London, Tilbury and Southend line

London, Tilbury and Southend line
Class 357 at Upminster Bridge
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Network Rail
Locale	Greater London Essex
Termini	London Fenchurch Street Shoeburyness
Stations	26
Service
Type	Commuter rail, heavy rail
System	National Rail
Operator(s)	c2c London Overground
Depot(s)	East Ham Shoeburyness
Rolling stock	Class 357 Class 720
History
Opened	1854
Technical
Line length	39 miles 40 chains (63.6 km) (main line via Basildon)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLE
Operating speed	75 mph (121 km/h)
Route map (Click to expand)

v t e London, Tilbury & Southend line
Legend
mi–ch 0-00 Fenchurch Street Docklands Light Railway to Bank Tower Gateway () │ Minories Leman Street Cannon Street Road Shadwell () East London line Shadwell & St. George's East former London & Blackwall Rly 1-58 Limehouse Docklands Light Railway via Westferry Regent's Canal Burdett Road Gas Factory Junction LU District line and Hammersmith & City line Bow Curve to Great Eastern Main Line Docklands Light Railway to Beckton and Woolwich Arsenal Bromley-by-Bow () Lee Navigation River Lea 4-07 West Ham Plaistow () Upton Park () East Ham () East Ham depot River Roding Gospel Oak to Barking line to Gospel Oak and Forest Gate 7-42 Barking Upney () Gospel Oak to Barking line to Barking Riverside Becontree () Dagenham Heathway () 10-45 Dagenham Dock Beam Park (proposed) Dagenham East () 12-54 Rainham Elm Park () Hornchurch () Upminster Bridge () Romford–Upminster line to Romford 15-20 Upminster Upminster Depot 16-02 Purfleet 18-44 Ockendon 19-15 West Horndon 20-77 Chafford Hundred Lakeside West Thurrock Junction 19-70 Grays 21-48 Tilbury Town for bus to Gravesend ferry Tilbury freight terminal Tilbury Riverside Low Street 22-69 Laindon 24-26 Basildon 25-07 East Tilbury London Gateway 27-13 Stanford-le-Hope 1 2 1: 32-37 2: 26-42 Pitsea Mileage change Pitsea Junction 29-11 Benfleet 32-43 Leigh-on-Sea 33-69 Chalkwell 34-66 Westcliff 35-55 Southend Central 36-49 Southend East 37-73 Thorpe Bay   Shoeburyness carriage sidings   39-40 Shoeburyness Pig's Bay

The London, Tilbury and Southend line, also known as Essex Thameside, is a commuter railway line on the British railway system. It connects Fenchurch Street station, in central London, with destinations in east London and Essex, including Barking, Upminster, Basildon, Grays, Tilbury, Southend and Shoeburyness.

Its main users are commuters travelling to and from London, particularly the City of London which is served by Fenchurch Street, and areas in east London including the Docklands financial district via London Underground and Docklands Light Railway connections at Limehouse and West Ham. The line is also heavily used by leisure travellers, as it and its branches serve a number of seaside resorts, shopping areas and countryside destinations. Additionally, the Tilbury Loop portion of the route provides an artery for freight traffic to and from Dagenham Dock and the Tilbury and London Gateway ports. Freight traffic can also travel further using the connection to the Gospel Oak to Barking line and the Great Eastern Main Line at Forest Gate Junction, allowing access to other main routes.

Built by the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway Company – a joint venture between the London and Blackwall Railway and the Eastern Counties Railway companies – the railway was authorised in 1852, with the first section opening in 1854. The route was extended in phases and partnerships were formed with the Midland Railway and District Railway to provide through-services.

The railway serves three main routes. The main line runs from Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness via Basildon over a distance of 39 miles 40 chains (63.6 km). A loop line between Barking and Pitsea provides an alternative route via Rainham (Essex), Grays and Tilbury. Finally, there is a short branch line connecting the main line at Upminster with the loop line at Grays via Ockendon. The line has a maximum speed limit of 75 mph (121 km/h), although the Class 357 and Class 720 electric trains which run on it are capable of speeds of 100 mph (161 km/h).

The line forms part of Network Rail's strategic route 6.^[1] It is classified as a London and South East commuter line.^[2] Passenger services form the Essex Thameside franchise that is currently operated by train operating company c2c.