Gone but not forgotten. That’s Lower Edmonton Low Level for you. Picture this bustling railway station. Opened in 1849 by the Eastern Counties Railway it was originally called simply Edmonton. This was part of the Enfield Town branch line. It was a crucial link in the Lea Valley Lines.
Lower Edmonton Low Level quickly became more than just a station. It was a lifeline for many. Workers relied on its cheap workmen’s trains. These trains connected them to jobs in London. The station even played a role in World War I. Ambulance trains unloaded wounded soldiers there. These soldiers were then transported to the nearby Edmonton Military Hospital.
But Lower Edmonton Low Level wasn’t always popular. The original route into London was circuitous and slow. Commuters were unhappy. This led to a new more direct route. This opened in stages from 1872. This new line connected to Enfield Town. It also gave a faster journey into Liverpool Street station. The original line and Lower Edmonton Low Level became less important. It was then renamed Lower Edmonton Low Level. This was to distinguish it from the newer high-level station.
The station had a humble existence after that. It gained a second platform around 1900. This was to keep a level crossing open. A goods yard was also built nearby. This was used to store empty train carriages. A small signal box was also added near the level crossing.
Even in its twilight years Lower Edmonton Low Level had a moment in the sun. It was briefly reopened in 1959. This was during electrification works on the West Anglia Main Line. One of its final passengers was a school trip to Windsor Castle.
Lower Edmonton Low Level’s story ended in 1939. Passenger services stopped then. The line itself lasted until 1964. Today there is only the memory of this station. The Edmonton Green Shopping Centre now stands on its former site. Lower Edmonton Low Level may be gone but its history lives on.