Cambridge Heath railway station

Cambridge Heath is a railway station operated by London Overground^[2][3] in Cambridge Heath, East London. The station is 1 mile 61 chains (2.8 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Bethnal Green and London Fields on the Lea Valley lines to Cheshunt and Enfield Town. Its three-letter station code is CBH and it is in Travelcard zone 2.

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Cambridge Heath
Cambridge Heath railway station in February 2010
Cambridge Heath Location of Cambridge Heath in Greater London
Location	Cambridge Heath
Local authority	London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Managed by	London Overground
Owner	Network Rail
Station code(s)	CBH
DfT category	F1
Number of platforms	2
Fare zone	2
National Rail annual entry and exit
2018–19	0.786 million[1]
2019–20	0.774 million[1]
2020–21	0.252 million[1]
2021–22	0.602 million[1]
2022–23	0.771 million[1]
Railway companies
Original company	Great Eastern Railway
Pre-grouping	Great Eastern Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway
Key dates
27 May 1872 (1872-05-27)	Station opened
22 May 1916	Temporarily closed
5 May 1919	Reopened
17 February 1986	Temporarily closed
15 March 1986	Reopened
Other information
External links	Departures Facilities
Coordinates	51.5321°N 0.0572°W / 51.5321; -0.0572
London transport portal

History

Great Eastern Railway 1872-1922

The station was opened on 27 May 1872 by the Great Eastern Railway (GER) as part of a more direct route to Enfield Town which before opening was accessed via Angel Road station. The station was located on a viaduct, had two platforms and a station building on the Up (east) side.

In 1894, with increasing traffic, the GER opened two additional tracks on the eastern side, which are known as the Fast Lines today, to allow longer distance trains to bypass the station.^[4][5] No platforms were opened on these new lines. The 1872 station building was also demolished at that time, being replaced by a new building constructed beside the Fast Lines with access to platforms provided by means of a subway.

During World War I the station was closed as a wartime economy measure from 22 May 1916, and was subsequently reopened on 5 May 1919.^[6]

London & North Eastern Railway (1923-1947)

After the Railways Act 1921, the country's railways were grouped into four companies, with effect from 1 January 1923. At Cambridge Heath, the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) took over operations of the GER services.

In 1935, the semaphore signalling was replaced by single searchlight signals which were able to display three aspects (Green, Yellow or Red) through different changeable lens arrangements. It was also in 1935 that electrification of the lines through Cambridge Heath was suggested, although many years were to pass before these plans came to fruition.^[7][8]

British Railways (1948-1994)

On nationalisation in 1948 responsibility for operating the station fell to British Railways (Eastern Region).

The lines through Hackney were electrified in the late 1950s with electric services commencing operation on 21 November 1960.^[9]

The privatisation era (1994-present day)

The station, along with neighbouring London Fields, was for many years only served during weekday peak periods, with regular daytime services not restarting until 1998, and evening and Saturday services from 2001.^[10]

Oyster pay as you go cards were introduced at the station in 2008. The station and all services that call were previously operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. In May 2015, Cambridge Heath transferred to London Overground and now appears on the tube map.^[11][12]

As of November 2018, the station will take part in a "pay by face" facial technology trial called "Gateless Gatelines". It will be used for a trial to "nudge" passengers into ensuring they tap their payment card.^[13] In the three-month data-gathering exercise 3D mapping "stereoscopic depth sensors" resembling ceiling-mounted shower heads will track people's movements. The system will be able to analyse from a person's movement through the gate whether they have touched in on the Oyster reader."^[13]

Services

Cambridge Heath in August 1983

All services at Cambridge Heath are operated by London Overground using Class 710 EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:^[14]

• 4 tph to London Liverpool Street
• 2 tph to Cheshunt
• 2 tph to Enfield Town

Additional services call at the station during the peak hours.

Preceding station		London Overground		Following station
Bethnal Green towards Liverpool Street		Enfield & Cheshunt line		London Fields towards Enfield Town or Cheshunt

Connections

London Buses services serves the station, routes 106, 26, 55, 254, 388, D6 and night routes N26, N55 and N253.

References

1. "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
2. "Cambridge Heath (London) Rail Station". Transport for London.
3. "National Rail Enquiries - Station facilities for Cambridge Heath". nationalrail.co.uk.
4. Taylor, D J (July 1990). "Cambridge Heath Station". Great Eastern Journal. 63: 11.
5. Wilson, Bryan (October 2002). "Hackney Downs Station, Middlesex". Great Eastern Journal. 112: 21, 22.
6. Chronology of London Railways by H.V.Borley
7. Unknown, letter (April 2003). "A-Z of GER stations Hackney Downs Station, Middlesex". Great Eastern Journal. 114: 57.
8. Wilson, Bryan (October 2002). "Hackney Downs Station, Middlesex". Great Eastern Journal. 112: 22.
9. Wilson, Bryan (October 2002). "Hackney Downs Station, Middlesex". Great Eastern Journal. 112: 25.
10. Cambridge Heath and London Fields RUG - A Brief History of Cambridge Heath & London Fields www.railwatch.org; Retrieved 9 January 2014
11. "TFL appoints London Overground operator to run additional services" (Press release). Transport for London. 28 May 2014.
12. "TfL count on LOROL for support". Rail Professional. 28 May 2014.
13. Blunden, Mark (22 November 2018). "Could scanners like these solve tube and train crowds". Evening Standard. London.
14. Table 21 National Rail timetable, June 2024

External links

• Train times and station information for Cambridge Heath railway station from National Rail