Becontree tube station
District line · Zone 5 · Barking and Dagenham
About Becontree station
Before it was Becontree, this was Gale Street Halt, opened by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway on 28 June 1926 on the Fenchurch Street to Southend line to serve the new Becontree Estate, then going up around it. At first no roads even led to the halt. When the LMS decided to quadruple the tracks between Barking and Upminster and electrify one pair for the District line, the station was rebuilt with new platforms. It reopened under its present name on 18 July 1932 in a building designed by William Henry Hamlyn, and electric District trains began on 12 September 1932, the same day neighbouring Upney and Heathway opened. By 1935 the area had around 18,000 homes and a population of 116,000.
Southend trains stopped calling on 15 June 1962, and since then only two of the four platforms have been used; one of the disused ones is fenced off from the westbound District platform. The station passed to London Underground on 1 January 1969. Its single-storey brick buildings are of a 1930s type also found at Dagenham East, Hornchurch and Upminster. Metronet refurbished it in 2005–06, restoring heritage features, and two lift shafts from the platforms to the booking hall remain out of use.
First and last trains from Becontree
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District towards Richmond, Ealing Broadway or Wimbledon | 05:10 – 23:56 to Ealing Broadway | 05:10 – 23:56 to Ealing Broadway | 05:10 – 23:56 to Ealing Broadway | 05:51 to Whitechapel – 23:21 to Ealing Broadway |
| District towards Upminster or Dagenham East | 05:49 – 01:22 | 05:49 – 01:22 | 05:49 – 01:22 | 06:34 – 00:46 |
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 19 District trains an hour per direction from Becontree, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Becontree
Running times between Becontree and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| District | Dagenham Heathway | 2 min |
| District | Upney | 2.2 min |
Connections
Becontree is served by the District line only; there is no interchange with other rail lines here.
Station facilities
What is near Becontree station
On the west side of Gale Street, Becontree serves the housing of the Becontree Estate, the residential area that lies north of the line, with a commercial area to the south and Parsloes Park to the north. Its daily users are mostly local commuters and pupils of nearby schools, including the Jo Richardson Community School, Roding Primary School and The James Campbell Primary School. Buses connect the station with Barking, Ilford, Dagenham and Chadwell Heath.
Frequently asked questions
It opened on 28 June 1926 as Gale Street Halt, named after the street it stands on, to serve the newly built Becontree Estate. When it was rebuilt for the District line it was renamed Becontree, reopening on 18 July 1932.
The station has four platforms. Two were built for main-line trains between London and Southend, which stopped calling on 15 June 1962. Since then only the two District line platforms have been in use, and one of the disused platforms is fenced off from the westbound District platform.