Disused Stations: Stratford Market Station

[Source: Nick Catford]

Stratford Market Gallery 3: 1966 - October 1984

Inside the street level building at Stratford Market in 1966. An old LNER sign that would have been mounted in the building has found a new use, blocking up a broken window. The sign indicates trains to Fenchurch Street, Stratford, Victoria Park and Palace Gates to the right and trains to Woolwich and Albert Dock to the left. Albert Dock is any station on the Gallions branch. This sign would have been removed from 8 September 1940 when the Gallions branch closed and the Fenchurch Street service was withdrawn. After that date trains served only the North Woolwich to Palace Gates line until closure of the station in 1957.
Photo by JE Connor

Looking south at the degraded platforms from inside the station building in 1966; the platform edge was removed shortly after closure. The bottom of the ramp down to the up platform is seen on the right. The Railway Tavern is seen on the far left with the LNER printing works on the right. The top of the main hall at Stratford Fruit and Vegetable Market can just be made out in the distance beyond the printing works.
Photo by JE Connor

The rear of Stratford Market station building seen from Bridge Road in June 1968. The openings for the stairs descending to the down platform (right) and the ramp to the up platform (left) are clearly visible having been hastily bricked up following removal of the steps and ramp. Signalling at Stratford Market was complex, with two gantries seen here. North of Stratford Market the tracks all merged into a short double-track section which then split off into goods sidings, the line into Stratford Low Level and the connection with the Shenfield main line. At one time there were also a number of crossovers. The gantries were located south of the bridge for sighting purposes as the bridge and station building obstructed drivers' view.
Photo by Nick Catford

The south end of the up platform at Stratford Market station in May 1968. Following closure of the station in 1957 the front facing and some of the infill was removed. The rear brick facing alongside the slower goods lines was left in place at the south end of the up platform and is seen here. The former LNER printing works seen here closed in 1951 but has remained in industrial use ever since. It now provides workshop and office space for a number of small firms and businesses.
Photo by Nick Catford

Stratford Market station looking north in July 1975 from a passing northbound DMU from North Woolwich. The up platform surface is still intact towards the back of the platform.
Photo by Alan Young

Looking north at the site of Stratford Market station in November 1975. The full length of the degraded platforms is clearly visible.
Photo by Nick Catford

The rear of Stratford Market station building seen from Bridge Road in November 1975. The building was in use as an office at this time. New windows have been fitted in the bricked-up access points to the platforms. Some of the signals seen in the 1968 picture above have gone; this is because of track rationalisation north of the bridge.
Photo by Nick Catford

Looking north at the remains for Stratford Market station from a passing North Woolwich
service in May 1979.

Stratford Market station seen from the High Street on a winter day in December 1981. The retail outlets stretching round the corner into Burford Road are contemporary with the station building. A blue BR Eastern Region sign fixed to the lamp post directs people to Stratford Fruit and Vegetable Market.
Photo by Alan Young

Looking north along the up platform at Stratford Market station in December 1983. The boundary wall was also the back wall of the waiting room. It was lowered after the demolition of the waiting rooms. Note the bricked-up circular windows along the length of the wall. This wall was demolished during the conversion of the line to DLR operation.
Photo by Nick Catford

Looking north along the degraded up platform at Stratford Market station in December 1983. The brick facing at the back of the platform remains in place but the front facing and much of the infill has been removed. The goods lines are rusty and clearly out of use at this time.
Photo by Nick Catford

A view looking south from the signal gantry in front of the Stratford Market station building in December 1983. Not much has changed since Jim Connor took his view (above) from a similar viewpoint in 1966 (apart from the addition of a second tower block in Stephens Road, Plaistow). The stagger in the two platforms is apparent with the up platform finishing 50ft short of the High Street bridge. The brickwork at the end of the platform is the bottom of the ramp down from the station building. The lighter section of wall on the left was the back wall of the waiting room; it is lighter because it was
not open to the weather.
Photo by Nick Catford

Stratford Market station frontage in December 1983. The building was renovated circa 1970 and received a coat of khaki paint. It was named Coronet House (359 Stratford High Street) and let out as offices. It now only has one tenant, Coronet Mini Cars. The coal depot in Burford Road had closed by this date and Charrington's coal office has also gone, and it is occupied by some kind of video outlet. The 'to let' sign in the window had been there for more than eight years. The Rex cinema closed in 1969 reopening as a bingo hall. After reverting briefly to a cinema it closed in the mid 1970s and the building was derelict at this time.
Photo by Nick Catford

Click here for Stratford Market Gallery 4:
October 1984 - December 2012