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Location notes
A small town station in a rural setting, quiet and in a cutting, approximately 28 minutes from London by One Great Eastern. One stop further east than the busy suburban town of Romford on the Great Eastern Mainline from London to Norwich.
Please beware:
There is a strong possibility of getting 'bowled' here due to the island platform nature of the station (when a slow London bound stopper sits in the platform for time, as they always do, the eastbound fast line view is blocked completely, in particular at peak times with 8 car sets).
Please beware:
There is a strong possibility of getting 'bowled' here due to the island platform nature of the station (when a slow London bound stopper sits in the platform for time, as they always do, the eastbound fast line view is blocked completely, in particular at peak times with 8 car sets).
Railway type and traffic
As the station is on the Great Eastern Main Line, a variety of traffic can be seen. This is one of the busier stretches of the line, due to the fact that the Southend and Southminster branches are yet to branch off. Therefore, expect to see 321s, 360s, 315s, 170s and 90s+DVTs on One Great Eastern / One Anglia services.
There are many Freightliners that pass through the station heading to and from Felixstowe, with haulage usually a 90 or 66, but can be pairs of 86s. DB Schenker freight to Marks Tey passes the station, as does GBRf Intermodals (both 66 hauled usually). Two DRS flask services pass the station, one can be caught in daylight in the summer (that from Sizewell) but the other runs during darkness from Southminster.
There are many Freightliners that pass through the station heading to and from Felixstowe, with haulage usually a 90 or 66, but can be pairs of 86s. DB Schenker freight to Marks Tey passes the station, as does GBRf Intermodals (both 66 hauled usually). Two DRS flask services pass the station, one can be caught in daylight in the summer (that from Sizewell) but the other runs during darkness from Southminster.
Environment
As with all suburban locations, one must have their wits about them at all times, but in daylight hours you should be fine. The station is manned by a guard on the platform at all times that whistles the trains away, and these people are generally very friendly.
Road directions
From the A12/A127 (Gallows Corner), take the A118 'Main Road' towards Romford at the roundabout. Continue towards Romford on this road as far as the traffic light junction in central Gidea Park with Balgores Lane. Here, bear left and follow this road and park as near as you can to the station over bridge.
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Gidea Park Station map co-ordinates
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Gidea Park Station map co-ordinates
Parking
Not particularly a dodgy area to leave your car, but beware that double yellow lines are dominant around the station area and on side roads, so you might have a fair walk back to the station. Best bet is to park down 'Crossways' (the left turn immediately before the over bridge), but the car park is season ticket holders only.
Public transport
By Train:
One Great Eastern Metro services run at 10 minute intervals on a weekday off peak and on a Saturday to/from Shenfield or London Liverpool Street - some trains turn back at Gidea Park in the peak from London.
By Bus:
The 294 from Romford station heading towards Noak Hill stops here, as does the 496 from Romford station to Harold Wood station (beware this bus goes round the houses).
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
One Great Eastern Metro services run at 10 minute intervals on a weekday off peak and on a Saturday to/from Shenfield or London Liverpool Street - some trains turn back at Gidea Park in the peak from London.
By Bus:
The 294 from Romford station heading towards Noak Hill stops here, as does the 496 from Romford station to Harold Wood station (beware this bus goes round the houses).
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
There is a public toilet, not recommended though. The small parade of shops above the station serves enough food to keep you going and magazines to read if it gets boring.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Gidea Park Station
Streetmap links
Gidea Park Station general view map
Gidea Park Station close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Gidea Park Station
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Gidea Park Station
Googly map
Gidea Park Station general view map
Gidea Park Station close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Gidea Park Station
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Photographic notes
Watch out for the digitized announcer if videoing, but otherwise its silent! Best platform is 3 and 4 and the shot looking west of the eastbound fast line is excellent if you aren't bowled. Also shooting London bound fast trains is good panning across the tracks.
General views - All photographs © Craig Leaper unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north east
Fig 2 - Looking south west
Fig 3 - Looking north east
Fig 4 - Looking south west
The slow platform.
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
