Station Name: LOW STREET[Source: Nick Catford]
Low Street Station Gallery 2: c1962 - cMid1960s
street_old18.jpg) Another view of the up platform buiilding at Low Street seen from the down platform c1962.Photo
from Alan Young collection
street_old9.jpg)
Low Street, facing towards Tilbury, after electrification. The view is from the now-lengthened Down platform which, incidentally, never had any passenger facilities apart from lighting. Re-signalling has taken place, in 1958, but the signal box is still present to control the level crossing which was still gated at this time. Lifting barriers eventually replaced the gates but the signal box, which was to a Midland Railway design, remained until the re-signalling scheme of the early 1990s. The station has received electric lighting; note the station name on the lampshades at a right angle to the platforms. Behind the fence on the right a derelict-looking lorry, either an Austin K2 or a Bedford O or M series, looks on. In the last years of Low Street station the train service was somewhat erratic and especially outside of the peak hours. Some Fenchurch Street - Shoeburyness trains called as did some of the Pitsea - Tilbury Riverside shuttles but a good number of trains passed through without stopping and the station closed on and from 5 June 1967.
Photo frtom John Mann collection street_old10.jpg)
Low Street goods shed in the 1960s. Officially the goods yard remained open until 28 September 1964 but the down goods loop was lifted when the platforms were extended in the late 1950s The yard therefore must have been closed by the time this photo was taken. The ramp was for access by road vehicles. There was a similar opening on the far side onto the siding which ran alongside the building. The building still stands within Apollo Plat Hire's yard which occupies part of the former goods yard site. The building was used as an engineering workshop in the late 1960s and 70s.
Photo from John Smith collection at Tilbury & Chadwell memories street_old11.jpg) Looking south-east along Station Road towards the Low Street level crossing in the 1960s.
Photo from John Smith collection at Tilbury & Chadwell memories street_old12.jpg)
Looking north-east from Low Street level crossing at the up platform in the 1960s. The new searchlight colour light signal is seen here and two photos below.
Photo
from John Smith collection at Tilbury & Chadwell memories
Low Street signal box in the 1960s. This is not the original box but a replacement provided by the Midland Railway in January 1925. Photo from John Mann collection  Low Street station seen from a passing eastbound train circa mid 1960s. The station is now very well lit. 11 new electric lights, each illuminated with the station name, stand on the up platform. Presumably a similar number stand on the down platform.
Photo from John Smith collection at Tilbury & Chadwell memories street_old13.jpg) Sometime in the 1960s an oil train passes Low Street signal box towards Tilbury. Here we have a better view of the 'searchlight' colour-light signal. These had a single lens, as can be seen, with coloured discs originally positioned as required by mechanical means. At this time the level crossing still had swing gates and would soon be converted to lifting barriers.
Photo from Jim Lake collection street_old14.jpg)
In the mid 1960s a Brush Type 2 passes Low Street, presumably with a goods working. Later designated Classes 30 and 31, this example lacks the four character headcode box so is probably one of the Pilot Scheme D5500 - D5519 batch. Obvious is the extension to the Down platform, the former Down goods loop once running behind it and serving the small goods shed. The Up platform, upon which the photographer stood, was lengthened earlier and presumably as a prelude to electrification.
Photo from John Smith collection at Tilbury & Chadwell memories street_old15.jpg)
In the mid 1960s a Class AM2 (later Class 302) electric multiple-unit is seen at Low Street bound for Shoeburyness. It was common to see the four-character headcode display wound to 'OOOO' or simply blank and in later years the headcode box was plated over. These four-car units served the LT&S lines stalwartly for some forty years until 1999. Some had been converted for other uses and today just two individual cars survive in preservation. One of these units, No.244, was involved in a level crossing accident at Low Street in 1972 when it struck a lorry. Driving Trailer No.75292 of unit 244 was badly damaged and set aside awaiting a decision on its future. Meanwhile the LMR had found itself with a surplus of Manchester - Bury 2-car third rail EMUs and it was decided to send car M77164 south to replace the damaged E75292. Car M77164 was modified to suit and unit 244, eventually 302244, ran in this form for many years until 1985 when a stock appraisal found a spare Class 302 car to replace it. Back at Low Street, the moped seen on the platform reputedly belonged to the porter, Mr Edward Sargeant. It was Mr Sargeant who was on duty when Low Street closed and thus was to lock up the station for the final time.
Photo from John Smith collection at Tilbury & Chadwell memories street_old16.jpg)
An unusual rear view of the station building showing that it had, at least in part, a lower floor basement in this view dating from circa mid-1960s. There is evidence in the brickwork that the north end of the building is a later extension.
Photo from John Smith collection at Tilbury & Chadwell memories street_old17.jpg) Sometime in the 1960s an English Electric Type 3 (later Class 37) thunders through Low Street with, presumably, a goods working. The locomotive is passing the extended Down platform, the rear of which is now fenced. Behind it once ran the Down goods loop which also served the small goods shed. The signal on the Up platform, right foreground, is an LNER 'searchlight' colour-light and presumably the Low Street Up starter.Photo from John Smith collection at Tilbury & Chadwell memories Click here for Low Street Station Gallery 3:
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