from Clapham Junction to the Greenwich Peninsula , intended to improve access from south London to the Millennium Dome . However, this was thwarted by architect Richard Rogers who considered that a railway route on a viaduct could cause "community severance", and so the Victorian brick viaduct was demolished. Nothing further happened to develop this network until after the new Greater London Authority (GLA)
1566-558: A separate map of the system is available. Much of London Overground passes through less affluent areas, and is seen as contributing to their regeneration. The North London and Gospel Oak to Barking lines were previously considered by the Transport Committee of the London Assembly to be neglected and not developed to their full potential. The new London Overground line names and colours were introduced across
1653-507: A traveller using Oyster PAYG changed lines at that station, showing which of the possible routes was used. Typically, this avoids paying for zone 1 when the passenger did not travel into it. Ticket stock is common National Rail stock, as Overground services remain part of the National Rail network, but sometimes with a large TfL roundel in the centre and the repeated legend " Rail Settlement Plan " or on newer versions "National Rail" on
1740-593: A very large number of other railway lines, especially lines radiating from central London. This does provide opportunities to move between different sectors of suburban London without having to enter the central zone. Trains run seven days a week, from approximately 06:00 (09:00 Sundays) until 23:30. There are eight trains per hour between Stratford and Willesden Junction, four of which continue to Clapham Junction and four to Richmond. The introduction of new four-car, air-conditioned trains, combined with improved signalling and passenger information, has dramatically overhauled
1827-572: Is a mix of paper, Oyster cards , electronic smart cards and contactless payment cards for "pay-as-you-go" travel. As with all National Rail and TfL services in London, passengers can use a Travelcard (daily, seven-day, monthly or annual); as on other National Rail services in London, paper single, return and cheap day return tickets priced under the zonal fare scheme are also available. As part of an effort to improve safety and protect revenue, TfL has announced that it will introduce ticket barriers at
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#17327915527981914-637: Is largely duplicated by the DLR King George V branch. Instead, the section became part of the Elizabeth line 's branch to Abbey Wood , which opened in May 2022. The section south of Stratford had always been the 'Cinderella' end of the line, in that when there were operating problems it was common for trains to be turned short at Stratford. Despite favourable performance figures, the North London line used to be regarded by frequent travellers as offering
2001-516: Is maintained at Willesden Junction and New Cross Gate TMDs , the latter being newly built for the extended East London line. There are also sidings at Silwood Triangle (just north of New Cross depot), built in 2013–14. Satellite locations for stabling trains include Stratford, London Euston and sidings (mainly used by London Northwestern Railway ), and c2c 's East Ham Depot. Train crews are based at stations including Euston, Willesden Junction, Watford Junction, New Cross, Stratford and Gospel Oak. Up to
2088-455: Is proposed for interchange with the Central line, but it might require the Central line station being moved to the east. The planned link between the proposed High Speed 2 line and the existing High Speed 1 line would have used the North London line alignment around Camden Road station, which might have reduced the existing or future capacity of the line. Its heavy investment in the line and
2175-794: The Department for Transport (DfT) announced a review of the rail industry in Great Britain. As part of that review, TfL proposed a "London Regional Rail Authority" to give TfL regulatory powers over rail services in and around Greater London. A result of this consultation was agreement by the Secretary of State for Transport , Alistair Darling , to transfer the Silverlink Metro services from DfT to TfL control. Silverlink had two areas of operation: Silverlink County regional services from Euston to Northampton , St Albans Abbey , Bletchley and Bedford ; and Silverlink Metro within
2262-497: The Greater London Council (GLC) decided to sponsor an improved service from Camden Road , on the North London line, to North Woolwich, opening up a previously freight-only line between Dalston and Stratford and linking it to an improved Stratford – North Woolwich service. This was given the marketing name Crosstown Linkline , and operated with basic two-car diesel multiple units. The next initiative came from
2349-682: The London and North Western Railway and later on to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway , which closed the entire North London line east of Dalston Junction to passenger traffic in 1944. Just to the west of the station a goods yard called Graham Road was opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1894. Located just west of the GER Hackney Downs railway viaduct the depot consisted of seven sidings dealing with coal and general goods. The land had originally been purchased for
2436-744: The Mildmay Hospital in Bethnal Green , which treated victims of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s) and would be coloured sky blue on the updated network map. Maiden Lane station may be reopened by Camden Council; however, the Office of Rail Regulation has not included this in the current plans. Hounslow council has proposed that part of the North London line be used as a branch of Crossrail to Hounslow , which would see Crossrail services serving Acton Central and South Acton . It
2523-587: The Mildmay line (to honour the Mildmay Mission Hospital which treated victims of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s) and are coloured light blue on the Tube map . The North London line between Richmond and North Woolwich derived from five connecting sections which were opened over 25 years from 1846: The line from Broad Street to Kew Bridge and Richmond was electrified by the LNWR in 1916 on
2610-609: The North London Railway routes from Silverlink Metro. The following day there was an official launch ceremony at Hampstead Heath station with the Mayor of London , Ken Livingstone ; there was also a later media event on the bay platform at Willesden Junction . The launch was accompanied by a marketing campaign entitled "London's new train set", with posters and leaflets carrying an image of model railway packaging containing new Overground trains, tracks and staff. At
2697-524: The ON – Overground Network brand. TfL introduced consistent information displays, station signage and maps on the selected routes in South London. Although this pilot was primarily an exercise in branding, some service improvements were introduced, and it was the first instance of the newly created TfL having a visible influence over National Rail services. The pilot scheme was later dropped. In January 2004
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2784-631: The Watford DC line . Most of these were routed via the line between South Hampstead and Camden Road, calling at Primrose Hill although some travelled via Hampstead Heath and joined the DC line at Willesden Junction . Prior to electrification in the 1960s, other services ran as far as Tring on the West Coast Main Line via Primrose Hill and Willesden Junction Main Line (now demolished). By
2871-609: The Broad Street branch was at one time formed of quadruple track. During the February–May 2010 blockade, the Caledonian Road & Barnsbury , Highbury & Islington and Canonbury stations were rebuilt to allow the extended East London line to serve Highbury & Islington on fully segregated tracks on the south side of the cutting. Under the reinstated four-track arrangement, the North London line runs parallel to
2958-488: The DLR be extended here from Bow Church via Old Ford and Homerton , taking over the old parts of the North London line to link up Poplar and Canary Wharf . However, most of the former North London line between Hackney Wick and Bow Church has been built on. . London Bus routes 30 , 38 , 55 , 106 , 236 , 242 , 253 , 254 , 276 , 277 , 394 and W15 and night routes N38 , N55 , N242 , N253 and N277 serve
3045-663: The East London line became part of the London Overground network when the Phase 1 extension was completed. The former London Underground line was extended northwards, mostly along the former Broad Street viaduct of the North London line, to the re-opened Dalston Junction , and southwards to Crystal Palace and West Croydon . Operations began with a limited preview service between Dalston Junction and New Cross/New Cross Gate, with full operation between Dalston Junction and West Croydon/Crystal Palace on 23 May. On 28 February 2011,
3132-560: The GLC in 1984, when the government supported the Broadgate development that would entail the demolition of Broad Street station. The closure process was convoluted because of problems in making alternative arrangements for the North London line, and the remaining services operating from Watford Junction to the City . These eventually ran to and from Liverpool Street via a new section of track,
3219-541: The Graham Road Curve. British Rail replaced the existing three-car Class 501 electric trains (built 1957) with slightly newer but shorter two-car Class 416 electric trains (built 1959 ), leading to overcrowding . In 1988, by reorganising and reducing services on the Great Northern routes from Moorgate , about 18 relatively modern Class 313 dual-voltage electric trains were transferred to operate
3306-461: The London Overground network. The initial network, service levels and timetables were a continuation of Silverlink Metro services, a set of routes primarily built and electrified by the North London and London & North Western railway companies in the 19th and early 20th centuries. As the Overground name implies, the majority of the network is above ground, and it mostly consists of railway lines that connect areas outside Central London , with
3393-401: The London rail network in November 2024 As of May 2023 , the typical off-peak service pattern is: Battersea Park railway station is served by an infrequent parliamentary train service from Dalston Junction , which terminates at Battersea Park instead of Clapham Junction . Since the reorganization of services into the London Overground network, this has been the only service to use
3480-409: The London rail network in November 2024 The typical off-peak service in trains per hour (tph) is: Hackney Central is a proposed stop on Crossrail 2 . It would be between Angel and Tottenham Hale or Seven Sisters . The platforms would be underground, with a connection to the existing surface station. In February 2006 the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Horizon 2020 report, had suggested that
3567-595: The London urban area. When the franchise was split up in 2007, County services were taken over by the London Midland franchise, and the Metro services came under TfL control. TfL decided to let this franchise as a management contract, with TfL taking the revenue risk. On 20 February 2006, the DfT announced that TfL would take over management of services then provided by Silverlink Metro . Tenders were invited to operate
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3654-468: The NLR opened its City Extension, mostly on a viaduct from a triangular junction at Dalston to Broad Street in the city, with these stations: The extension closed on 30 June 1986, but although the track was lifted the viaduct remained in place. The route was re-opened in 2010 as part of the extended East London line , which, like the North London line, is operated by London Overground . On 10 December 2006,
3741-695: The North London and Watford services, from both Euston and Liverpool Street. Several voluntary sector groups, the Railway Development Society (RDS, later Railfuture ), Transport 2000's then London groups, and the Capital Transport Campaign, launched a series of leaflets and briefings promoting a concept called Outer Circle. This name had once been used for a semi-circular service from Broad Street to Mansion House , which ceased during World War I. The pamphlets and briefings, first issued in 1997, initially suggested
3828-528: The North London line to Broad Street Station; however, with the electrification of the Great Northern Electrics suburban lines in 1976, trains were diverted into Moorgate and London King's Cross stations, so since then this link has only been used for freight trains. It too was singled concurrent with the AC electrification of the eastern part of the North London line. Most of the line runs in
3915-540: The North London line trains at Stratford moved to new high-level platforms 1 and 2 from low-level platforms 1 and 2, which were needed for the Docklands Light Railway 's Stratford International service. The new platforms 1 and 2 are an island platform with step-free access to platform 12 and subway links to platforms 3–11. On 27 September 2009, Imperial Wharf station opened on the West London line , between West Brompton and Clapham Junction . On 27 April 2010,
4002-456: The South London line, calling at Queens Road Peckham , Peckham Rye , Denmark Hill , Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road . The extension uses an alignment between Surrey Quays and just north of Queen's Road Peckham that had been disused since 1911; new track was laid after some major civil engineering works. Passive provision has also been made for a new station at Surrey Canal , to be constructed when funding becomes fully available. This
4089-696: The Southern Region at Eastleigh (using underframes built at Ashford) from 1957 which were later designated by British Railways as Class 501 . These were succeeded by Southern Region Class 416 EMU for a short period, these units being allocated to Selhurst depot in south London. Class 416 trains were in turn succeeded by Class 313 EMUs , which worked the route until 2010 when London Overground introduced Class 378 Capitalstar four-car dual-voltage electric trains compatible with both 750 V DC third-rail and 25 kV AC overhead power sources, and all of these units were by 2017 operating in 5-car formations to address
4176-593: The additional demand on the route. In 1986, Broad Street station closed and the Tottenham Hale–Stratford link and the station at Lea Bridge ceased to be used by regular passenger trains. The line between Dalston and North Woolwich was electrified on the third-rail system and Broad Street services were diverted to North Woolwich using former Southern Region 2-EPB types built in the 1950s. The two-car trains soon proved too small and were replaced by three-car Class 313 electric multiple units. The new service
4263-516: The adjacent Underground station. The part of the line between the West London and East Coast Main Lines was proposed in the mid-1990s to be used for Regional Eurostar services, which would travel from the lines into Waterloo International station to points north of London. A proposed link to Heathrow Airport would have also used the line between Willesden Junction and Acton. Regional Eurostar
4350-453: The double-track East London Line from Dalston Kingsland to Highbury and Islington. The line then becomes quadruple-track at Arundel Square, with passenger services using the inner pair of tracks and freight services using the outer pair, before the line reduces to double track at York Way, near St. Pancras. Originally, the line was electrified in 1914–15 using the fourth rail +420 V / -210 V system, as used by London Underground. This
4437-431: The early 2010s, London Overground operated with a conductor or guard on its North London, West London and Gospel Oak services. With the other 60% of Overground services already operated by only a driver, it was decided in 2013 to convert these remaining two-person operated trains to driver only . The London Overground is currently operated by Arriva Rail London under a contract with TfL which expires in 2026. Following
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#17327915527984524-607: The east, avoiding central London . Its route is a rough semicircle. Although much of it originated as part of the North London Railway , the current route is the result of a series of amalgamations, closures and reopenings, and has a mix of third-rail and overhead electrical power supply . It remains heavily used by freight services in addition to the main Mildmay line service on the London Overground . Between Richmond and Gunnersbury , London Underground 's District line shares tracks with London Overground services;
4611-479: The entire route is owned and maintained by Network Rail . TfL took over the line in 2007 and introduced new stock as well as putting the line on the Tube map. It closed for four months in 2010 between Gospel Oak and Stratford and had a reduced service for another year to allow platform extensions and signalling upgrades. In November, 2024 the North London and West London section of the London Overground were named
4698-528: The extension of the East London line . The North London line, as part of Silverlink , along with the West London line , Gospel Oak to Barking line and the Watford DC line , was transferred to Transport for London (TfL) in 2007 to form its new London Overground service. TfL began to remodel stations, integrate lines and, following the transfer and extension of the East London line , created an orbital rail service. TfL also brought in new trains and
4785-489: The final upgrade of the line between Camden Road and Stratford, the need to change traction current systems on this stretch was eliminated, and now the only changeover takes place at Acton Central for the short section to Richmond. The line ran on third rail throughout the 1980s until 1996 when it was closed for conversion to overhead lines. In 2010, the last of the third-rail sections around Camden Road station were completely removed. The line crosses, or comes into contact with,
4872-475: The former Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway line between Stratford and North Woolwich was closed to allow building of a Docklands Light Railway line to Stratford International between Stratford and Canning Town . Part of the south end of the closed section is used by the Elizabeth line . NLL stations closed were: DLR and Jubilee line services are not affected at the first three of those stations. The DLR line to Stratford International uses
4959-579: The fourth-rail DC system. In 1944, passenger services on the NLR Poplar branch ceased. Freight traffic continued on the branch to the docks on the Isle of Dogs until 1980. The trackbed of the southern part of the branch, from Poplar to Bow, was used for the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) branch to Stratford. The service was listed for closure in the 1963 Beeching Report, with losses claimed as being £69,000 per year (equivalent to £1,236,000 in 2023). It
5046-731: The historic Thames Tunnel , the oldest tunnel under a navigable river in the world. A peculiarity is that at Whitechapel the London Overground runs below the London Underground (though there are other parts of the network where this occurs, e.g. the Watford Junction to Euston route between Kenton and South Kenton – shared with the Bakerloo line – passes under the Metropolitan line between Northwick Park and Preston Road ). The next addition opened on 9 December 2012, from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction via
5133-698: The independently produced Ringrail proposals in the early 1970s. Some of these were evaluated in the London Rail Study of 1974 (the Barren Report) and Barren suggested consideration of a North London Network of orbital services, based on a later suggestion by the Ringrail Group, which involved using many existing rail routes, rather than the new construction suggested in earlier drafts of the Ringrail Plan. The proposal from Barren
5220-406: The late 1960s when services were reduced to three-carriage trains only. The line reopened on 1 June 2010 with a reduced service and none on Sundays, and with the upgrade work completed, the full seven-day service resumed on 22 May 2011. In addition to the primary Broad Street - Richmond service, there were services that linked Broad Street with Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction on
5307-451: The launch, TfL undertook to revamp the routes by improving service frequencies and station facilities, staffing all stations, introducing new rolling stock and allowing Oyster pay as you go throughout the network from the outset. After the takeover, all stations were "deep-cleaned", and Silverlink branding removed. Station signage was replaced with Overground-branded signs using TfL's corporate New Johnston typeface. On 15 April 2009,
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#17327915527985394-445: The line between Dalston Junction and Highbury & Islington was opened. In attendance were the Mayor of London and London Underground 's Managing Director. TfL announced in November 2010 that ridership was ahead of forecast at 92,000 a day, and that patronage at Surrey Quays had "gone through the roof". The incorporation of the East London line into the Overground network has added substantial sections of line in tunnel, including
5481-416: The lines, which previously appeared on tube maps following a public campaign, gained their own colour. TfL closed the line in February 2010 between Gospel Oak and Stratford for the installation of a new signalling system and the rebuilding or extension of platforms to allow four-car trains to run on the line; most NLL platforms had been reduced in usable length (where they had not been originally short) in
5568-624: The link from platform 2 at Battersea Park to Wandsworth Road . Highbury & Islington to New Cross, Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon services are served by New Cross Gate Depot . Richmond and Clapham Junction to Stratford, Watford Junction to Euston, and Gospel Oak to Barking services are served by Willesden Traction Maintenance Depot . London Liverpool Street to Enfield Town, Cheshunt and Chingford, and Romford to Upminster are served by Ilford EMU Depot , Chingford sidings and Gidea Park Sidings. London Overground's head office and control centre are at Swiss Cottage . Rolling stock
5655-487: The network. The Overground forms part of the United Kingdom's National Rail network but it is under the concession control and branding of Transport for London (TfL). Operation has been contracted to Arriva Rail London since 2016. TfL previously assigned orange as a mode-specific colour for the Overground in branding and publicity including the roundel , on the Tube map , trains and stations. In 2024, it
5742-436: The overhead line equipment which had been added to parts of the line for the benefit of freight trains; there had been some unexpected difficulties with earth currents from the third rail system which this overcame. This use was steadily extended, and trains had to make a number of changes between traction current supplies during their short journey; these were at Hackney Wick, Dalston Kingsland, Camden Road and Acton Central. With
5829-478: The passenger growth on it has made Transport for London against the alignment's use as a link between the two High Speed lines. That link has now been removed from the parliamentary bill. A new park utilising the former railway alignment between Camden Town and King's Cross was given planning permission in January 2023. Closed stations apart from those on the closed sections of the line are: On 1 November 1865
5916-480: The previously unelectrified northern pair of tracks, which were also partially singled at the same time. Between Canonbury and Highbury & Islington, there is a line which links to the East Coast Main Line at Finsbury Park . This used to carry passenger trains to and from various main line stations (such as Edgware , Alexandra Palace , High Barnet , Welwyn Garden City and others) over part of
6003-473: The running rail used for current return. The line is now electrified using that same third rail system from Richmond to Acton Central , but with overhead lines now used from Acton Central to Stratford. The line into Broad Street used third-rail supply and, when the through service to North Woolwich started in 1985, trains used the third rail throughout. When the trains were replaced a few years later by dual-voltage Class 313 trains, it became possible to use
6090-432: The same zone-based rules as for Underground and DLR paper tickets, which were expanded to take in the extra zones covered. Watford Junction has its own fare scale. Paper tickets are significantly more expensive than using Oyster PAYG. North London line The North London line (NLL) is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of London , England between Richmond in the south-west and Stratford in
6177-446: The service under the provisional name of the North London Railway . On 5 September 2006, London Overground branding was announced, and it was confirmed that the extended East London line would be included. On 25 June 2007, a statutory instrument was laid before parliament to exclude the ex-Silverlink metro lines from the franchising process, which enabled them to be operated as a concession. On 11 November 2007, TfL took over
6264-465: The service, making it an effective alternative to travelling through central London for many orbital journeys. From March 2011, the extended East London line connects to the NLL, with ELL services joining the line west of Dalston Kingsland , running to Highbury & Islington . Transport for London extended platforms at some stations along the route to prepare the line for five-car operations in 2015,
6351-401: The station. [REDACTED] London transport portal London Overground London Overground (also known simply as the Overground ) is a suburban rail network serving London and its environs. Established in 2007 to take over Silverlink Metro routes, it now serves a large part of Greater London as well as Hertfordshire , with 113 stations on the six lines that make up
6438-651: The time that Broad Street closed in 1986, the Watford services operated only in the rush hours; they were diverted to Liverpool Street by way of a new link in Hackney , known as the Graham Road Curve. Trains were frequently cancelled owing to rolling stock shortages; these circumstances had begun some years earlier with service reductions and scrapping of trains in the late 1960s, followed in later years by closure of depots at Croxley Green and Stonebridge Park preventing stabling of spare stock. Along with what eventually became
6525-499: Was announced that, while orange would remain the overall Overground brand colour and continue to appear on the roundels, each of the six Overground lines would be given distinct colours and names. Rail services in Great Britain are mostly run under franchises operated by private train operating companies, marketed together as National Rail. The concept of developing a network of orbital services around London goes back to
6612-526: Was branded by British Rail as the North London Link , and some signs using this name still exist. In December 2006, as with the Poplar branch (see above), the line between Stratford and North Woolwich was permanently closed to make a way for a future DLR extension from Canning Town to Stratford International (opened February 2011). The section south of Canning Town was not used by the DLR, as it
6699-484: Was changed in the 1970s to +630 V / 0 V; the trains (then EMUs of a design unique to this and the DC line ) were modified to the same basic traction supply arrangements as SR 3rd rail EMUs; the centre/negative current rail was removed except where coincident four-rail running was required between Richmond and Gunnersbury for the Underground trains that share this section, the centre rail there being bonded to
6786-571: Was criticised by local politicians during the planning phase of the project. No stations are planned at these locations as the line is on high railway arches, making the cost of any station construction prohibitive. On 31 May 2015, the Liverpool Street to Enfield Town , Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters ) and Chingford services, as well as the Romford to Upminster service, were transferred from Greater Anglia to TfL to become part of
6873-481: Was cut back to Stratford . A tunnel, the Hampstead Heath tunnel, runs under Hampstead between Finchley Road & Frognal and Hampstead Heath . The line is double track throughout, with quadruple track between York Way (near St. Pancras) and Arundel Square (near Highbury and Islington). The former North Woolwich branch included a section of single track between Custom House and North Woolwich stations, and
6960-407: Was eventually cancelled. The line was originally operated by steam-hauled trains which were replaced after electrification by London and North Western Railway EMUs built from 1914 and augmented by later EMUs built in the 1930s by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. These had all been replaced by the early 1960s with dedicated short-wheelbase trains (shared with the Watford DC line ) built by
7047-422: Was extended to Camden Road as the Crosstown Linkline service, using the same Cravens-built diesel multiple unit trains . There were no intermediate stations until, in 1980, Hackney Wick was opened, near the site of the former Victoria Park station and Hackney Central was re-opened; then Homerton re-opened in 1985 (the two latter stations had closed in 1944). New platforms were built at West Ham for interchange with
7134-612: Was for several overlapping services mainly using the North London line , generally at 20-minute intervals. The suggested routes followed the original North London line service from Broad Street to Richmond , new services from Barking to Clapham Junction , and a third service from Ealing Broadway to North Woolwich . However, the Wilson government 's continuing antipathy to the railways, along with British Rail 's management's lack of interest in minor local train services, meant that few of these initiatives were carried forward. In 1979,
7221-608: Was launched in 2000. But the lobbying discreetly continued, with a series of short briefings published by one RDS member based in North London. Mayoral and GLA candidates were approached to discuss the viability of the Outer Circle concept. The principle was widely supported and was adopted into the first Mayor's Transport Plan, published in 2001. Meanwhile, a pilot scheme was launched in 2003 to bring several National Rail local services, mainly in South London, operated by Connex South Eastern , Southern and South West Trains under
7308-443: Was not included in the initial Crossrail bill but could form part of a later extension. Under the former government's plans for High Speed 2 line from London Euston to Birmingham , a new station called Old Oak Common was to be built by 2025 serving the North London line, West London line , High Speed 2 and Crossrail . The new government supports the idea after it had been opposed at first. Another new station at North Acton
7395-552: Was opened in July 2015. This walkway means passengers do not have to exit on to the street in order to continue their onward journey and has eased congestion. The North London Railway opened a station named Hackney on 26 September 1850, to the east of Mare Street, then in the county of Middlesex . It closed on 1 December 1870 and was replaced the same day by a station to the west of Mare Street, designed by Edwin Henry Horne and also named Hackney . This station passed in due course to
7482-474: Was put on hold in 2009, although a suitable station 'foundation structure' has been built to facilitate completion in the future. Funding for the railway rebuilding project was secured in February 2009, including £64 million from the Department for Transport (DfT) and £15 million from TfL, and construction began in May 2011. The route passes over both Loughborough Junction and Brixton stations without stopping, and this lack of interchange stations
7569-711: Was saved after a huge campaign. The line was Grant Aided under the Transport Act 1968 and came under threat when the Conservative Government of 1970–71 proposed to reduce Grant Aid funding. That threat, eventually lifted, led to the founding of a new campaign group, the North London Line Committee, which tried to work with British Rail management to promote the service. In 1979, the North Woolwich to Stratford service
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