Woodford tube station
Central line · Zone 4 · Redbridge
About Woodford station
Woodford was a main-line station for over ninety years before the Tube arrived. The Eastern Counties Railway opened it on 22 August 1856 on its branch from Leyton to Loughton, and its successor, the Great Eastern, added the Fairlop Loop to Newbury Park in 1903. The station passed to the London Passenger Transport Board on 14 December 1947 as the Central line extension pushed east, and for almost a year it was the line’s terminus, with passengers changing to a steam shuttle towards Epping until electric trains reached Loughton and the Hainault loop on 21 November 1948.
Electrification also closed the level crossing where Snakes Lane crossed the line, replaced by a bridge to the south, and the goods yard, shut in the late 1960s, became today’s car park. There are three platform tracks: a side platform on the west and an island to the east whose outer face is a south-facing terminal track, with five stabling sidings beyond. In 1961 a Victoria line continuation from Walthamstow Central to Woodford or South Woodford was ruled out. A refurbishment has repainted the stanchions in two-tone green, and an ‘owl’ now hangs from a girder.
First and last trains from Woodford
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central towards West Ruislip, North Acton or Ealing Broadway | 05:24 – 00:31 to Leytonstone | 05:24 – all night | 24 hours | all night – 23:12 |
| Central towards Epping, Loughton or Hainault | 05:22 – 01:02 | 05:22 – all night | 24 hours | all night – 00:07 |
Times are TfL’s published timetable departures from this station; on Saturday the list follows TfL’s “Saturdays and public holidays” timetable.
At the busiest hour on a weekday there are up to 17 Central trains an hour per direction from Woodford, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Woodford
Running times between Woodford and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Central | Buckhurst Hill | 2.9 min |
| Central | Roding Valley | 3 min |
| Central | South Woodford | 2.7 min |
Connections
Woodford is served by the Central line only; there is no interchange with other rail lines here.
Station facilities
What is near Woodford station
Two entrances serve the station: the main western one off The Broadway, beside the car park, and an eastern one on Snakes Lane East, which is closed after 21:00, when an intercom can be used to ask staff to unlock the gates. Because the platforms are not connected inside, switching between eastbound and westbound means a 130 m journey via the street. Woodford Green Library is about 130 m away and the Woodford Green War Memorial roughly 330 m.
| Place | Walk from the station |
|---|---|
| Woodford Green Library | 130 m |
| Woodford Green War Memorial | 330 m |
Frequently asked questions
Woodford is where the Hainault loop begins: as well as sitting between South Woodford and Buckhurst Hill on the main route to Epping, it acts as a terminus for trains running via the loop, whose next station is Roding Valley. The island platform’s eastern face is a south-facing terminal track.
It was considered. During planning of the Victoria line, route options included continuing from Walthamstow Central to Woodford or South Woodford. In 1961, however, the decision was taken to build only as far as Walthamstow Central, so Woodford remained a Central line station.