| Summary : Leytonstone station opened in 1856 as an intermediate station on the Eastern Counties Railway from Stratford to Loughton. The 1935-40 New Works Programme saw the eastwards extension of the Central line being projected over what was now a London and North Eastern Railway route. A 2.31 mile extension from Stratford allowed tube trains to reach Leytonstone on 5th May 1947. In contracts with the other stations on the extension, Leytonstone was completely redeveloped by London Transport architects in connection with the new road underpass that was built to eliminate the level crossing. There was a subsurface ticket hall and a pedestrian subway below the tracks. The up platform was converted to an island by fitting in an extra track behind it. Subsequently this layout was useful in regulating the westbound service by holding trains arriving from Epping or Hainault to depart in the correct sequence, but for the present the extra platform was used by LNER steam trains now running between Leytonstone and Loughton, Epping or Ongar, the first stage in such trains gradually being driven back to their last stronghold between Epping and Ongar. |