History
The line was originally built as a branch of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LT&SR) and opened on 7 June 1893 providing the LT&SR with an inroad into Great Eastern Railway territory at Romford and a small goods yard where the branch joins the Great Eastern Main Line. At Romford the branch had a separate station entrance in a three-storey building opposite the Great Eastern station entrance and a cast-iron footbridge was also constructed over South Street opened when a LT&SR train was due. When in April 1934 the LT&SR building ceased use as a station and the ground floor rented as a shop the then LNER took control of the whole station.
Emerson Park Halt opened 1 October 1909. A run round loop was constructed 500 yards to the west to enable extra trains to run between Emerson Park and Upminster. When push-pull working began in 1934 the loop was not needed and taken out c. 1936.
From 17 September 1956 DMUs from Stratford replaced the steam service and from 20 April 1957 a new bay (dead end) platform six opened at Upminster effectively making it part of the Great Eastern Railway.
After attempts to close the line in the 1960s failed, the line continued until it was electrified and EMU services began on 17 April 1986.
Read more about this topic: Romford To Upminster Line
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