Cutbacks and Closure
From the late 1960s onwards it became clear that the line's patronage was not growing as had been expected (mainly due to restriction of development in what was now designated Green Belt land). Even at its peak in 1971, its daily 650 passengers hardly made the line an economic proposition. London Underground tried to close the entire line in 1980; instead, a reduced service was implemented, along with Blake Hall tube station being closed on Sundays.
North Weald station's platform one was closed in 1976, then the passing loop/westbound tracks were lifted in 1978. Until this time, access to the two platforms was controlled from the original Eastern Counties Railway signal box still sited on the southbound platform to this day (now fully restored). Until this occurred, North Weald was the last section of the London Underground network to be signalled using mechanical semaphore signals.
Blake Hall was permanently shut in 1981; it is said that the station, before closure, handled six customers a day. The station building still survives, without platform, as a private dwelling. Even after closure, it only required a kind word to the shuttle's driver for an unscheduled stop to be made. London transport responded by removing the platform facings rendering the unauthorised procedure impossible.
On September 30, 1994, passenger services on the line, which was making a loss of seven pounds for each passenger journey and was in need of some expensive maintenance work, were suspended, the Central Line terminating at Epping Station. At the time the passenger services were suspended, it was carrying a mere 80 passengers a day; local lore had it that the line was being kept open in case the Cabinet needed to be evacuated to the Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker at Doddinghurst. However, the track was left intact along with the stations (albeit in an unmaintained state).
The train that ran the final London Underground service on the line, a three-car unit of 1960 stock, has been preserved by Cravens Heritage Trains.
Read more about this topic: Epping Ongar Railway