Wansteadium reader Maya asked on Wanstead Talk earlier this week:
I was wondering, as you do, the tube tunnel between Wanstead and Leytonstone, what’s its route? Which bit of Wanstead does it go under? How deep is it? That sort of idle, staring out of the window thoughts one has occasionally. Thought somebody might know.
This is a partial answer, as supplied by ArcGIS.
It does not, however answer Maya’s question about depth. Any further intelligence is welcome.
And incidentally, any Tubegeeks who aren’t already aware of a change on the new TfL map might be interested to know that Wanstead Park and Forest Gate will now appear as linked stations. Ubertubegeek Geoff Marshall has more info.
All I know is that when the M11 link road was under construction, they broke through the tunnel roof on at least one occasion.
Wanstead Park to Forest Gate is a long walk ! Linked as an interchange ? Rediculous
Google Maps is fairly specific about what bits of Wansted the tunnel goes under. If you believe Google Maps… Move across to Green Park and Google Maps shows the Victoria Line running under Buckingham Palace. Which it was specifically designed to avoid (danger of f***wits with bombs on trains appreciated as early as 1965). And which is why it is such a schlep from the Victoria Line to the other lines if changing at Green Park.
Google Maps is mostly wrong. It, as you know, follows Gainsborough Road when leaving Leytonstone Station. It then veers left to go under the Epping branch. It goes under Gainsborough Road where the road bends to the right just before Tesco. Naturally it can’t do a 90 degree turn, so must go up a bit, must turn, I would assume, under what is now Tesco and pass under the centre of the Green Man Roundabout. It then follows Cambridge Park (but to the north side). The reason I know this (and that Google Maps showing it too far north) is that there is a tube ventilation shaft in a back garden at the junction of Cambridge Park and Highstone Avenue. I assume it only crosses the old A12 at the junction of the High Street where the station is. So ignore Google it just guesses! (Well so have I, but with some facts too!) Robert
Another interesting fact, is that if you are standing on the westerly end of the Leytonstone platform and you cant see the indicator board saying where the next/current train is going to, then keep your eye on the tall white arrow signal pole on the platform – to the left of the driver….if it is pointing straight up, the train is heading to Wanstead, if it is pointing diagonally left, it is going to Snaresbrook – very useful on dark nights when you cant see the indicator board by the ticket office steps! Apparently the drivers rely on this too!
I do know it goes directly underneath Ennerdale Court retirement housing on Cambridge Park Road, as when visiting someone there I could always hear it’s subterranean rumble!
Veronica, I think you’ll find it’s the other way round for those arrows. Pointing to the left indicates the train is going to veer to the left and burrow under the Epping Branch.
On a related thread. Has anyone else in Wanstead noticed an INCREASE in tube noise since the Autumn of last year? We live a good distance away and have never ever heard it until now?
Andrew,I’ve noticed this too and thought it was just me. I’m just off Blake Hall Road and the rumblings are more noticeable than anything the A12 produces. If it’s the Wanstead branch, then it’s going to be a pain come 24 hour running.