Theobalds Grove Station (TEO)

Address: High Street, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire EN8 7BG
Opened: 1 October 1891
Station Code: TEO
Fare Zone: 7

London Overground Line(s) Served:

Lea Valley Lines (Cheshunt Branch)

Service Pattern(s):

Two trains per hour to Liverpool Street via Seven Sisters
Two trains per hour to Cheshunt

Station History

Theobalds Grove station opened on 1st October 1891 as part of the Great Eastern Railway‘s Churchbury Loop line from Bury Street Junction, located north of what is now Edmonton Green, to Cheshunt Station.

Due to the mainly rural nature of the areas served by the line, and the completion of building tramways to Waltham Cross in 1904, the Great Eastern Railway was not able to compete financially and the Churchbury Loop services ceased on 1st October 1909 with all stations being closed.

Following the outbreak of World War 1, the large amount of munitions factories in the Lea Valley led to Churchbury Loop services being reinstated for the benefit of workers in March 1915, before ceasing again on 1 July 1919.

Theobalds Grove remained closed from 1919, although freight trains still used the line. This changed when the line was electrified as part of a larger scheme, leading to the station reopening to passengers on 21 November 1960. The line was also renamed to the Southbury Loop at this time.

Following a downturn in traffic, the station goods yard was closed in 1967 and the site was converted to the station car park.

Following the sectorisation of British Rail in 1982, new operator Network Southeast initiated a program of modernisation of stations along the line. At Theobalds Grove, this entailed the platform roofs being removed with shorter replacements installed, a new metal staircase to the northbound platform and partial reconstruction of the ticket hall.

Privatisation of the railways saw West Anglia Great Northern take over the station in January 1997, before another change of operator due to franchise changes saw the station operated by National Express. A change of franchisee in February 2012 saw Abellio take over, rebranding as Abellio Greater Anglia in December 2013.

Southbury Loop services to London Liverpool Street were devolved to Transport for London, operating under their London Overground brand, in May 2015.