View source for Shenfield railway station

{{Short description|Railway station in Essex, England}}{{more citations needed|date=October 2011}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox London station
| name           = Shenfield
| symbol         = crossrail|symbol2 = rail
| image_name     = Shenfield entrance, June 2024.jpg
| caption        = Station entrance, as seen in June 2024
| manager        = [[Greater Anglia]]
| owner          = [[Network Rail]]
| locale         = [[Shenfield]]
| borough        = [[Borough of Brentwood]]
| railcode       = SNF
| dft_category   = B
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| platforms    = 6 operational; 1 disused
| access         = yes
| access_note    =<ref>{{citation step free tube map}}</ref>
| gridref        = TQ613949
| fare_zone      = C
| coordinates    = {{coord|51.6307|N|0.3301|E|type:railwaystation_region:GB-ESS|display=inline,title}}
| map_type       = Essex
| label_position = top
| original       = [[Eastern Counties Railway]]
| pregroup       = [[Great Eastern Railway]]
| postgroup      = [[London and North Eastern Railway]]
| years1         = {{start date|1843|03|29|df=y}}
| years2         = March 1850
| years3         = 1 January 1887
| years4         = 20 February 1969
| events1        = Opened as ''Shenfield''
| events2        = Closed
| events3        = Reopened as ''Shenfield & Hutton Junction''
| events4        = Renamed ''Shenfield''
}}
'''Shenfield railway station''' is on the [[Great Eastern Main Line]] in the [[East of England]], serving the suburb of [[Shenfield]], Essex. As well as being a key interchange for medium- and long-distance services on the main line, it is also the western terminus of [[Shenfield to Southend Line|a branch line]] to {{rws|Southend Victoria}} and one of the two eastern termini of the [[Elizabeth line]]. The station is {{convert|20|mi|16|chain|km|2|lk=in}} down the line from Liverpool Street; it is situated between {{rws|Brentwood}} and either {{rws|Ingatestone}} on the main line or {{rws|Billericay}} on the branch line. Its three-letter station code is SNF.

[[File:Shenfield station platforms, June 2024.jpg|right|260px|thumb|Station platforms seen from platform 3, June 2024]]

The station was opened in 1843 and has since expanded from its original three platforms to the current six.<ref name="Platform 6">{{ cite news | url=http://www.essexlive.news/crossrail-services-set-to-start-by-end-of-may/story-30319077-detail/story.html | title=Shenfield's Crossrail services will start by the end of May | publisher=Essex Live | date=8 May 2017 | access-date=15 June 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511115539/http://www.essexlive.news/crossrail-services-set-to-start-by-end-of-may/story-30319077-detail/story.html | archive-date=11 May 2017 | url-status=dead}}</ref> It sees trains operated by [[Greater Anglia]] to main line destinations including {{rws|Chelmsford}}, {{rws|Colchester}} and {{rws|Ipswich}}, as well as branch line stations such as {{rws|Southminster}}, {{rws|Braintree|England}}, {{rws|Harwich Town}}, {{rws|Colchester Town}} and {{rws|Clacton-on-Sea}}.

==History==

Shenfield station was opened by the [[Eastern Counties Railway]] company on 29 March 1843 on the extension from [[Brentwood railway station|Brentwood]] to [[Colchester railway station|Colchester]]. As it was situated in a rural area, patronage was low, so it was closed in March 1850. It reopened with the name Shenfield & Hutton Junction on 1 January 1887 under the [[Great Eastern Railway]] to serve as an interchange station with the new [[Shenfield to Southend Line|line to Southend]] that was completed two years later. There were three platforms, two up (London-bound) and one down (country-bound). Under the [[London and North Eastern Railway]], two extra tracks for terminating local (suburban "metro") trains opened in 1934, resulting in five platforms.

The 1920 survey of the station shows goods sidings and a turntable on the London side of the up platforms. The goods yard was closed on 4 May 1964 and it became the station's car park.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Victor E. |date=April 2011 |title=Eastern Main Lines - Shenfield to Ipswich |location=Midhurst |publisher=Middleton Press |at=Plan II |isbn=978-1-906008-96-3 }}</ref> The Hutton Junction suffix in the station's name was removed on 20 February 1969.<ref>{{harvnb|Mitchell|2011|loc=Plate 4}}</ref>

The station is {{convert|20|mi|16|chain|km}} from [[Liverpool Street station|Liverpool Street]]. Immediately west of the station is Brentwood bank, which descends steeply in the up (London) direction. This bank presented a significant climb to [[steam locomotive|steam train]]s. There are extensive sidings on the London side of the station just before the start of the descent down the bank.

To the east of the station, the lines for Southend diverge to the south. West of Shenfield there are five tracks, but to the east these split, two towards {{rws|Colchester}} and two towards {{rws|Southend Victoria}}. The [[London and North Eastern Railway]] opened the Southend Loop to the east of the station on 1 January 1934. This enabled Southend trains to and from platforms 4 and 5 to dive-under the main line thus eliminating conflicting movements. The bi-directional loop line connects to the Southend line at Mountnessing Junction.

The lines from London Liverpool Street and London Fenchurch Street (via Gas Factory Junction and Bow Junction) to Shenfield were electrified at 1500 V DC overhead system in 1949. This was converted to 6.5 kV AC in 1960. Gidea Park to Shenfield was converted to 25 kV AC in 1976. Liverpool Street to Gidea Park was converted to 25 kV AC in 1980.<ref>''Modern Railways'', March 2010, p. 44, and May 2010, p.35</ref>

[[Oyster card]] readers were installed for pay-as-you-go journeys in 2013.<ref name="Commissioners Report">{{ cite news | url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/Part-1-Item05-Commissioners-Report-December-2012.pdf | title=Commissioners report | publisher=TFL | date=December 2012 | access-date=10 January 2013 }}</ref>

Today, Shenfield is served by fast trains on the main line towards London, and it is the north-eastern terminus of the Elizabeth line. At peak hours the frequency of service will increase from eight trains per hour to 12, necessitating the construction of a new 210-metre long platform 6,<ref name="A7">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220910161752/https://www.crossrail.co.uk/assets/library/document/a/original/a7selectionofthenortheasternterminus.pdf CROSSRAIL INFORMATION PAPER A7 – SELECTION OF THE NORTH EASTERN TERMINUS]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211258/http://www.crossrail.co.uk/assets/download/2127 Environmental Baseline and Assessment of Impacts – North East Route Section]</ref> which was built to the north of platform 5, replacing one of the existing three western sidings.<ref name=NE17>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211344/http://www.crossrail.co.uk/assets/download/661 Chapter 18 - Route Window NE17 - Shenfield station]</ref> The two remaining western sidings and three new eastern sidings are also used by the Elizabeth line.<ref name=NE17 /> Platforms 1 to 5 have an operational length for 12 carriages, platform 6 for 10 carriages.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Railway Track Diagrams |volume=2 Eastern |editor-first=Martyn |editor-last=Brailsford |publisher=Trackmaps |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-9549866-8-1 |location=Frome |pages=5, 10}}</ref>

==Services==
The typical off-peak service pattern at Shenfield is:<ref>{{Cite web |work=Greater Anglia |title=Timetables |date=10 December 2023 |access-date=16 May 2014 |url= https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/timetables |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Elizabeth Line Timetables |work=Transport for London|date=10 December 2023 |access-date=16 May 2024 |url= https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/elizabeth-line/elizabeth-line-timetables |quote=}}</ref>

*7 trains per hour (tph) to [[Liverpool Street station|London Liverpool Street]], of which:
**5 call at [[Stratford station|Stratford]]
**2 call at [[Romford railway station|Romford]] and Stratford
*2 tph to [[Heathrow Terminal 5 station|Heathrow Terminal 5]], calling at all stations except Acton Main Line, Hanwell and Southall.
*6 tph to [[London Paddington station|Paddington]], calling at all stations
*3 tph to [[Southend Victoria railway station|Southend Victoria]], calling at all stations
*1 tph to {{stnlnk|Braintree|England}}, calling at [[Ingatestone railway station|Ingatestone]], [[Chelmsford railway station|Chelmsford]], [[Witham railway station|Witham]] and then all stations
*1 tph to [[Clacton-on-Sea railway station|Clacton-on-Sea]], calling at Ingatestone, Chelmsford, Witham, [[Colchester railway station|Colchester]], [[Wivenhoe railway station|Wivenhoe]] and [[Thorpe-le-Soken railway station|Thorpe-le-Soken]]
*1 tph to [[Colchester Town railway station|Colchester Town]], calling at Chelmsford, Witham and then all stations
*1 tph to [[Ipswich railway station|Ipswich]], calling at Chelmsford and then all stations.

During peak times, service frequencies may be increased and calling patterns varied. Service frequencies are generally reduced on Sundays.

{{rail start}}
{{rail line one to two|previous={{stnlnk|Romford}} or {{stn|Stratford}}|next1={{stnlnk|Ingatestone}} or {{stnlnk|Chelmsford}}|next2={{stnlnk|Billericay}}|route1=[[Greater Anglia (train operating company)|Greater Anglia]] <br/> {{smalldiv|[[Great Eastern Main Line]]}}|route2=[[Greater Anglia (train operating company)|Greater Anglia]] <br/> {{smalldiv|[[Shenfield–Southend line|Shenfield to Southend Line]]}}|col={{Greater Anglia colour}} }}
{{s-rail|title=LEL}}
{{rail line|previous={{stnlnk|Brentwood}} <br/> {{smalldiv|''towards {{stn|Heathrow Terminal 5}}''}}|route=[[Elizabeth line]]|col={{rcr|LEL}} }}
{{end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{stn art lnk|SNF|CM158JD}}
* [http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/xls/station_usage_2005-06.xls Excel file displaying National Rail station usage information for 2005/06] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122100934/http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/xls/station_usage_2005-06.xls |date=22 January 2013 }}

{{Crossrail navbox}}
{{Railway stations served by Abellio Greater Anglia}}

[[Category:Railway stations in Essex]]
[[Category:DfT Category B stations]]
[[Category:Transport in the Borough of Brentwood]]
[[Category:Former Great Eastern Railway stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by Greater Anglia]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by the Elizabeth line]]
[[Category:William Neville Ashbee railway stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1843]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1850]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1887]]