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Redbridge
Station entrance
RedbridgeLocation of Redbridge in Greater London
Location	Redbridge
Local authority	London Borough of Redbridge
Managed by	London Underground
Station code(s)	REB
Number of platforms	2
Fare zone	4
London Underground annual entry and exit
2019	2.80 million
2020	1.56 million
2021	1.26 million
2022	2.04 million
2023	2.01 million
Key dates
1942–1945	Tunnels used as an aircraft parts factory by Plessey during the war
14 December 1947	Opened
Listed status
Listing grade	II
Entry number	1401101
Added to list	20 July 2011
Other information
External links	TfL station info page [1] Departures [1] Facilities
Coordinates	51°34′33″N 0°02′42″E / 51.5757°N 0.0449°E / 51.5757; 0.0449
London transport portal

Redbridge is a London Underground station on Eastern Avenue in the Redbridge district of Ilford in East London, on the Hainault Loop of the Central line, in Zone 4. It opened on 14 December 1947 as an extension of the Central line to form the new part of the Hainault loop.

History

The extension of the Central line eastwards from Liverpool Street was first proposed in 1935 by the London Passenger Transport Board. The station at Ilford West (Red House) would be one of three stations in Tube tunnel between Leytonstone and Newbury Park.

Construction had begun in the mid 1930s, but was delayed by the onset of the Second World War. During the war, the completed train tunnels at Redbridge were used by the Plessey company as an aircraft parts factory between 1942 and 1945.

The station was opened on 14 December 1947. The station building was designed by renowned Tube architect, Charles Holden, who also designed the other two below ground stations on the branch. Originally, the station was to have been named "West Ilford", then this changed to "Red House", before the final decision was made on "Redbridge" (also given in the plans as "Red Bridge").

Since the station was built, a large roundabout has been constructed next to it, being a junction between the A406 (originally the terminal section of the M11), and the A12.

Redbridge is often described as the shallowest deep level (as opposed to cut-and-cover) station on the network, as it is only 5.2 metres (17 ft) beneath the surface. However, this is misleading as the station tunnel was constructed by the cut-and-cover method, with the running lines descending into genuine tube tunnels at either end of the platforms – similar to the Central line platforms at Mile End.

In July 2011 it was granted Grade II listed building status by English Heritage.

Connections

London Buses routes 66, 145 and 366 and night route N8 serve the station.

Inside the station

• Westbound platform looking east
• Eastbound platform looking west
• View of the station building looking south
• Ticket hall ceiling

References

1. "Station Codes" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
2. "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2019. Transport for London. 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
3. "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2020. Transport for London. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
4. "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2021. Transport for London. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
5. "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2022. Transport for London. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
6. "Station Usage Data" (XLSX). Usage Statistics for London Stations, 2023. Transport for London. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
7. ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1401101)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
8. ^ North East London Electrification report upon the extension of the Central London line and train services. London Passenger Transport Board. 1935.
9. Dearden, Lizzie (10 November 2012). "Remembrance Sunday: The Secret Munitions Factory in the Underground tunnels at Gants Hill". Ilford Recorder.

External links

• Redbridge station at CharlesHolden.com
• RedRag (Redbridge Roundabout Action Group) achieves bus rerouting at the station

Preceding station	London Underground			Following station
Wansteadtowards Ealing Broadway or West Ruislip		Central linevia Hainault Loop		Gants Hilltowards Hainault or Woodford

• Rail transport stations in London fare zone 4
• Central line (London Underground) stations
• London Underground Night Tube stations
• Tube stations in the London Borough of Redbridge
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1947
• Charles Holden railway stations
• Art Deco architecture in London
• 1947 establishments in England
• Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Redbridge
• Grade II listed railway stations