Epping Ongar Railway HistoryThe History Page One 1865-1900
On the 24th April 1865 the Great Eastern Railway opened a single track line between Loughton and Ongar. Originally ECR Eastern Countires Railway was to implement this work but was taken over by GER.
A brass band turned out for the day with the village people cheering as the first train pulled into Ongar station. However, this brillant day was disturbed that very evening as a train had derailed itself at North Weald station.
Thankfully no-one was hert and only the locomotive had come off the tracks. The train returned to Ongar at 5.00 am in the morning.
During the 1800's people went railway mad with new lines poping up everywhere. The loughton to Ongar line was planned to be extended to Great Dunmow, Bury St Edmonds, Shenfield and finally Chelmsford.
As some people can tell, Ongar station is set out as a through station and not a terminus. The extension was never started due to lack of private money.
During this period, all weekday trains out of Ongar station terminated at Fenchurch Street Station. Also with the odd train terminating at Bishopsgate on a sunday.
In 1874 Liverpool Street Station had been built and most trains were diverted to this new terminus by the end of the 1800's.
Coming towards the end of the century there was a small suburban growth in Ongar. This moved the railway up to 14 trains a day departing from Ongar.
In 1888 interlocked signal boxes built and block working was introduced on the line.
In January 1893 GER double tracked the line from Loughton to Epping. But Ongar would never be double tracked.
Also in the same year the Epping engine shed was opened.
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